Your Catch of the Day / Saved from the Dump!
07-14-19, 09:20 AM
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07-14-19, 01:19 PM
Junior Member
Oh, yeah, third bike... was dead tired last night and failed to post it after getting the other two typed up. Believe it is a 1976 Schwinn Varsity as the color appears to be "Chestnut", which isn't listed as a offered color for the following years, and it has a huge frame size. Frame seems to be okay, but there's a considerable amount of rust at the bottom of the front fork where the wheel attaches. This one was rather evidently sitting in the previous owner's garage for a considerable number of years. Tires and inner tubes are shot. Got to really inspect this one as it's been double whammied for salt exposure with a Ohio state origin followed up with the island bike license tag on the head tube meaning it was unquestionably exposed to salt water and salt air as well.Funny thing is this bike frame is definitely to big for me, but the guy I bought it from was maybe within a inch of my own height, so am rather curious as to how this rides, maybe it gives that crazy high view effect that one gets from riding in a truck or van? 
07-14-19, 01:29 PM
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07-15-19, 01:33 AM
Barred @ Velocipedesalon
07-15-19, 06:54 AM
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07-15-19, 10:27 AM
Barred @ Velocipedesalon
Scwhinn Varsity
Oh, yeah, third bike... was dead tired last night and failed to post it after getting the other two typed up. Believe it is a 1976 Schwinn Varsity as the color appears to be "Chestnut", which isn't listed as a offered color for the following years, and it has a huge frame size.
Last edited by HPL; 07-16-19 at 12:10 AM.
07-15-19, 10:53 AM
Senior Member
Saved this guy the other day. They don't seem like they get much love, a 1984 Trek 890.
It has mismatched cranks and some broken spokes on the back wheel . Cables are trashed as well as the chain. this is how i got it, hadnt even taken off the accessories brackets!
It has mismatched cranks and some broken spokes on the back wheel . Cables are trashed as well as the chain. this is how i got it, hadnt even taken off the accessories brackets!
07-15-19, 02:15 PM
Quidam Bike Super Hero
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Location: Stone Mountain, GA (Metro Atlanta, East)
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Bikes: 1995 Trek 800 Sport, aka, "CamelTrek"
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The Frankentrek!
FRANKENTREK rolls on!
Started as $30 Goodwill purchase in 2013. "Frankentrek" has been my teacher, torturer and friend ever since. Matching my attitude of recycle, repurpose, reuse, little on the bike is bought new. Most parts and items are gleaned from ebay and craigslist.
Last edited by Digger Goreman; 07-15-19 at 02:28 PM. Reason: add comments and pic
07-15-19, 06:26 PM
Full Member
"thrift" stores
Don't forget Craigslist, just search "free", or go to bikes for sale and put in sorting for prices. Believe me, something usually shows up every month or so, albeit not always the right size, often something to strip parts from. Also, check out pawn shops, quite often there's a gem they just want to clear out. Unfortunately, pawn and thrift shops are frequently checking online to see what they've got and what it's selling for, often using the wrong info to base their price on. That didn't happen much 20 years ago, but now it's common practice. I know a thrift shop owner who pretty much checks all his items online, and then only sells the "good" stuff online or has it in the shop at "non-thrift" prices. I don't expect to go into a real thrift store seeing prices over $20 for pretty much anything, but nowadays there are "thrift" shops selling higher priced "antiques and collectables" right along with the junk; these places usually have much higher prices, but no necessarily better "junk". My bike shops (the used bike types, not ones selling new bikes) that I frequently visit often have something to checkout in the "junk" bin/rack, not always dirt cheap, but still usually a very good buy. I learned how to haggle a little for a bargain and also trying to act ignorant (not too hard for me) when finding the diamond in the rough. Having just scored some early 70's 3ttt stems and bars for $15, that are selling on ebay for $75-$100 or more makes it easier to spend a little more for that other missing part that is on ebay at a premium price. Another place to look is in the classified ads, used stuff, yard sale, and estate sale listings. Some killer bikes at estate sales that sellers are just trying to move. Also, local auctions, many having online bidding as well as live. I saw an Atala full Campy Nuovo Record late 60's-early 70's sell for $70; same bike on ebay selling for $300-500. Good luck hunting!
they have this one marked at $150, with a shimano 3 speed hub. They bring them out at ridiculous prices and they sit until they hual them out to recycling, not sure what is going on with that.
