Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

End of the driveway with a "FREE" sign!

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

End of the driveway with a "FREE" sign!

Old 05-23-22, 07:44 AM
  #1  
tjfastback66
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
tjfastback66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 303

Bikes: a few

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 91 Post(s)
Liked 367 Times in 141 Posts
End of the driveway with a "FREE" sign!

Yesterday just a block from our home I came upon this at the end of our neighbor's house with a "FREE" sign next to it!
So I tossed it into the pickup and brought her home!
Needs a seat post and seat, and that is about it!
tjfastback66 is offline  
Likes For tjfastback66:
Old 05-23-22, 08:21 AM
  #2  
VegasTriker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,879

Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 521 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times in 179 Posts
What does it weigh?

Obviously from the tires and frame I hasn't been left outside for any amount of time or ridden very far. What does it weigh? That's the guiding principal on whether or not I would bother with it. If it is lightweight and not in deplorable condition I would pick it up and go through it before passing it on to someone who doesn't have a decent bike. It is no favor to anyone to give them a heavy piece of junk more suitable for use as a barbell than a bike. My last find was an older Trek 800, well used and needing only a little TLC. It sat at the curb a few doors away when the owner moved to Tennessee. All it took was to see the brand and pick it up to see it was worth salvaging. It sat there for a couple of days and nobody took it until I came along. It is now in the hands of a friend who's old bike was a real disaster.

The reason I ask about the weight is the front forks. It's typical of an entry level bike with nearly useless suspension. That only adds to the weight you have to pedal while not really very good at smoothing the ride. The Trek 800 had rigid forks but a fairly expensive and heavy suspension stem that I would never have put on the bike as it wasn't standard on the bike to begin with.
VegasTriker is offline  
Old 05-23-22, 08:36 AM
  #3  
tjfastback66
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
tjfastback66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 303

Bikes: a few

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 91 Post(s)
Liked 367 Times in 141 Posts
Yeah this is an entry level bike - and still available from what I can tell. Retail is about $286-$299. The condition of this unit is actually very good! But it does have a bit of a weight problem also as you indicated Specs show 37lbs! Yikes! The rear shifter works but the front may need to be replaced and of course the obvious seat stem and seat. I will most likely fix it and pass it on. Had this been a Huffy or a Magna I would not have bothered to stop. LOL

Last edited by tjfastback66; 05-23-22 at 08:42 AM.
tjfastback66 is offline  
Old 05-23-22, 09:15 AM
  #4  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,810

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
I probably will have let it go to the scrap yard were it could be recycled into something. Not certain every entry level bike or any level bike needs to be saved.

Though I guess it wouldn't have made it to the scrap yard since it was put out for trash pickup and would have only wound up in a land fill. So maybe you can send in the proper direction!

But if you like it, that's all that matters. You don't have to please me.
Iride01 is online now  
Old 05-24-22, 06:29 AM
  #5  
andrewclaus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Golden, CO and Tucson, AZ
Posts: 2,822

Bikes: 2016 Fuji Tread, 1983 Trek 520

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 669 Post(s)
Liked 725 Times in 422 Posts
I work on a hundred of those every year at a non-profit shop that's dedicated to keeping bikes out of landfills, and getting them to people who need them.

The typical case is a gummed up trigger shifter and at least one non-working brake. A volunteer will spend an hour on it and get it back on the road. There are several trailer parks and low income apartment complexes in the area. We keep recycling bikes through those areas. Folks need them to get to work, for the kids to ride to school.

I usually replace the quick release set post clamp with a bolt, to make it slightly harder to steal.
andrewclaus is offline  
Old 05-26-22, 09:03 AM
  #6  
bblair
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 726

Bikes: Lynskey R230, Trek 5200, 1975 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Falcon ,Trek T50 Tandem and a 1968 Paramount in progress.

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 365 Post(s)
Liked 373 Times in 225 Posts
I have worked on lots of these as well and donate to kids for riding to school, or adults to get to work. The local immigrant communities are starving for bike like this, especially since we do not have a decent public transportation system.

The local co op is a good source for parts, or can simply donate to them and they'll take care of it. One of the state-funded co ops even gives free helmets to kids as long as they come in for fitting and adjustments.
bblair is offline  
Likes For bblair:
Old 05-26-22, 04:07 PM
  #7  
Classtime 
Senior Member
 
Classtime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,672

Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1924 Post(s)
Liked 1,954 Times in 1,086 Posts
I'd like one of those Tractor Sprinklers.
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Classtime is offline  
Likes For Classtime:
Old 05-26-22, 05:16 PM
  #8  
xroadcharlie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Windsor Ontario, Canada
Posts: 531

Bikes: 2018 Giant Sedona

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 179 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times in 95 Posts
When I put my old cheap mountain bike against the tree in my front yard with a "free" sign, it was there for days. It's pretty bad when I see bikes out for trash that are in better shape then the one I was riding.

A friend picked up an old rusty ladies single speed bike for getting around the marina. It was much more comfortable and easier to get on and off with my short legs then that old mountain bike.

Last edited by xroadcharlie; 05-26-22 at 05:23 PM.
xroadcharlie is offline  
Old 06-01-22, 01:18 PM
  #9  
tjfastback66
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
tjfastback66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 303

Bikes: a few

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 91 Post(s)
Liked 367 Times in 141 Posts
Originally Posted by Classtime
I'd like one of those Tractor Sprinklers.
Yeah they ROCK for out in the country with a yard of mostly sandy soil.

Found a seat post that fit and a seat that I had on hand. We went to vend at a large flee market on Saturday, - sold the bike for $85.00
Not too bad for a free bike and the buyer was so excited too.
tjfastback66 is offline  
Old 06-01-22, 08:40 PM
  #10  
rsbob 
Grupetto Bob
 
rsbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,066

Bikes: Bikey McBike Face

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2512 Post(s)
Liked 5,427 Times in 2,826 Posts
I regularly pass a sign that says FREE which is posted in front of junk one household want to get rid of. I have been tempted on more than one occasion to take that sign.
__________________
Road 🚴🏾‍♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾‍♂️







rsbob is offline  
Old 06-03-22, 09:20 PM
  #11  
Ttom
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 84

Bikes: Kona Sutra SE

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 61 Times in 34 Posts
Give it to a kid that does not have a bike, they want care that it is heavy they will probably tear it up anyway but they will have a blast tearing it up.
Ttom is offline  
Likes For Ttom:
Old 06-13-22, 03:53 PM
  #12  
FrankDiscussion
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Ttom
Give it to a kid that does not have a bike, they want care that it is heavy they will probably tear it up anyway but they will have a blast tearing it up.
Darn right! Heck even I would ride a free bike!
FrankDiscussion is offline  
Old 06-13-22, 05:37 PM
  #13  
zandoval 
Senior Member
 
zandoval's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bastrop Texas
Posts: 4,416

Bikes: Univega, Peu P6, Peu PR-10, Ted Williams, Peu UO-8, Peu UO-18 Mixte, Peu Dolomites

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 929 Post(s)
Liked 1,595 Times in 1,021 Posts
So what happens when your neighbor's kid comes crying to your front door asking for his bike back?

In any case its a nice find yes...
__________________
No matter where you're at... There you are... Δf:=f(1/2)-f(-1/2)
zandoval is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.