Great Lakes - This town sucks

I live in Toledo, Ohio, and let me tell you - it's impossible to find any cheap bikes here. We're right next to the border of Michigan in northwest Ohio. This is not the best cycling town and every bike shop has only $600+ bikes. I've been looking on ebay but haven't been able to fetch up anything for a decent price. I've been stopping at thrift stores and pawn shops but never find anything - just garbage kids bikes. I'm in search of a decent road bike (i've been researching and eyeing some 80's japanese bikes [i.e. miyata]) and NO ONE around here carries anything in a decent price range for me (100-200 bucks). I always hear about the people that pick up the ones i've been eyeing for like 50 or less in their local neighborhood, but i see the same bikes go for 200+ on ebay. anyways, to make a long and boring post shorter, where the heck can i find a decent cycling town -to find some old used bikes- within a decent driving distance of Toledo? I was thinking Ann Arbor Michigan or something like that but if someone has any experience with any places somewhat close to here that would be amazing. Thanks for reading this long boring one.

Find the yard sales in the upscale neighborhoods! That's my best source!

ann arbor/detroit craigslist

thanks for the feedback! i'll probably drive to ann arbor and check out thrift stores/used bike shops and check their craigslists too.

I live in Ann Arbor, and I find everything is a bit more expensive than most surrounding areas. I havent looked at the prices on bikes for a while, since im not shopping for one, but you probebly will find the cheapest bikes at the Student bike shop. There is 2 of them downtown/campus. Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness on Stadium near Liberty is having some big closeout sale right now. Dont know if any cheaper bikes are on sale though. I go to second hand stores a lot, and dont see to many bikes.

When the students leave in the spring, there are tons of bikes left behind. Some really nice, new bikes. I got a brand new mountain bike, that looked like it had never been riden once. My friend used to buy houses and rent them out, and he'd end up with more bikes then he knew what to do with every spring.

When I used to drink a lot of Pepsi, I was a Pepsi-holic and I would drive to Toledo/Sylvania a couple times a year and load up my car with cheap Pepsi, and cheap groceries. You have way cheaper gasoline for sure. Anyways, hope you find a bike!

Oh yeah, just a warning if you were planing on coming to Ann Arbor next week, Aug 28-31, the students will be moving back (nearly 10,000 of them!) and it will be a mad house. Many streets on campus will be closed off, so all the moving vans can park and unload. Im already seeing a lot of moving vans.

wow, thanks for the heads up. i was actually planning to drive up there tomorrow (25th), but I may hold off for a while and save the trip as a last resort. I'm currently hoping to win a few auctions on ebay for a bike, but i'm still a bit unsure as to proper bicycle fit and would like to hop on before buying. anyways, thanks a lot for the tips and the input; i appreciate the help and any other help from anyone who can lend it. Thanks!

I heard Ohio offered to sell Toledo to Michigan and they said "No thanks".

i heard there was a war back in the day on who got toledo. we lost.

Oh come on guys, Toledo is bad, but not nearly as "brown" as Cleveland...or Akron....

Of course Gary and Downtown Detroit are my two favorite cesspools of the midwest.

cleveland>dead moose carcas>toledo>satans *******>detroit

GoJacob, how tall are you? Maybe we can keep an eye out.

First of all, Toledo is better than Detroit any day. Second, buy a bike on ebay. I don't know anything about cragslist, but ebay works really well for getting superb deals.

Tony Pacos,The Mud Hens,rt.260,Jacob you got it going on in Toledo!
Seriously,get on the turnpike to to western burbs of Cleveland.We have more bike shops around here,as plentiful as female Jamie Farr impersonators in Toledo.If you cant find a used bike around here your not looking.

First of all, Toledo is better than Detroit any day. <snip>

True, but that's like saying the sixth level of hell is nicer than the seventh.:D

...BTW I still say Gary takes the cake. You don't even stop on the highway going near Gary for fear of getting 'jacked

i just picked up an old miyata threeten for 30 bucks off a bike mechanic in cleveland, sorry

Drive to Ft Wayne and check out Summit Bikes.
Huge selection new and used.

Yeah i mean it too, many bike shops and yard sales for bikes in the Maryland and Delaware area. I would check the classfied section in your newspaper could find something of your liking:) .

Cleveland's reputation was well earned, but a lot has changed since the days of burning rivers. It's pretty nice now, and getting nicer. I still don't want to live there, but I'm looking to move to a smaller city.

Tuesday I picked up 21 bikes for 43 bucks. at the local bike auction. I bought most to sell in my front yard after fix up.Most were pacific walmart junk(roadmaster,next,murry)but I did find a panasonic,a specialized
and a djerba signaturefor myself Call your local police depts to find one






























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you have got to check out the twin cities! Mii/st.paul has more bike geeks per capita then just about anywhere. everything from 20 dollar townie bikes to ferrari bling whips. check it out on line especially coops and one on one bikes.

ps i used to work at a bike shop and sold a guy out east a road bike that cashed out to just under 13 grand. no kidding.

Your not looking close enough. Craigslist Detroit 8 mile area theres been one to fit your needs,pics and all. Go look again its been up there for awhile. Good luck.