Goodwill Bikes?

[dingster1]

Anyone ever bought a bike from Goodwill? The one here in Germantown has some decent looking ones for like $35. Paint looks ok, couple of rust spots. I'lll be commuting to work and school on this and haven't seen a hybrid I like yet and can't afford a new road bike at all. Any advice?

[Trek420]

No but my "urban assault bike" that I'm converting to a freewheel ... I found by the side of the road. A lot of us have bikes we found, garage sale...etc.

Edited further for thoughts below: but this orphan bike fits me however it's not much of a "deal". I may have to spend a few hundred to complete it. It will be a very unique special bike then.

[Duck on Wheels]

Another source for cheap bikes is police auctions. Police often accumulate so many unclaimed lost or stolen bikes, watches, glasses, dentures, ... that they need to auction them off. Here in Trondheim I think the auctions are held twice a year. I think you're allowed to go look at the items before the auction to see what you want to bid on ... or if your own stolen bike is among them (last chance to claim it). Not all that convenient with only 2 shopping days per year, but you can get some good bargains if you have the time on the day of the event.

[Geonz]

What kind of bike is it? (who made it?) And if you're going to put lots of time or miles on it... does it fit? There was an awesome yard sale bike for $25 dollars - worth at least ten times that much - but... the original owner was 6'5". SOmebody else got a sweet deal that day...

[velogirl]

At the bike shop where I work, we get all types of goodwill/garage sale/found bikes in. It's a great deal when you pay $35 for a bike, but when you need to do $500 worth of work to actually make it run, you didn't get such a great deal. The other downside to consider is that with some older bikes, the components are obsolete, so you can't find replacement parts easily.

[Rai Sue]

take a friend with you who has some idea about bikes (especially older bikes): good and bad brands, and also how to work on them.

Since spending a few years of obsessing about building up frames I got for cheap, I learned a lot--from friends! They often helped guide me through a deal (or talked me out of a bad one), or gave me suggestions on what i needed to do.

And figure out what you want in the bike--what will you use it for, etc. You really don't _need_ a new and expensive bike to start out with, but you also really don't want to get a bike that is a bad fit, unreliable, expensive to repair, or will need a lot of repair/upkeep, or will not be able to do what you want (i.e. if you commute, eyelets to put a rack on are really handy!)

[dingster1]

Well I did it! I went to Goodwill today and looked at the selection and they had a Ross 12 speed! Perfect size! Put some air in the tires, oiled everything I could there on the lot, and hit the road. Took it past my LBS since its on the way home and the repair guy was like "this is in really good shape, its just been sitting around. Bring it back in the fall for a tune up" Cool!! So let's see..
bike- $30, helmet, pump and oil, $30 and a seat bag $5....$65 for a commuter!!!
I'll post pics after I clean her up a bit.

Oh yeah, I' definitely need a new saddle!!! OUCH!!!! why didn't they hurt this much when we were younger???

[mimitabby]

well, Dingster
congrats on being in the club of folks who will pay more for the saddle than their bike!

[Imperfectstorm]

I found a kewl vintage Centurian for 4 bucks, and I only had to put 25 bucks into repair. My niece is using it and when she out grows it I will take it back as a commuter bike.

Take someone who knows about bikes, it is hit or miss.

You can find used components on ebay.