Living Car Free - Hoarding Bike Parts

Has anyone else been considering stocking up on tires, wheelsets, brakepads, tubes, chains, cassettes etc. in response to the coming economic meltdown?

nope.

The main reason I stockpile the occasional bike part is when I have an opportunity to buy extras of something that looks like it'll go obsolete soon.

Any extra bike parts I acquire usually end up being donating to friends' bikes.

Only think I seem to stock up on are junk bikes:( I do keep a some of my worn tires just in case. But most of my bikes are vintage so parts have to be gotten when they are available.

Aaron:)

LOL. No way.

Not as long as we have Frankenbike (http://www.frankenbike.net/)!

yes, but for a while now. i keep old tubes/tires around, in the hopes that armageddon will indeed be upon us eventually (so when tire production stops, i don't).

Any extra bike parts I acquire usually end up being donating to friends' bikes.

+1

Just last year, I gave a co-worker one of my old bikes because I couldn't fit any more in my apartment (without The Girl getting angry about it.) Now he (the co-worker) rides on our company's Tour de Cure team.

Like mattm, I do stockpile tires and tubes so I can keep rolling even if tires are at a shortage.

yes, but for a while now. i keep old tubes/tires around, in the hopes that armageddon will indeed be upon us eventually (so when tire production stops, i don't).

I have a large supply of these, most of them with holes in them, thinking that I might be able to recycle them somehow... perhaps turn them into a pair of sandals or something.

I have spare parts around, but mostly because when I find a killer deal, I'll buy extra. I figure if the economy catastrophically collapses to the point that bike tires are not available, I won't be worried about the bike, I'll be worried about the food supply and panic riots.

Also, I don't think the USA is in danger of that at all within the foreseeable future.

I always have a stock of extra stuff on hand ... but over the next 10 months I need to use most of it up, if possible.

I had a mountain of old English 3 speed parts until even it couldn't keep me in the saddle. Once I decided to buy the Univega Activa it was of no value to anyone. I gave it all to a metal recovery guy for a pittance. It was good to have it out of the way and it wasn't hours of grimmy sorting of old broken parts to fix the Univega.

Nowadays, I find myself dreaming about a 3 speed mixte even though I know I need a mountain of old broken spare parts to keep it rolling.

yes, but for a while now. i keep old tubes/tires around, in the hopes that armageddon will indeed be upon us eventually (so when tire production stops, i don't).

I have decided that it's better not to depend on a finite supply of tires, which I can't make myself, and instead depend on bamboo, which will always be growing as a weed around here, come hell or high water.

I went ahead and learned how to make my own high-wheel bike out of bamboo (no tire required) just in case.

(kidding!!!)

I buy things before I absolutely need them and will keep a few consumables around. Mostly I am just trying to save myself an inopportune trip to the bike shop. Right now I have an extra tire, a few tubes, patches, spd cleats and spd bolts. On the list to buy is rim tape and a new chain. I use my bike to commute and get around so it needs to be ready to go whether or not the shop is open.

I see no reason to fear that rubber, plastic or metal parts will become scarce in the foreseeable future, except maybe in Zimbabwe. The current economic crisis mostly has to do with credit availability, and it might result in limited short term shortages of certain goods. But even that's unlikely, IMO.

The main reason I stockpile the occasional bike part is when I have an opportunity to buy extras of something that looks like it'll go obsolete soon.
+1 I overthink my purchases sometimes and end up with hard to find parts. I bought a state of the art motherboard not realizing it was discontinued when I finally found a vendor. Some people on Wall Street need spanked but I don't wouldn't call it a meltdown (yet).

during wwII in there was a severe shortage of rubber because of the german war effort. People would stuff their wheels with old tubes or even used wooden tires.
Nowadays rubber is made from oil in stead of trees.
You could consider stocking up, but i do think that rubbers gets brittle with age.

If i were you I would stock up on knowledge on maitaining bikes for a living, buy the tools etc.
Best regards

I am guilty of piling up trikes, parts and tools have just piled up over the years! From this mornings news: - 15000 jobs, falling market, etc., I am so very glad I never throw anything away. But; that is not hoarding. Well, maybe a little. Well, maybe a lot. Okay, okay.....

Hello; my name is Chris- and I am a hoarder.......

Has anyone else been considering stocking up on tires, wheelsets, brakepads, tubes, chains, cassettes etc. in response to the coming economic meltdown?

If you're that worried about the future, Maybe you should stockpile food.

If you're that worried about the future, Maybe you should stockpile food.

