I've made some small improvements, far from what the pros do, but good enough at this point. Just got back from a 15 mile or so trip around town, a lot of climbs and was able to stay on bike up the steepest hill.
QctZ0gv.jpg (4608×3440) (imgur.com)
KY2jG0g.jpg (4608×3440) (imgur.com)
Concerns are as others said that maybe interior grease has gone bad, also that the chain may not be the greatest. Wrapped the handlebars, have oiled chain and all junctions a number of times. One tire has a slow leak, not sure if fix a flat would be useful.