And we've got a Schwinner!

Through very good happenstance I've come into possession of a Schwinn MOAB which at the outset doesn't seem so exciting.  The Schwinns that are made today don't have the same quality of the earlier models and as far as I know they don't even produce the MOAB anymore.

What is exciting is that except for the frame size, this is the exact same bike that my cycling buddy Roy uses for mountain biking.  Now my friend Roy always buys the best quality that he can afford and when he got the Schwinn 12 or so years ago, it was a $1,200.00 bike back then.  The quality of the bike is so high that he claims to still be using the same chain, front chainring and rear cassette.

As much as I love Furry Lewis, I've been straying and looking elsewhere - mostly to find an affordable way to reduce the weight of the bike - to make it sub-thirty (pounds).  I've been to see Mitch in the parts department at United Cycle and he offered a few suggestions - like a lighter front suspension and/or lighter wheels.  He talked to me about rotational weight which was a new concept for me and an enthusiastic customer tried to convince me to spend even more and get tubeless rims/tires.

What I really wanted was to get my hands on a Schwinn MOAB.  It is a fine bike and weighs less than 30 pounds.  And that is when the stars aligned and I got a message from my friend Alex over at "Bikeworks" that one had become available.  Since I was planning a 65K. ride anyway (to try to get ready for the KVR), I made my way over to the "shop" found the MOAB, adjusted the seat and hit the bricks.  After paying for it of course.

So once again, I've added another bike to my stable of wheeled fun - let's see - there's the MOAB, Furry Lewis, Foldy Hawn, Mississippi 'Red, the Triumph English 3 speed,  a crappy blue frame that will become my winter bike, a donated mountain bike that I'll sell and use the funds to finance the next MS Tour and then.......