07-15-19, 07:05 PM
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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And the next two both followed me home yesterday (Saturday) morning.
First we have the mystery pity Mixte bike, because I feel pity for it... let's see if anyone can figure out why (more than one reason really).
Did BMX ever make anything that had larger than 20" wheels with multiple speeds? Bike was very obviously yellow originally before getting a rather lousy blue spraycan paint job. It's a 5-Speed with Simplex branded shifter & derailleur. I'm doubting the BMX brand tag is original to the bike as there's no blue paint on it, haha!
Checked over the bike elsewise and can't even find a serial number. Person I bought it from said it was purchased used and they then used it to commute around on the local college campus. It's had the rear brake and gear shift cables replaced, the brake pads replaced, and the tires replaced within the last ten years... but, uh, yeah, it needs serious attention.
I guess Chiorda as the brand of that mixte.
07-16-19, 01:02 AM
Barred @ Velocipedesalon
Thrifty?
At least they've got a couple. I went to work out of town one time without my ride and after having just had knee surgery (needed physical therapy); stopped in a thrift store to see if I could find something to roll on, but nothing. Found another place that had 2 cheap step-through "mtb" bikes that essentially were un-rideable, but grabbed one for $15 and rebuilt; gave it back to the thrift store when I left 2 months later (I told them I'd give back when I bought it; they thought I was a little wacked out; and I am!), so someone ended up with a decent riding bike, and I told the thrift store that it was now worth $20 when they resell it. My brother just picked up a decent Trek from a thrift shop for $30, but you need to always be checking these places. I live near a couple colleges so always a fairly decent amount to choose from, although many aren't much to write home about. That "PAN WORLD" bike looks in pretty good shape for what it is. I've also got a "repurposed" materials/goods business in town and have picked up a Royal Scot for $40; trying to get their Robin Hood for the past year and a half, but they won't budge on the price ($100), and it's getting in worse shape every day so I drop my offer $5 every 3-4 months; much longer and I'll only be offering $5 for the hunk of rust that remains. Everybody thinks it's collectible if seen on ebay for hundreds of dollars, but they neglect to see what condition these bikes are in compared to their own. That is now the biggest problem with second hand bikes being sold at businesses and on Craigslist; everyone has that "rare" bike that's "selling" (or trying to sell) for over $1000; apparently your Pinarello Dogma on ebay makes the value of my Pinarello "sport frame" worth a couple grand just because of the name nowadays; NOT!
Last edited by HPL; 07-16-19 at 01:16 AM.
07-16-19, 09:54 AM
Full Member
At least they've got a couple. I went to work out of town one time without my ride and after having just had knee surgery (needed physical therapy); stopped in a thrift store to see if I could find something to roll on, but nothing. Found another place that had 2 cheap step-through "mtb" bikes that essentially were un-rideable, but grabbed one for $15 and rebuilt; gave it back to the thrift store when I left 2 months later (I told them I'd give back when I bought it; they thought I was a little wacked out; and I am!), so someone ended up with a decent riding bike, and I told the thrift store that it was now worth $20 when they resell it. My brother just picked up a decent Trek from a thrift shop for $30, but you need to always be checking these places. I live near a couple colleges so always a fairly decent amount to choose from, although many aren't much to write home about. That "PAN WORLD" bike looks in pretty good shape for what it is. I've also got a "repurposed" materials/goods business in town and have picked up a Royal Scot for $40; trying to get their Robin Hood for the past year and a half, but they won't budge on the price ($100), and it's getting in worse shape every day so I drop my offer $5 every 3-4 months; much longer and I'll only be offering $5 for the hunk of rust that remains. Everybody thinks it's collectible if seen on ebay for hundreds of dollars, but they neglect to see what condition these bikes are in compared to their own. That is now the biggest problem with second hand bikes being sold at businesses and on Craigslist; everyone has that "rare" bike that's "selling" (or trying to sell) for over $1000; apparently your Pinarello Dogma on ebay makes the value of my Pinarello "sport frame" worth a couple grand just because of the name nowadays; NOT!
