My "new" bike

[xeney]

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!

[Tuckervill]

+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

[Tri Girl]

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!!!

(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!!!!

[sandra]

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.

[sandra]

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

[Tri Girl]

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!

[xeney]

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.