Hard Rubbish

[kukamunga]

I know I am going to frustrate y'all by not being able to post pics yet, but I am going to keep you up to date, and in suspense , with some of my 'finds'.

I just got home in the dark with two bikes in the car. Narre Warren was just 'HuffyVille' with, I swear, a Huffy out for collection on every second street! So bikes outsold cars in 2006, did they? What % of those bikes are now scrap metal??!! Anyway, Berwick was a tad better:-

Puch 'Mistral SE' 14 spd complete road bike. Austrian made Reynolds 501 lugged frame w/ adjustable horizontal 'dropouts'. Weinmann 36H eyeletted rims, Normandy 'Luxe Competition' hubs, s/s spokes, Sachs 13-23 7spd screw-on cluster. SR 'Apex' cranks w/ SR 'Royal' & Sugino 'Mighty Competition' 44/51T rings. Shimano RD-L541, Campag FD, '105' d/t shifters. Weinmann s/p brakes with 'Semi Automatic' (sic) cable adjusters, Weinmann levers w/ boots. SR stem, Friko 'Touring Super' drop bars.

Phew! Looking forward to giving it a clean and lube, pumping up the Conti 700 x 23C's, and taking it for a spin! Any one know what era this bike might be? Also found a Shogun 'Metro AT' with 'Templite Cross' 4130 butted CrMo frame & Tangaloy forks. I think this might supercede the 'Metro GS' as my (long term) 'project' frame.

Oh, I did find something in Narre. Looked suspiciously like a painted Repco 'Superlite' frame done up badly as a tri-bike. Didn't need to add it it to my collection of two already, but took a few parts anyway. I will get the photo thing happening in the next few weeks..... unless a job comes along!

[stryker84]

Lucky you. I need to find out when the other suburbs hard rubbish weeks are and go cruise around a bit. Here in Ascot Vale it's often KMart specials or cheap 90s roadies that weigh a ton, if any.

[kukamunga]

Check your councils website

[guidogad]

I love those collections, too. It's ridiculous what people throw out. However, I've never found anything earlier that 80s. Got to keep looking. I guess you guys back east have better chances in this regard...
Cheers,
Guido

[kukamunga]

Just to give you an idea, my Council is divided into thirteen areas for 'hard waste' collections, twice a year. On a typical Sunday arvo or Monday morning in collection areas, I can cover around 90kms in around 5 hours, driving down every residential street in that area. That's thirteen weeks in a row, twice a year = ~2340 kms and 130 hours!

I am typically after bikes and components, old or new, in reasonable nick. I carry tools with me, and occasionally jump out with cable cutters, spanners, sockets, allen keys, crank extractor etc. to remove that nice alloy seat post, saddle, brakes, levers, shifters, pedals, child seat with rack, stems, bars, crankset etc.....

Nine times out of ten, I'll ask the resident (if home) permission before removing anything from nature strip - I've only been knocked back once when a nine year old son started crying when I started to load his old bike into the car! I gave it back to him, of course!

I quite often see the same collectors out week after week, some collecting furniture, some steel, some electrical goods. I usually give them a friendly nod of the head (unless some mongrel gets to a bike before me! ) knowing we are all working together and recycling for the good of the planet

I have started venturing into neighbouring councils, and this can add 20-30 kms and up to one hour each way to trip. With all the wear and tear and fuel costs involved in continual stop/start driving involving lots of turning, reversing, 3-point turns and u-turns, I am hoping my slowly 'evolving' bike collection will one day pay me back!

[kukamunga]

I love those collections, too. It's ridiculous what people throw out

It can be quite depressing seeing what people throw out. Makes you wonder if people have ever heard of the word 'charity'. My council is actually running a trial next hard waste collection, where they will sort through what is collected, and try and recycle more and sell stuff through the local Outlook Market. Hopefully it turns out financially viable for them.

[stryker84]

Mmm, yeah. I see the utes coast through my area when it's hard rubbish week as well... I had a tip off from a housemate about an old bike lying around the corner once, and I ran the couple of blocks, dreading each ute that went past would stop there first. They didn't.

[ukalipt]

hey kukamunga,
is yours white with a pearl paint job.
i just went to the tip today to dump some green waste, old rusty wheel and stuff when i saw a mini bin being dumped. i looked over to only to see a white road bike.
basically is the same as yours. a Mistral SE, Austrian made Reynolds 501 lugged frame.

[stevendavid75]

and of course you picked it up and will post pics, yes??

[kukamunga]

Ah yes..... the Puch..... (rushes out to take photos on a cold,
wet, Sunday Mel'burbs morn. The things I do for you guys!)


'Made in Austria'; 'Reynolds 501'; '105 shifters';......

[kukamunga]

is yours white with a pearl paint job

A bit hard to tell until I give it a clean! Have too many projects on my plate at the moment.....
(have picked up half a dozen more bikes since this one)

[stevendavid75]

nice find, and the cranks??

[kukamunga]

nice find, and the cranks??

SR 'Apex'.... see first post

[stevebaby]

We just had a Council cleanup of all hard rubbish.
I lost count of the number of bike frames seen in the back of scrap collector's trucks. I asked one of them,who unfortunately only had a load of old whitegoods, what the deal was.
Steel is $149.00 a tonne.
Not a singl;e old bike to found anywhere.

[Birdman]

Thats when you tell them " Hey hang on that bike there isn't steel it is carbon fibre, that'll make quite a mess in your truck. How about i take it off your hands. It is really light and wont add much at all to your tonne "

Mitch.

[kukamunga]

Not a singl;e old bike to found anywhere.

First in, first served, I guess. I've had the same experience, usually on Sunday arvos. I try to get around on Saturdays now, but even then you see the collectors out. Some residents don't put their hard rubbish out till the last minute, some weeks early. Luck of the draw, really

[feelthewheel]

Kukamanga's last post the most pertinent (if I may extrapilate) with hard rubbishing luck:

"You've got to be in it, to find it"

Every bike saved is one less cheap Chinese toaster that won't last 12 months anyway.

All the best for everyone's hard rubbish hunting - over in Geelong we don't have it any more . Just a recycling depot (and even they seem to be cottoning onto things).

[feelthewheel]

Just realised my spelling error - sorry Kukamunga. My bad (haven't drunk my early morning coffee yet).

Kukamanga is that other guy who's interested in Japanese anime

[kukamunga]

Man..... This hard rubbish collecting is just getting way out of hand!

[MichaelB]

Better get rid ofg the pool.

Taking up valuable bike space.

[GSXR1]

Pool? - try pools (plural) - plus 2 x swingsets as well....

Bit of a bitch if you want to get that BB off the one right in the back corner...

[stevebaby]

Man..... This hard rubbish collecting is just getting way out of hand!

Looks like the basis for a collection...

[feelthewheel]

Thanks Kukamunga - my parents will never complain about my collection again after seeing this!

[Kalgrm]

Can never have too many bikes ....

N+1 and all that! Trouble is, N = ∞ here.

Cheers,
Graeme

[vic]

Forget the pool and swing set, bulldoze the house!