Hard Rubbish/Flea market finds

[Stovepipe]

Not sure if this topics been done, but after a quick search saw nothing so here goes.

Have you scored any good pick ups out of hard rubbish or local flea markets?

I found this repco traveller this year in adelaide. nothing special but was in great condition and still rides very smooth, seems to have new tyres too. I just took off the tattered/terribly wrapped mixture of new cork tape and old foam grips that was on there, put on some $5 bargain bin blue corktape, wiped off a bit of dirt, pumped up the tyres and presto a very handy shopping bike thanks to the rack it had.


Actually a friend of mine is wanting the same thing now so if anyone has something like this lying around clogging up space in their melbourne shed they want to get rid of...

[cludence]

Great find on the bike.

I have been fortunate to have found a number of decent bikes via council clean ups. The following one has to be the best I have found. The man who threw it out stood and stared in disgust when I picked it up. You would have thought he would be happy it would get used instead of crushed for recycling.

It was missing wheels and pedals. Aside from that it was complete.

[Stovepipe]

^ jesus is that it as you found it?! that looks very very nice what is it?

[cludence]

It is an Alan. It was missing wheels and was in need of a polish.

This photo was taken after I cleaned it up.

Karen.

[WyvernRH]

It is an Alan. It was missing wheels and was in need of a polish.

This photo was taken after I cleaned it up.

Karen.

Yes, that is one cool bicycle.....

Cheers
Richard

[amrjon]

wow, what a find.

[hartleymartin]

I picked up a kid's BMX. It had Araya VP-20 Alloy rims. Yoink! The rear hub was stuffed, so I disassembled the wheel, and have since put a Sturmey-Archer SRC-3 hub into it, serviced the front hub, and the wheels now live in my folding Raleigh Twenty. It's ready to ride again, except I need a new chain, and I have no idea where the hell I left the rear mudguard stay!

[frog]

Council pick up this weekend for my area, wish me luck!

[amrjon]

good luck. The only problem I have with council pick-up is the massive embarrassment factor. Although I see plenty of people doing laps in small trucks and rummaging who apparently are well over that. On the few occasions I’ve had the courage topull up I’ve spent most of the time looking over my shoulder and trying to hide my face.
Well ,that and actually spotting anything after the aforementioned ‘professionals’ have cleaned up. I think I know where all the ebay bikes are coming from anyway.

[cludence]

Amrjon,

The embarassment never goes, regardless of how many bikes you pick up.

Mind you, the day I picked up the Alan I couldnt care less what the previous owner thought of me. The bike had a full campag groupset so I didnt care what he thought.

Karen.

[flammer]

You have no idea how much I hate you. What a beautiful Alan. Poor thing, you had to provide the wheels.

[frog]

Amrjon,

The embarassment never goes, regardless of how many bikes you pick up.

Mind you, the day I picked up the Alan I couldnt care less what the previous owner thought of me. The bike had a full campag groupset so I didnt care what he thought.

Karen.

Yeah I think Karen wins this thread. That bike is beautiful.

[Wild Turkey]

I found a mid 90s Redline BMX in hard rubbish. Took it home polished, it serviced it and got $185 for it!

I pulled a Repco Roadie out of a bin and got $255 for that as after a clean and ride.

I could go on put I will be here all night...

I have mates that do alot better than me at the sport.

[slammed]

Found my last Skidstar GT, Suparoo BMX in mint condition + many many others,

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=19810

[cludence]

The secondhand bike craze has filtered through to scrap metal merchants who now auction them. -As well as any bike enthusiast who drives by at the right time.

Fortunately for me, five years ago they were not giving the bikes a second look.

Here is another I found two streets away from my house. It has since been repainted, I just need to put it back together. 16" wheeled folding tandem.

[cludence]

This one is my favourite, I found it two streets away from the Alan on the following day.

Keep in mind, many, many, many weekends were spent driving through clean up areas. None of these bikes were five minute finds. If I added up my time and fuel, then it would have been cheaper had I just bought them off ebay.

[randyandy4]

yep karen wins hands down

that folding tandem is awesome!

[Uncle Grumpy]

I've never found anything worth saving - but...

