Originally Posted by
rjemery
However, your suggestion of a bike swap meet is intriguing. How would I learn of such events in my area?
Check with local bike clubs; they sometimes have meets. See if your state has a chapter of the League of Ameican Wheelmen or of a national mtn. biking association and check their Websites for events. Here in MI the Michigan Mountain Bike Association has a swap next month. I'm not really an MTB'er, but just got one to try it out on easy two track & paths, and have something to wrench on this winter.
Ask at the LBS.
Finally, Google "bicycle swap" and variations therof. I ran across a site (but didn't bookmark it) that listed swaps around the country that way.
As far as new frames, there's Performance Bike as well as Nashbar. (Same ownership, different product mix I understand.)
(I do crazy things in winter. Like lurk in Framebuilders.
)