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Looking to donate a Raleigh where it will be given, not sold

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Looking to donate a Raleigh where it will be given, not sold

Old 08-13-22, 12:05 PM
  #1  
77record
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Looking to donate a Raleigh where it will be given, not sold

I thought that I'd occasionally ride my 77 Raleigh Record after I bought a new Trek. But guess what, I haven't touched the Record since February. Since I owned it for 44 years since it was new, of course I'm attached to it, but....space is at a premium and it's being wasted.

I don't want to sell it and thought I might be able to donate it to a local organization that would give it to someone in need rather than charge for it. I checked local refugee support briefly but so far no luck.

I'm near Albany, NY. Anyone have experience doing this? I don't know where to start and Google hasn't been real helpful so far.

Thanks.
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Old 08-13-22, 02:10 PM
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Have you talked to the Electric City Bike Rescue in Schenectady ( https://www.electriccitybikerescue.org/
) or Bikeatoga in Saratoga Springs? (https://www.bikeatoga.org/ ) ? Some bike rescues (a.k.a. bike co-ops, bike kitchens, community bike shops) will keep a bike intact to give it away, while others will disassemble it and give it to kids to put together. I'm not sure which policy either of these shops follows. It's worth asking them

It also looks like there were/are bike rescues in Albany and Troy, but their website is down. troybikerescue.org

Good luck! I lived in Schenectady for a year and really liked it -- especially biking around there.
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Old 08-13-22, 02:14 PM
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In many places this is probably going to be you finding the person you feel deserving of the bike. Once it's not yours, you really shouldn't put limitations or expectations on its use or transfer to another.
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Old 08-13-22, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by brianinc-ville
Have you talked to the Electric City Bike Rescue in Schenectady ( https://www.electriccitybikerescue.org/
) or Bikeatoga in Saratoga Springs? (https://www.bikeatoga.org/ ) ? Some bike rescues (a.k.a. bike co-ops, bike kitchens, community bike shops) will keep a bike intact to give it away, while others will disassemble it and give it to kids to put together. I'm not sure which policy either of these shops follows. It's worth asking them

It also looks like there were/are bike rescues in Albany and Troy, but their website is down. troybikerescue.org

Good luck! I lived in Schenectady for a year and really liked it -- especially biking around there.
Originally Posted by Iride01
In many places this is probably going to be you finding the person you feel deserving of the bike. Once it's not yours, you really shouldn't put limitations or expectations on its use or transfer to another.

Fantastic, Just the local info I was hoping for! I'll check that out.

Also, I thought about posting it on craigslist for cheap, and if I get the right reply, give it to someone free. I know once it's gone whatever happens will happen, but it's worth a try to me.
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Old 08-14-22, 06:42 AM
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You’ll regret it!

Turn the handlebars 90 degrees, remove the pedals, and tuck it under the proverbial bed.

Barry (43yr old Holdsworth)
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Old 08-14-22, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Barry2
You’ll regret it!

Turn the handlebars 90 degrees, remove the pedals, and tuck it under the proverbial bed.

Barry (43yr old Holdsworth)
I don't think I will. I'll find somebody who needs it more than I do. 🙂🙂
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Old 08-14-22, 07:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
In many places this is probably going to be you finding the person you feel deserving of the bike. Once it's not yours, you really shouldn't put limitations or expectations on its use or transfer to another.
This. If you just want the bike gone and hope it goes into good hands, donate it somewhere and take your chances. But once it is gone it may be sold, butchered, beaten and neglected.

But I seem to recall you posting previously that you have had this bike since new. I'd be so sentimental I'd want to be sure it went to someone that would appreciate it. But I'm possibly among the minority that appreciates entry level and bike boom bikes.
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Old 08-14-22, 07:57 AM
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Originally Posted by brianinc-ville
Some bike rescues (a.k.a. bike co-ops, bike kitchens, community bike shops) will keep a bike intact to give it away, while others will disassemble it and give it to kids to put together. I'm not sure which policy either of these shops follows. It's worth asking them.
Your post really resonated with me. There is a place like that here in Colorado Springs, Pedal Station/Kids On Bikes (https://kidsonbikes.net/pedal-station/).

