The Schwinn looks like a nice frame. Some C&Vers might not like the idea of sacrificing it. Two things that might help are good mudguards and wax. The mudguards (fenders) keep a lot of crap from hitting your feet and crank. Wax can protect the metal and painted parts of the frame and components. You could spray everything , except the rim sidewalls and brake pads, with Boeshield, a paraffin based spray-on protective coating, which is also a pretty good chainlube. .Some winter cyclists use automoive wax for the frame.