Classic & Vintage - Garage Sales ROCK!

Last year, I scored some really nice bikes at thrift stores. But this year, that source has all but dried up. I was just about out of inventory, so I needed to find something.

Well, I found four bikes, OK, three were mountain bikes, but they were priced right, and decent or better quality.

I found a Nishiki Pueblo, my best deal on the mountain bikes. It needs very little.

I found a MOTIV Stonegrinder, it needs a little more TLC, but it is pretty good shape as well.

The third one was a Specialized Hardrock GX frameset. I pulled it out of the weeds at a sale, so it was really cheap. I have a pile of MTB components, so I should be able to complete it without much spending.

The fourth bike was my only road bike find, the pick of the day for me. It is a 1987 Cannondale ST600. I need to find some drop bars to put it back to original, plus some Sh 600DT shifters and brake levers. Everything else is there, and it looks pretty solid. It might just be a keeper.

I also picked up a fair amount of bike parts: a set of Sh 600 hubs, a Suntour Alpha 4500 RD, a Suntour GPX brake caliper, a "SPIN" rear wheel, one Sh 600 brake lever (I just need one more), and a nice Tange cromoly chrome fork (brand new, never cut).

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3709702643_d94a046c55_b.jpg

Nice finds!!!

Way to go! I've got a 92 Stonegrinder - and while basic in nature it's been fun to ride. I converted it into a commuter for my brother-in-law this year.

Yard sales are the best!

It is a 1987 Cannondale ST600.

:love:

Love that era Cannondale! What is the serial number? Mine is from Sept of '87.
and my SM700 is an '86.

Out of all 4 finds, the 'Dale is the only one I'd keep.:innocent:

Love the cannondale.

They are nice, but you have to be disciplined. You need to avoid buying stuff you don't need...beyond that..."Garage sales ROCK!" I myself been lucky enough to find some incredibly nice bikes for under $20. Most of them have had a few easy-to-fix mechanical problems, but that is why they were so cheap in the first place!

Capo #1 was a $20 yard sale find. :)

:love:

Love that era Cannondale! What is the serial number? Mine is from Sept of '87.
and my SM700 is an '86.

Out of all 4 finds, the 'Dale is the only one I'd keep.:innocent:

Serial number is 23012387683. I think that means 23 inch frame, made January 23, 1987, 683rd bike.

+1 Its the only potential keeper for me. But the rest have decent market value.

After reading time after time about all the great garage sale deals everyone here finds I was getting rather depressed at my own lack of good luck. I think I finally had my "Dream" garage sale find today...and made a new cycling friend! Turns out the fellow is a framebuilder for fun and had TONS of frames/ parts/ etc. I picked up three frames, for future projects, a sweet crankset, handlebars, tools, two wheelsets...I lost track of it all! But best of all was meeting another person who actually has the skills in building I want for myself. To top it all off, my buddy rode his newly aquired 'bent trike over and ended up hitting it off with the fellow too. I see frame building in my future!

"I see frame building in my future!"

Don't forget about wheel building!

OH Man, I had a pair of cannondale bars that I gave away last month! That is a bit of a bummer, sweet bike though.

They are nice, but you have to be disciplined. You need to avoid buying stuff you don't need...beyond that..."Garage sales ROCK!"

Ain't that the truth!:thumb:

An unsprung "mountain bike" with some fat, slick tires makes a mighty FINE road bike. Who needs a sprung saddle or suspension when you have almost three inches of tire beneath you running at whatever pressure you find most comfortable?