They have been a source if low-cost parts, repairs and instruction for my small-budget projects. But during the 18 months I was unwillingly self-employed, without a bike commute and on a strict budget, they kept me riding. So to celebrate my new full-time, bikeable office job I bought a beautifully reconditioned road bike from them (2006 Felt F65) and made another donation of cast-off parts, some of which I had bought from them, and now they can resell again.
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Old 08-14-22, 08:13 AM
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A gift freely given is out of one's control when it's gone.
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Old 08-14-22, 08:32 AM
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...speaking from some degree of personal experience, if you advertise it on the local Craigslist at a very low price, it actually increases the chances that it will attract the attention of someone who will disassemble it for the parts. I guess you can cove that with your interview, but I would be reluctant to deal with the other people it attracts. Here, if you donate an intact and working bike to the Bike Kitchen, they will sell it on, intact, relatively cheaply, to earn money to cover the costs of operating the place. No one gets a salary. There was one other organization here that specialized in rehabilitating and giving away bikes to the homeless, but I don't know how or if they survived the Covid pandemic. I think that, given your ambition as stated, I'd list it on CL at a high enough price to discourage the people looking for a cheap donor bike for parts, but still low enough to be competitive. I do not know what that price would be.
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Old 08-14-22, 09:59 AM
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Thanks, I'll call the bike kitchen too
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Old 08-14-22, 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by 77record
Fantastic, Just the local info I was hoping for! I'll check that out.

Also, I thought about posting it on craigslist for cheap, and if I get the right reply, give it to someone free. I know once it's gone whatever happens will happen, but it's worth a try to me.
sometimes on Craigslist people will lowball your price and then sell the item for more than your your asking. It upsets me but then they probably need the money so that calms me down.

there are a couple ôf online bike charities for the third world you might see are still operating
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Old 08-14-22, 02:57 PM
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I don't know if you have it "up there." But we have a) Freecycle, and b) "Free bikes for kids," AKA: FB4K

Also, as have been mentioned, Craigslist.
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Old 08-14-22, 05:27 PM
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Old Spokes Home in Burlington, VT
Probably not convenient to you, but I would expect that they would know of the other, similar organizations.
Good luck.
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Old 08-14-22, 09:41 PM
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I would love to adopt it. I'll be going to Harriman in September.
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Old 08-16-22, 05:35 PM
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I have an 88 Bianchi that I bought new when I was a teen. After getting my Canyon, it didn't get much use either until I fixed it up and made it my errand bike.

Instead of drop bars, it now flat bars. Clip pedals switched out to nylon. Quick release replaced with skewers. Put on a gel seat. Its basically my beater bike. Now I ride it all the time to pick up and drop off packages. I carry a U-lock in my backpack and only lock to the frame. Its an old bike and no one is interested in stealing it.

Because there is no preparation to ride it; i.e. changing to bike shorts and putting on cleats, I ride it more often.
When I'm doing longer rides, where I don't need to carry a heavy lock, then I use the Canyon.

If you still want to donate it, look for a bicycle co-op in your area.

I usually donate to my co-op parts that I don't need.
Vélocity Bicycle Cooperative – Building a bicycling community in Alexandria, VA. (velocitycoop.org)

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Old 08-16-22, 06:17 PM
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I had an experience that taught me a lot about giving. I had a homeless individual do some floor painting in my shop . He worked for me for a couple of weeks and rode a bike to work. One day he showed up late on foot. I asked him what happened and he told me someone stole his bike while he slept , a common occurrence among the unhoused. I had a mid level Specialized mountain bike that I hardly ever rode so I tuned it up and bought him a lock and gave it to him. The next time he came by to do some cleaning , it had been spray painted, ape hanger handlebars with the brake levers just dangling , and the front derailleur twisted sideways. I asked what happened and he said it worked much better for him that way. Initially I was P.O.’d but then I learned the true meaning of “giving”. Let’s just say , I would not do it again. I would rather give it to a co op and let them deal with it!
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Old 08-16-22, 06:32 PM
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Keep in mind that it may be that an organization selling the bike will help more people than giving it away. If it has collector value, the value from selling it might pay to get bikes to several people in need vs. just one. Also, if it's just given to someone who needs a bike, it may just end up thrashed or stolen because the recipient won't have any consideration for it's value.

If it was mine, I would want it sold to someone I knew would appreciate and take care of it and use the money for more practical bikes or for parts to fix other bikes that can be donated to people in need.
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Old 08-16-22, 08:49 PM
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Good point but I would like to find an old bike from the 70's

I miss those old "butterfly brakes" on the handlebars.
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