mr,grumpy 

A couple weeks ago I was bummed out that the Trek 400 that my friend had entrusted to me was just too darned big for me. It was sad but I determined that I was going to give it another go just as soon as I got the chance, and that chance never came. But it's still too big.

Well, today I was driving back to the crib and I saw what looked to be an abandoned bike in some ones front yard. Laying down. It was all covered with crud and a small pile of long past their prime "go-withs". Swung home, got the truck and slid on back. Despite there being vehicles in the driveway, no one answered the door bell so I determined from the condition of the bike and it's installation in it's place of honor, up by the street on it's side in the mud under a pile of junk, that it was most likely free to a good home and I snatched it up before the scrapper man came around. I didn't really know what it was. It had down-tube shifters, so that was promising, but ti was labeled as "Panasonic". Like the electronics company? Whatever, free was free and I could alway get what I paid for it if I wanted to flip it or donate it later. Besides, it came with stuff like a couple bags, a rack and fenders. But, wait. What's this? fancy clip-in pedals? Woah. Sweet.

After a solid 45 seconds of Googling I was able to determine that the bike was a 1989 DX-3000. Bam. Done. Why can't old Peugeots be that easy to identify? It seemed like a solid ,mid-range ChroMo bike. Tape measure: 58cm. Perfect. I got out the sponge and some simple green and a bike emerged. One that had nearly no dents, dings or rust on it. A bike who's brakes braked and sifters shifted. Front tire held air just fine. Rear tire... The valve stem was sheered off. Odd. I have to go get new... nope. wait a second. There, in the saddle bag, two new tubes and a set of spoons. Excellent. I put my on-staff mechanic (my 10 year old) to work on changing the tube and pumped THAT up and I had a fully functional. classic and vintage and free bike at my disposal. Sadly were having a monsoon tomorrow so it's test flight will have to wait a day or so but I'm really excited to have her in the stable.

Cibi42

Sweet!
i can’t believe that bike came out of a pile of junk, it looks much better than what loads of people are trying to sell.

TXsailor

In today's throw away society so much good stuff goes to the landfill. People think that since a Walmart bike is junk in a year or so a old relic like that Panasonic just needs to go to the scrap heap. Then one of us comes along and with a little soap grease and maybe a part or two and boom a sweet ride is back on the road.

jimmuller 

Ah, so that's what happened to it. I had run out of room so I hid my DX3000 under a pile of junk figuring no one would see it and if they did they wouldn't think it valuable enough to steal. At least it went to a good home.

mr,grumpy 

Coming from you,Sir, "god home" is quite a compliment.

ryansu

nice save love those mid range 80 Japaneses bikes enjoy OP

Mr. 66

Does this this mean that you are changing your handle to mr,happy?

mr,grumpy 

Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves!

She needs a new drivetrain.

deux jambes

If I understand correctly..,

You spot “what appears to be” an abandoned bike laying on someone’s front yard (in, under, or near some ‘other junk’). You go home to get you truck, return to the residence, ring the door bell, and determine that since no one answers the door (despite cars parked in the driveway) & by the placement/appearance of the bike... You determine that it is ‘most likely free to a good home’ and so took it home.

By the sound of things, you were probably right by your assumptions, but... I really do hope you left a note on the door with contact info in the possible event that you weren’t.

randyjawa 

How I have wanted to be negative about taking something that does not belong to you and thank you for putting it so nicely. As for me, I have faced this situation on more than one occasion. This lovely old Bianchi was, obviously, going to the trash heap or, at the very least, to be left to the ravages of Mother Nature through the passing of time. I was tempted to just grab the bike since it was obviously landfill sight fodder. Or so I assumed. That said...

I went back two times that day, while in Winnipeg, hoping the occupant was home. The second call to the house was rewarded with the opportunity to purchase the Bianchi for twenty dollars CND. Great deal, in my mind, and one that would never come back to haunt me or my integrity...

tricky 

Yes, kind of a sticky situation here. No "free" note, etc. And it has modern-ish fenders and a rack. Looks like someone was using it in the not too distant past. That said, I don't know what that junk pile looked like.

rootboy 

You've got a lot of balls. I could never just take a bike out of someone's front yard
without asking.

noobinsf 

Sorry to be a killjoy, but I agree with others that it would be good measure to return and leave a note, just to be 100% sure that you didn't accidentally make a wrong assumption about the owner's intentions. Like others said, you're probably right, but why not be sure? Wouldn't it suck to have your bike stolen just before the holiday?

jimmuller 

Because I was trying to jump start this very dialog (without ruffling too many feathers). I once took a bike from a pile of stuff set out for trash by a neighbor, but first rang the bell and asked. Had that been me looking at that DX3000 I would have left a note. Frankly, I'm surprised it was still there. Even so, there is a small chance it wasn't trash but was left there by a careless child.

mr,grumpy 

I drive by that house 20 times a week. I did indeed follow up even bring the bike back with me.

mr,grumpy 

There is always a small chance that things are not what they appear to be, and I am typically very cognisant of that. You know who doesn't care about that small chance? The scrapper man. That dude will take any thing metal that isn't nailed down. It was my obligation, nay, my duty to protect that innocent bike from his clutches! Like you said, I was surprised that it was still there in the time it took me to go switch vehicles.

Any way, God got me back. Here are the rear gears:

rootboy 

That wasn't God. Just Karma.

55murray

Um, doesn't she just need a new cassette?

mr,grumpy 

Probably. I'm just used to dealing with the motorized versions of these things where you should replace the whole set together.

55murray

I'll be surprised if you need more than a cassette and chain, well at least for the drivetrain.

Phil_gretz

Could be UniGlide early cassette, or it could be a freewheel. I can't tell from the photo, but definitely not HyperGlide. PG

tricky 

Thankfully this usually isn't the case. I had the opposite journey and went from bicycles to motos and I was surprised you had to do the whole drivetrain together! The freewheel you posted looks great. Why do you think you need a new drivetrain?

himespau 

Someone threw their bike with the computer still on it in the trash?

UKFan4Sure

I love well-written, humorous stories like this. Kudos to you (and your son).

mr,grumpy 

The chain skips teeth under pressure.