Classic & Vintage - Stop me before I dumpster dive again....

Just spent a bad three day's worth of free time on my latest 'prize', an early '90s Fuji SunFire old school ATB. I've never had a mountian bike, and I thought it would be fun. Re-packed the hubs and BB, checked the headset, and started in on the DRs
Index triples suck (or maybe it's the rusted cables and housings, gunk-filled shifter pods, squashed FD cage, and stiff chain:eek: )!
Got it running well enough to ride for a bit and decide whether to put a little more dough into it and keep it or give the damn thing away.
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(I have GOT to stay away from the 'metals' bins.......)

I love to dumpster dive - actually I'm more of a goodwill fan myself. Great fun to be had.

I curious to see what you've done with them though. Any before and after pics?

Tomorrow I'll post a couple of each, and a few works in progress.
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trash night is my best friend!!!! My Fiancee even helps sometimes. I've gotten some great bikes and parts. I've also gotten some complete crap. as far as what to keep you have to choose your battles. it's hard to accept but some bikes are only good for grabbing reflectors and little pieces. that's why you carry a few tools with you..

I've gotten some great bikes and parts. I've also gotten some complete crap....... it's hard to accept but some bikes are only good for grabbing reflectors and little pieces. .

Unless I'm looking for something specific, I don't go into the hopper unless I see QR skewers and a three-piece crankset:D
You have to have SOME standards!
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Unless I'm looking for something specific, I don't go into the hopper unless I see QR skewers and a three-piece crankset:D
You have to have SOME standards!
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we don't have too many dumpsters around here. trash goes to the curb once a week to be picked up. I either cruise around on my bike with or without my Fiancee, or we take turns pushing each other in the two child jogging stroller. It's fun being out there at night with her. it's quiet and I love riding in the dark. going out with the stroller is great too. if there happens to be a person out who sees us it always gets a laugh. before her it was more about the bikes. now, it's like the bikes are an added bonus.

Unfortunately, the county dumpsters in my area are strictly patrolled so dumpster diving is not an option. I have to go a different route. I patrol the garage sales in my area, at least 10 to 15 per Saturday. On average, I pick up almost one bike per week. I sell a few, break up a few for parts and have collected about 24 in my basement, almost all are in ready to ride condition. While most are 10 & 12 speed road bikes or rigid fork mountain bikes, There is the occaisional 14 or 16 speed, 700c, road bike or aluminum frame mountain bike.

Never discount bin diving - even if you come up with junk. About a week ago, the wife comes home with a Roadmaster fake-mtb, usual one piece crank, garbage wheels, cheap Shimano 10-speed SIS. Just for the hell of it (therapy, actually, the wrist has finally healed up enough that I can pick up tools again), I tore it apart. Found out underneath the dirt and surface rusted rear wheel was a bike in as good a condition as you can ever find in Wal-Mart.

Cleaned it up, reassembled and readjusted, put it on Craigslist for $40.00 under the heading "For sale to a poor, starving college student", and sold it in five hours. The bucks will fund my next wheel building project, Maillard hubs and Ambrosio sew-up rims.

I'll never turn down what I can find in a dumpster - if I'd be too embarressed to ride it, it can always fund my next project.

Hey you never know what you will find , a friend of mine found a top of the line Cannondale mountain bike with a broken chain in a trash pickup pile at his apartment complex last year. The previous owner will not be needing it for the next 15-20 years (drug/violent crime charges), and all of his unclaimed personal belongings were put out for trash pickup when he was evicted for non payment of rent, I guess no one wanted the bike since it was a bit banged up, bright yellow and had a broken chain.

Ike

...top of the line Cannondale mountain bike with a broken chain in a trash pickup pile...
...The previous owner will not be needing it for the next 15-20 years (drug/violent crime charges)...

Ike

Probably stolen - :eek:

-Kurt

It was not stolen, the previous owner had issues with drugs, and violence, but had money, my friend even had it repaired at the shop that had originaly sold it.

I found a GT a couple months ago in the garbage, the thing was trashed (rusted drivetrain and non operative brakes) so I ended up leaving it. I'm kicking myself though because I could have salvaged some parts for another frankenbike.

It was not stolen, the previous owner had issues with drugs, and violence, but had money, my friend even had it repaired at the shop that had originaly sold it.

Go figure...

-Kurt

not much help stoping you so far.

fun thread... reminds me of a story I was told by a fellow rider I met at the ferrie terminal on a ride up with my girlfriend one weekend. He was riding a litespeed touring bike. He saw me oggling over it and came over to tell me his story. "I bought it for $1000 bucks" he said. "1000 dollars ?!" I replied with suprise... then he went on to tell me he bought it at cheepskates (second hand and consignment sports store started with hockey equipment and now have a shop completely devote to bikes as well)... the guy who was selling it on consignment found it in the dumpster at his condo in downtown Vancouver. He saw the name of the shop on it and called the shop. The shop IDed the original owner and they guy contacted the owner who of course lived in his building and the owner says.. yeah I threw it in there I don't want it you can have it! Being the wrong size he sold it! Unbelieveable. it's the best dumpster find story I have ever heard.

Unless I'm looking for something specific, I don't go into the hopper unless I see QR skewers and a three-piece crankset:D You have to have SOME standards! Top
I'm convinced it is an addiction, albeit a healthier one than most. I have enough pedals, FD, RD, shifters, brake calipers, and levers to keep me polishing all winter. Nothing is high end, but my collection has grown rather extensive. My best find last week; a nice set of 700c alloy wheels.

The BEST Dumpster Diving For bikes-bike stuff (Parts),Try
Boulder Co.
Santa Cruz Ca.
Lawerance Ks.
Ithica Ny
Cambridge Ma
Berkeley/Okland Ca
Provo Ut
Burlington Vt
Tucson Az

Last weekend in May-Last weekend in July...The Students won't keep it if it doesn't fit in the car

I curious to see what you've done with them though. Any before and after pics?

The bike that started the thread. Pretty much a 'before' shot, I've cleaned it up but havent swapped out the cranks and pedals yet.
The Raleigh M20 isn't C&V, but it DID come from the dump. I had to replace a bent handlebar and drive-side crank. This is my elder daughter's current ride.
The Shogun 400 is a work in progress (the cranks, BB, and other bits are in a box in the barn while I decide what kind of shifters to use) This never actually made it to the dump, as I yarded it out of the truck on line ahead of me!
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Top, great finds. Ya make all us dump hunters proud!

Some of my vintage dumpster finds. Some spectacular, some not.

The silver '80 Sports was a dumpster find of Pastor Bob (but a dumpster find nevertheless), the bike now residing in my fleet.

-Kurt

And here is the rest of what I find in the trash - non-vintage (or sometimes vintage) junk that gets repaired and re-sold on Craigslist.

-Kurt

Just got back from the dump with two 10-speeds. One is a Kia, and a first for me. Never had a Korean bike before.
The second is a Ficelle with Vitus tubing, Huret DR and shifters, TA cranks and BB, Mafac 'racer' brakes, Lyotard trap pedals, and maybe Nervex lugs. I think it might be French......:D
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(No pictures until tomorrow; sorry.)