My "new" bike

I really had my heart set on a mixte, but couldn't find one that would fit just right, and wasn't too expensive (with shipping and all). One day I'll get one, but for now I settled for this one.
Ok- so it's not a new bike, but new to me. I didn't want a brand new bike- something cool about an old bike with a soul. I bought it for $5 on craigslist and then had to put some money into it (because it was a crap bike). It's an old steel huffy from the 80's. I had to buy new tires, tubes, sand the frame (to get rust off) and paint it, new handlebars, brakes and cables. My $5 bike wound up costing about $150, but I'm ok with that. I got to refurbish it mostly myself, and had a great time doing that. The most expensive part was the $60 tune up at the LBS (but that included them fixing the rear derailleur so I wouldn't have to buy a new one and putting the cables on).
It's really just for trips to the grocery store and drug store (and other small errands that are within a couple miles of home). It's not for distance. That's what my fancy shmancy racing bikes are for. This one is for the fun of it. I want to ride for a purpose sometimes, and not just because the training schedule says to.
I rode it to the grocery store this morning (a mile away) and got some small items. I LOVED running an errand on my bike (first time ever- with the exception of commuting to work). I got funny looks- and I loved that too (we're not exactly the kind of city where people ride a bike for purpose or fun- why do that when you can drive your big 'ol pick-up truck or SUV?). People had that sad "oh she doesn't have a car" look. Hee hee. I kinda felt like a freak, but that's ok. No bike racks anywhere in town, so I locked it to a trash can. It was either that or the shopping cart corral in the parking lot.

The pics aren't great and are kinda big, but the first one is the before, the second one is the after. I just bought another bike on craigslist (I know- I have a problem) for $25 and I'm going to take the rack, fenders, grips and seat off of it and put it on my new bike (and then hopefully resell it to someone else).

Thanks for reading!

Very nice! Looks like the perfect running around bike. And the price??? Sensational! And look how much fun it's going to be.

I like it. Good job!

Karen

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

I rode it to the grocery store this morning (a mile away) and got some small items. I LOVED running an errand on my bike (first time ever- with the exception of commuting to work). I got funny looks- and I loved that too (we're not exactly the kind of city where people ride a bike for purpose or fun- why do that when you can drive your big 'ol pick-up truck or SUV?). People had that sad "oh she doesn't have a car" look.

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You know, I really think it's more of a sad "I should really get my old bike out of the garage and start riding it like she's doing" look. They are thinking about how you are not paying for gas like they are, and they are thinking about how they really should be exercising to lose weight, and how they bought their bike 5 years ago and haven't ridden it since the first day. No wonder they look sad! I get people all the time coming up to me saying "seeing you on your bike really makes me want to dust off my old bike, but sadly, I just never get around to it."
We all need to lead the way and show everyone that you totally don't NEED a car to go to the corner store! As gas gets more precious and costly, more and more people will do like the rest of the world does- and ride a bike for most short trips and errands, or short commutes.
Good for you, bringing that old humble bicycle back for a whole second life, and using it INSTEAD of a car!! :D

It looks perfect. Good work and way to go for being an "instigator" in your community.

Ok- so I went and picked up the bike that I won off ebay for $24.99 (the one that I was going to steal the fenders and rear rack and put them on the bike I refurbished). Turns out the bike I picked up today is much better than my refurbished bike. It's better than the seller described it, as I don't think she knew how nice it really was. It rides amazing, has better components, and is more comfortable than my fix up (plus it has the moustache bars that I liked but didn't get for my fix up).
Drats!!! If I'd only waited a couple weeks, I wouldn't have had to spend the money to fix up the one I did.
Now I'm torn... do I keep the bike I fixed up or keep the one I just bought and sell the other one? If I sell my fix up, it's a losing money deal, but I can just look at it this way: I fixed up an old junker and somebody will ride it with joy- and the money I put into it is an investment in the bike I just picked up.

Hmmmmm.... decisions :rolleyes:

And I don't know for sure, but I think DH might secretly want to kill me. ;) I've got 5 bikes in the house that are just mine (mtn, road, tri, and two old steel bikes)- not including his three bikes. :eek: We've got 8 bikes in our house and only 2 people- how silly is that?. I better get rid of one, or he might just sell me instead :)

I think the fixup turned out beautifully, but this one is one nice retro bike. sell the fixup and make someone happy :-)

Ohhh, that is darling. I think you can be proud of the job you did on your fixed up bike and sell or give it to someone in need with a clear conscience.

And we have so many bikes in this house that I had to go have a baby just to make the division work out better. 17 bikes, 2 people? Crazy! 18 bikes*, 3 people? Well, that's only six bikes per person!

*The LBS gave her a tricycle. It was a gift! Not my fault! I can't be blamed for #18!

+1 for giving it away. Not everyone is in the position to do such charity. But you could keep the parts you really can't bear to part with, replace them on the bike with something else, and be an answer to someone's prayer.

You could just pretend you spent all that money on the new one and only $25 to give the other one away. Find someone who really needs it--maybe the emergency shelter knows someone who needs transportation for work. The feeling will be worth much more than $25.

Karen

Great ideas on giving it away to someone who needs it for transportation (or at a shelter). I really like that one! I'll look into it this week. Thanks!!! :D

(yeah, I really like the green bike so much better- I think I'm going to keep it!)

Xeney- 17 bikes???? whew- I feel much better about our 8. ;) And the trike for the little one- awesome!!!!

I am so impressed and love your first fix up bike. You did a fantastic job with it. It would be hard not to keep it. Then I saw your second one, and I love that too. What kind is it? Beautiful color! Love the seat and hand grips. It looks like it is in excellent condition. You got really lucky there!

It's a pretty easiy decision. You will ride the one that rides the best.

Oh, I forgot to say, I love the basket. AND the second bike has FENDERS!!! l love the fenders.

It's a "top o' the line" (hee hee) Sears and Roebuck Free Spirit Greenbriar bike. The date on the sticker (that's still completely intact) says May '83. All the sticker decals are in great condition, the tires still had the knobby things on them that eventually you rub down as you actually ride it (although I put the new tires I had put on the other bike because the Sears tires were getting "crackly"). The chain isn't rusty (just a teeny bit of rust- but no more than my road bike after a rain), the cables and brake pads are in great condition, the handlebars and grips don't look like they've been around 24 years and the seat is super comfy. I don't think the bike was ridden much (if ever). I think it sat around and this lady thought she had a 24 year old piece of garbage and was thrilled to get $25 for it. And I felt like I was stealing it. ;)
I think I got pretty lucky! A clean chain, a few minor adjustments and it'll be good to go. Took it for a 5 mile ride tonight in the neighborhood. Was sooooo much fun riding my big ol' nerdy, super comfy bike for just for the fun of it! I felt like a kid again all upright and with my tennis shoes on. Although a couple cyclists passed me and I felt like a poser for some stupid reason- like they thought I wasn't a "real" cyclist. I wanted to say "but I've got 2 racing bikes at home- I'm a real roadie, too." Silly, I know- why did I have some sort of inferiority complex??? Dumb!

I think those Free Spirits were made by Puch, weren't they? At least some of them were. For being the now-maligned "department store bikes" they seem to be really nice bikes -- they are very common in my neighborhood.

I also vote keep the green bike and give away/sell the lovely fix-up bike you did.

You could make someone very happy. You certainly impressed me and Trek420 with the work you did! Nice job!

(but even so, Trek wouldn't let me buy an $85 Nishiki mixte we saw at the bike shop this morning... yeah, other TE'ers can do this stuff, but not me...)