I did...got chickens and goats:roflmao2:

Aaron:)

No.

Has anyone else been considering stocking up on tires, wheelsets, brakepads, tubes, chains, cassettes etc. in response to the coming economic meltdown?

If things get that bad, keeping your bike operational will be the least of your worries.

Yes, I think if things get that bad there will be other things to worry about. If you do have a hoard of valuables, you better have a gun and a bunch of friends, else someone will be taking them from you.

Yes, I think if things get that bad there will be other things to worry about. If you do have a hoard of valuables, you better have a gun and a bunch of friends, else someone will be taking them from you.

Depends on what you consider valuables...it will change based on circumstances. If you are starving, all the gold in the world is going to be worthless if you cannot exchange it for food. Shades of the Goose that laid the golden eggs. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goose_that_Laid_the_Golden_Eggs) I suspect that people that have looked out for themselves and their neighbors are going to be in better shape than those that hoard things and don't want to share.

Aaron:)

Bike parts, no.

Ammo, yes.

:thumb:

No hoarding! I don't want any more junk in my garage. I'm in the midst of throwing a lot of things out, besides bike parts.

No hoarding! I don't want any more junk in my garage. I'm in the midst of throwing a lot of things out, besides bike parts.

Amusing! Last year I heard a George Carlin recording about stuff, stuff, and stuff to store stuff. I tried to sell recumbent-specific parts, and sold a 155mm Dotek crank- for a hot 5 bucks.

That got me thinking of declining value for wasting space, and threw out fairings, frames, seats, panniers, derailleurs, racks, water bottles, paints.

That left room for a compressor, air tank, and a 1500 pound motorcycle jack. Try as I might; I am still a hoarder!

Oh no! If you thrower awayers want to help other bicyclists, maybe post the stuff you're throwing away? Newbies like me are still trying to establish a baseline of spare parts. =/

Sorry newbies. Next time I get 10+ varying size and composition frames, boxes ripping apart with front or rear derailleurs, ripped panniers, original 28 year old Easy Racer handlebars or radial rims, old specific Zzip Design fairings, hard shell or mesh seats, etc., etc., etc.; I will post the stuff.

But digging that stuff out to photograph- then advertising then answering questions and usually having to lower the price- then usually having to box and ship an item makes it a losing situation- doesn't make too much sense; but living in a complex with a large garbage bin nearby does makes sense.

However, if someone wants air compressors or a big velomobile jack I am positive these will sell FAST! In fact, Kragens Auto has a brand new 1500 pound motorcycle jack for $29. Or that Air Plus compressor will be priceless for sure!

I suspect that people that have looked out for themselves and their neighbors are going to be in better shape than those that hoard things and don't want to share.

Aaron:)

Well said there. One of the better aspects of the Great Depression was that people often helped each other. Hoarding and greed do cause wars, sharing help everyone get through tough times.

If, indeed, there is a deep recession or depression, prices are likely to come down. Deflation is one of the spooky indicators of a really bad economy.

Unless... you have a REALLY screwed up economy where the currency devalues so sharply that you have rampant inflation - like the south did at the end of the civil war or like Germany did at the end of WWII, or like the USA did with stagflation in the 1970's at the end of the Vietnam war. Of course, if McCain becomes president, we won't have to worry about stagflation at the end of the Iraq war because there will be no end to the war and prosperity can continue... right or no?

I have one really nice hand-made road/racing bike that I cherish and take out for Sunday rides, but for the most part, I commute and transport on 70's and '80's bikes because I have literally boxes of any kind of part I could ever need including rows of tires. For years, I have cannibalized road bikes and touring bikes and saved the parts.

For transport, I have multiple bikes for every occassion; various baskets and carriers for different types of hauling and bikes without baskets for zipping off to destinations unburdened.

I HOPE it doesn't get so bad that I can't afford to drive, but if that day comes, I will have enough bicycle parts to keep me on the road - just not enough food in the tank to keep the pedals going 'round.

Yes, on that fatefull day when the economy collapses to the point that no more gasoline is availabie. my zombie neighbors will be banging on my garage door and on my windows chanting "bike parts, bike parts, bike parts". By that time, however, I will have moved my treasures into the basement along with my family and will shout out, "go away you PARASITES! I WARNED YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN SOMEDAY AND NOW IT DID! Go down to Frank's bike shop and BUY your parts if you can get them. Now GIT! And maybe I will have to wave my BIG wrench at them just to intimidate them and convince them to go loot some other poor suckers garage for bike parts.

http://www.cyclelicio.us/images/bicycle-zombie-slayer.jpg