     )
 }
 
+/**
+ Creates an observable of the generated `Request`.
+
+ - parameter urlRequest: An object adopting `URLRequestConvertible`
+
+ - returns: An observable of a the `Request`
+ */
+public func request(_ urlRequest: URLRequestConvertible) -> Observable<DataRequest> {
+  return SessionManager.default.rx.request(urlRequest: urlRequest)
+}
+
 // MARK: data
 
 /**

        encoding: encoding,
        headers: headers
    )
}

/**

}

/**
 Creates an observable of the returned decoded string and response.

 - parameter urlRequest: An object adopting `URLRequestConvertible`

 - returns: An observable of the tuple `(NSHTTPURLResponse, String)`
 */
public func requestString(_ urlRequest: URLRequestConvertible) -> Observable<(HTTPURLResponse, String)> {
    return request(urlRequest).flatMap { $0.rx.responseString() }
}

/**
 Creates an observable of the returned decoded string.

 - parameter method: Alamofire method object
