Originally Posted by
bradtx
shadow7874, Find a POS bike that nobody wants to steal.
In theory you can build a bike with scrounged parts, but one needs to be knowledgeable enough to select compatible parts.
Brad
Ya, and not that many parts are compatible. Or would only be compatible through major surgery. Bottom brackets and cranks for example.
I would suggest some hands-on help. Do you have a bike co-op at your school? They will have expertise and probably bins of old parts. I also would strongly recommend against scavenging from locked up bicycle skeletons. If it is still locked to something, it meant something to somebody, and they might come back. Of course, if you know the owner, and get their permission, then it is different, yes?
Other sources for cheap bikes - trash recycle centers, police impound auctions, Craigslist, Freecycle.
We used to compete to see who could make the best bike that was the least desirable in appearance. Flat black paint was common, as were well used cheap frames that were still significantly functional. Wheelsets and hubs might even be high-end, but again no flash. If you ride distance, your saddle is not compromiseable, so that required a quick release and went with you wherever you went.