One day I get a phone call from my wife. She's driven past a clean up pile and seen a chrome BMX frame sticking out. Knowing very little about what's what with bikes, she rings me up and says "I found an old BMX on a clean up pile. Want me to bring it home?"

UG "What is it?"
MrsUG "Not sure, it's chrome, a little rusty, but complete."
UG "What brand is it?"
MrsUG "Starts with K. Kuwa something."
UG "Kuwahara?"
MrsUG "Yeah, that's it. Looks wierd, the bars on it are really big and the wheels are really small."

Anyway, I tell her to take it home. That night, I get home and there it is, an early 80s Kuwahara Pit Bike. Tange Aero frame and fork, Kashimax saddle, Araya rims, Nitto bars, Oakley grips, DiaCompe brake.

New tryes, new cables, a lot of cleaning and a lot of polishing, new decal kit, and it's one cool little Old School collectable. Draws some comments at Vintage BMX gatherings.

Grumps

[Stovepipe]

I've never found anything worth saving - but...

One day I get a phone call from my wife. She's driven past a clean up pile and seen a chrome BMX frame sticking out. Knowing very little about what's what with bikes, she rings me up and says "I found an old BMX on a clean up pile. Want me to bring it home?"

UG "What is it?"
MrsUG "Not sure, it's chrome, a little rusty, but complete."
UG "What brand is it?"
MrsUG "Starts with K. Kuwa something."
UG "Kuwahara?"
MrsUG "Yeah, that's it. Looks wierd, the bars on it are really big and the wheels are really small."

Anyway, I tell her to take it home. That night, I get home and there it is, an early 80s Kuwahara Pit Bike. Tange Aero frame and fork, Kashimax saddle, Araya rims, Nitto bars, Oakley grips, DiaCompe brake.

New tryes, new cables, a lot of cleaning and a lot of polishing, new decal kit, and it's one cool little Old School collectable. Draws some comments at Vintage BMX gatherings.

Grumps

well let's see it then ay

[elk]

I live in the country so don't get to scrounge often but a friend found this bike in Prahran . Ok , so it's a bit daggy but not a bad quality bike and judging from the condition it's only done about 10 clicks . I gave him 10 bucks , cleaned it and replaced the bar tape .

[Uncle Grumpy]

....That night, I get home and there it is, an early 80s Kuwahara Pit Bike. Grumps

well let's see it then ay

Quick root about through photobucket and here it is...



Cute little thing. That's actually before I tracked down the decals for it.

Wheelies are impossible though, pop the front and it just goes out from underneath me!

Grumps

[scratchman]

here's one I found up the hills a couple of years ago, and yes I felt a bit uneasy as I whipped the front wheel out and put her in the boot.
It was a quiet street except for when I was there, a neighbour gave me a look but the thrill of getting it made up for that real quick
It only took a minimum of cleaning and maintenance to get it very rideable.

[RobertFrith]

I reckon the embarrassment factor is on the decline. At our most recent bulk rubbish collection I was gratified that everything we put out was taken prior to the council trucks coming by. I helped one bloke load some timber onto his truck. The cost of rubbish removal and disposal is high. Any human with half a brain recognizes that the less rubbish the council is obliged to deal with the less ones rates should be. Humans with less than half a brain might not appreciate this

My bike find has been documented in another thread already but it's too good a story not to be told twice... Coming home late one Sunday arvo we turned into our street just as our neighbour was walking down his drive, old bike in hand. I didn't claw it from his hands but the time it spent lying the verge could probably be measured in fractions of seconds. It's had one owner, aforesaid neighbour, who bought it new in 1982. Hardly ridden. Best bit is he's the same height as me so the bike's a good fit

[cludence]

Some great finds, especially the Kuwahara.

I have found most people thank you and think it is great their items are going to a new home. At times I have had them bring out more bikes once they realise I am not scrapping them for metal.

I have had the odd grump get cranky and say a smart remark and I am always lost for words. It is not until I drive off and that I can think of all the good comebacks.

This is another bike that came from a council cleanup. It is an Advance that was sold by Knock and Kirby. One of the first bikes I found.

[Stovepipe]

karen this is getting ridiculous
what city are you in??

also,
robert, that krapf is awesome do you know what tubing that is? 531?