J_Climacus 

Looking at making a hell of a drive tomorrow for a bike and it got me curious if I am a literal crazy person. What's the furthest y'all have driven to pick something up?

Kdogbikes

Think I’ve done 3 hr round trip for a bike. Had a guy drive 8 hrs one way to my place for a Schwinn continental though.

StarBiker

I have never drove for a bike. Bought, and flipped over a hundred though. All were purchased about a mile away with the exception of three. They were just over two miles way.

There are so many people getting rid of bikes in DC you have to be quick, but I would pound local CL, and FBM.

But you want something specific, you have to make the effort.

I never planned on finding a bike when I found bikes. They were on the list of things I looked for. And still look for.

This was a find that worked out great for me. Dated, but it was only $32 last fall......even had specialized nimbus tires in perfect shape. I changed the seat.

bargainguy

A decade ago, I drove 800 miles each way for a Bike Friday Tikit folder.

It came from a Craigslist posting. Owner was an 80 year old lady who had gotten the bike thinking she was going to ride it all the time, but that didn't happen, so it was in nice shape and the price was right.

She wanted absolutely no part of shipping or Paypal or anything like that. Cash on the barrel only, and I had to pickup or no deal.

Her daughter was a real estate agent, so we set up an appointment to meet at her office. Everything goes fine, I take a short test ride in the strip mall parking lot, pay her and get ready to go.

I remember something odd happening at that point. While I was test riding in the parking lot, I noticed someone a few blocks away who was eyeing me intently. After I purchased the bike and got it ready to put in my vehicle, that person started a mad dash at me, yelling "Hey!" as he was running. I took one look at him and thought, whatever you're yelling about, I want no part of. I got the bike in the car and was driving out of the strip mall just as he was getting there. I drove off, him still yelling and waving in my rear view.

J_Climacus 

Thank you for the validation and for making me feel less like a crazy person.

thinktubes 

147.4 miles (each way)

Bought bikes in Madison, WI a couple of times

MaxKatt

20 years ago I drove from NY to Philly to get a car in the color I wanted. I feel like that was 2-3 hours.

StarBiker

So that wasn't you yelling and waiving before you moved to DC?

If you were in central PG County they may come yelling and waving at you......

TugaDude

I am fortunate that I have been able to combine work and pleasure, arranging to pick up bikes on business trips. The furthest was 7 hours from home, or thereabouts. Furthest trip on a weekend for bike only, no work, was about 100 miles. Well worth it.

PhilFo 

Drove from Philly out to Lancaster, PA for a bike frame years ago. Made many trips from Philly up to NYC to buy or sell photographic gear.

BillyD

Moved from Appraisals.

52telecaster

I have driven 4-5 hours several times but I am retired and have a very fuel efficient car. I just see getting a bike I've never had before as a cool little adventure.

The Golden Boy 

I drove around 200 miles round trip, and overpaid for this:

1986 Trek 400 Elance by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr



It was exactly what I wanted.

52telecaster

Good move!

cyccommute 

2066 miles. 3 days. Picked up a tandem I bought off Fleabay


As sold



Final configuration. My wife is a whole lot shorter than the owner’s stoker

iab

According to the Googles I drove/flew/Ubered 4,593 miles one way for this part. Seller wouldn't ship. Cost more than I'm guessing most bikes.

nlerner

Only once: drove 2 hours, Boston to Portland, ME, to buy a cheap Fuji America I had spotted on CL. In my haste I didn’t even notice the replacement fork or the ripples on the top and downtube. Lesson learned.

Fredo76

In the geezer era, 25 miles to the bike shop in Santa Fe. But when I was a teenager, my father drove us from Tucson, AZ to Lordsburg, NM (155 miles) to buy a 24 1/2 " Crescent from a man in a motel room who seemed down on his luck. It was orange and white, but I stripped it down and gave it to Mark Wilson to paint in the Tucson Wheelmen's unofficial team color, a sky blue. I rode it with a shimmed steel seatpost and clamp, pre-dating the tall seatpost trend. Now I didn't have to borrow Dad's Romana 300 for races, and started using sew-ups even for training! It was a big step up.

Spaghetti Legs 

I drove a couple of hours each way once to meet horatio, who I think drove even further to meetup. It was for a complete Colnago Super and Basso Gap frame. Both great bikes. I sold the Super back to Horace (mailed it this time as I live further away) last year and thinking about selling the Gap so I can go on more bike buying adventures.

rgvg

I drove clear out of the country to get one once. Okay, it was just over the border to Bellingham (from Vancouver), but still...

bikamper

Once from the Dundees to Madison and once from the Dundees to Milwaukee. Since we moved to Elburn, I haven't gone any further than St. Charles.

Jeez, I just remembered going to Union, ME from Elburn, IL for the $0.50 Raleigh mixte.


Never mind.

repechage

Just over an hour, would have been willing to drive more but the Red Sea of the 405 opened up on a Friday night at 6pm even- amazing.

longer than that and I paid for transportation, ship or seller compensated.

art, love, time or money.

Roger M

I drove to Sacramento to pick up this a couple of years ago. As a family, we made a week long vacation out of it. With our sightseeing detours, the round-trip was probably 1,800 miles.

Classtime 

4 hours plenty of times. 5 hours once to pick up 4 free bikes. My friend said one was a PX-10 but it really was a lowest level Gitane. I recently drove 5 for this thing. Only 40 miles away but L.A.

jadmt

400 miles round trip several times..Missoula to Spokane and back.