Classic & Vintage - old bikes; new homes

Every year one of the organizations in our town delivers a bunch of Christmas presents. This includes a bunch of donated bikes. Tonight was the night we worked on fixing them.
Maybe half are x-mart bikes. Probably a third are BMX or other youth type bikes.
But hidden here and there are some neat old things. Nothing really special this year, one really nice Suburban (needed tires), and a Continental. A couple of lugged frame Free Spirits, a Nishiki with a cottered crank, a couple of late 80's Trek MTB's.
One bike I found particularly interesting. An 87 Schwinn Collegiate. I believe it was one made by Giant with the Sturmey AWC, and it had a funky plastic shifter. Use the lever to shift up, push the button to shift down. Oddly large and square.
Anyway, a fun evening. Hopefully some of the recipients will enjoy them.

Good thing your doing!

I believe I mentioned to you that I done that one year as well. It is great fun, although I had trouble being too thourough with the bikes. They finally told me to make sure they'll go forward and stop, then move on. Did you bring any leftover goodies home for yourself? I brought home probably 40 or so bikes/frames home that one year. I couldn't stand to see them go to the scrap metal place. BTW, where did they have it this year??

I believe I mentioned to you that I done that one year as well. It is great fun, although I had trouble being too thourough with the bikes. They finally told me to make sure they'll go forward and stop, then move on. Did you bring any leftover goodies home for yourself? I brought home probably 40 or so bikes/frames home that one year. I couldn't stand to see them go to the scrap metal place. BTW, where did they have it this year??

Frank, it was at the old Nat'l Linen building. When we were done, I looked over the "scrap pile" and asked, then acquired a stem. They did something different this year. Bikes that needed some extra work - odd size tires or cables, but were in otherwise decent shape were set aside and I think the plan is to see if they can be sold to raise some money for the cheer fund. I *think* there was a very nice Continental in that stack.

There's a fella in Durham, NC who refurbishes bikes for urban kids on his own. He's a retired RR engineer. His name is Lewis Days (not sure of last name spelling). I've brought him a few bikes including a nice old Concord. He is so well known around the central NC area, that the local governments bring him abandoned bikes from parks etc. His story has been published in local newspapers and one national publication, AARP I think. The last time I checked with him he's turned around something like 150-180 bikes to urban kids. There must be a special place in God's heart for him.

There's a fella in Durham, NC who refurbishes bikes for urban kids on his own. He's a retired RR engineer. His name is Lewis Days (not sure of last name spelling). I've brought him a few bikes including a nice old Concord. He is so well known around the central NC area, that the local governments bring him abandoned bikes from parks etc. His story has been published in local newspapers and one national publication, AARP I think. The last time I checked with him he's turned around something like 150-180 bikes to urban kids. There must be a special place in God's heart for him.

There is another one down in the Fayetteville, NC area Moses Mathis (http://thebicycleman.com/) also known as The Bicycle Man he has been doing it since the early 90's. According to the website they have donated over 10,000 bicycles since 1991. I know of several church youth groups in the area that have done it on a smaller scale of perhaps 15-30 bikes a year. I guess it is never ending....

Aaron:)

Frank, it was at the old Nat'l Linen building. When we were done, I looked over the "scrap pile" and asked, then acquired a stem. They did something different this year. Bikes that needed some extra work - odd size tires or cables, but were in otherwise decent shape were set aside and I think the plan is to see if they can be sold to raise some money for the cheer fund. I *think* there was a very nice Continental in that stack.

The year I done it, it was unreal the stuff they were going to throw away. Like you said, basically anything that needed tires, cables, chain, etc, all going to the scrap metal place. Glad to see they finally realized that more money could be raised by selling the scrap. It is a really good thing that they do. After you said where it was, I remembered that the prison where I work at sent a work crew there the other day to wrap some of the toys and other "wrappables".