Originally Posted by
Chuck M
I've given away modern bikes to people I thought needed them more than me. But I won't do that with even bike boom bikes that are not really that valuable or collectable. Also, 27" tires, friction shifting, and older components would possibly not be what someone needing cheap and dependable transportation need to deal with.
I don't think friction shifting or 27" tires are any problem. You can still get decent and even excellent tires for that size. As for friction shifting, it's not the friction that causes issues, but the downtube shifters. If you move the shifters to the bar (thumbless or bar cons) or stem, shifting is much less off-putting for newer riders. And older components . . . As long as they don't use delrin(!) bike boom components they are pretty durable in my experience.