07-16-19, 11:39 AM
Junior Member
Probably won't make anyone envious with these finds, but I like them.
First is an old Raleigh that's been outside for a long time. Second is a Vagabond a lot like my first mtb. An easy fix. Third is a bike from 'The Bay'. Also an easy fix.
Last edited by All Terrain; 07-16-19 at 12:00 PM.
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07-16-19, 11:53 AM
Junior Member
This old lugged Bigfoot is a nice score.
07-17-19, 02:25 PM
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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It's not much, but it's the only thing I felt comfortable removing from the scrap metal area of the county dump during today's run. I always check and there's always some poor discarded, probably-still-useful bike tossed on the pile for metal recycling. Today there were several big box BSOs, some juvie bikes, an ancient yellow Varsity that should have outlived us all, and a black Schwinn World leaning against a section of Jersey wall like it thought it had a chance of escaping. Good luck, pal, but don't bet on it. This 5 LED QR light was attached to the bars and I could remove it without tools so I took it as a mark of protest. As I was leaving two guys got out of a pickup and removed two shiny BMX bikes from the truck bed and scrapped 'em. Jeez...
07-20-19, 12:39 PM
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1970's something Zeus Competition. Donated to our local CO OP. Should fix up nicely. 
Hi
Hi
07-21-19, 09:10 AM
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Dang coop 😎, ***gin pretty clean.
07-21-19, 09:12 AM
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Wow auto censors! I can't type in ***gin. What in the hack!?
07-21-19, 09:15 AM
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Apparently their sensors don't use regular expressions so can't detect word boundaries. Imagine trying to search for the brand. Aren't we all supposed to be adults here?
07-21-19, 08:07 PM
Cyclist
Update: 1985 Bianchi Bici II
Had a lot more hidden work than I though there would be at first glance. Complete bottom-bracket overhaul and some major cleaning on the drivetrain components, but now it all works beautifully. The GF prefers bull horns to drop bars, so please forgive me for the departure from the original set-up. Bought some cheap bar tape on Amazon and it already started to peel apart while I was putting it on...
I'm currently awaiting the delivery of some new SRAM cork tape and avoiding the cheaper stuff from now on.
Cheers!
07-21-19, 08:28 PM
Cyclist
Honestly, I accidentally ordered some inline levers and didn't notice until they arrived, so we just went with it... They are intended to be used as additional levers for the horizontal part of the bar when running traditional drop bar levers:
The cable ends didn't fit nicely in the cut-outs at the back of the levers (since they're intended for cable housings/ferrules), so we ran them in reverse to stop them from jiggling around. Looks a little awkward, but they work fine. Probably wouldn't do it again though!
The cable ends didn't fit nicely in the cut-outs at the back of the levers (since they're intended for cable housings/ferrules), so we ran them in reverse to stop them from jiggling around. Looks a little awkward, but they work fine. Probably wouldn't do it again though!
Last edited by SeanBikes; 07-21-19 at 08:39 PM.
07-23-19, 05:08 PM
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Found this one destined for the scrap heap.
Changed the shoes, oiled the chain and dusted off some rust. Ready to leave unattended when I hit the local watering hole.
Changed the shoes, oiled the chain and dusted off some rust. Ready to leave unattended when I hit the local watering hole.
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07-23-19, 08:59 PM
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That rake on the front fork should give the bike a very comfortable ride and soak up a lot of road shock as you ride over bumps and/or expansion cracks/gaps.
It's great that such a fantastic bike destined for the ignominy of the scrap heap was rescued. Well done. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Cheers