I want a new old bike!
 

i live in sydney and have been looking aroud to get an old steelie road bike just for communiting, round the $200 mark. Just like a beater type thing. Does anyone know where i could get something like this? i've had a look a ebay and its pretty bad, just wondering if there's like a bicycle graveyard i can pilage around me?

Cheers guys.

Have you looked in the Trading Post?

The classifieds section of your local paper?

talk to people who know people... who know more people ...

hard rubbish is starting as winter ends, $200 will get you some pretty nice tyres to go on a free old bike. look up council web sites hard waste collection times.

That hard rubbish day tip worked for me allright. Aside from the Steptoe & son gags from the family i picked up a nice old Malvern Star Sportstar, Centurion Elite GT, and a Raleigh Grand prix and enough spares of all kinds to keep me busy in spring. The good old bikes people throw out and the waste of it all is pretty sad. I am happy to be doing my bit to recycle a few old bikes and they still ride well just a bit heavy mostly. These were all 10 speed or above racers in their day.

It really amazes me what folk throw out. I came by an old Morrison Monark with all the alloy good bits just like the one I always wanted waaaay back when I was in my 20s. Where did I find it? - in the local rubbish tip for free :D

Yeah... I concur. There is a lot of crap 90s and later aluminium bikes that get tossed after a couple of seasons of abuse by spoilt little urchins. Often they're at least a good source of miscellaneous parts like seats, springs & calipers.

But bein an eager scavenger myself I often take detours home on my commute through suburbs when there's a hard or bulk rubbish collections and wander around the quieter streets. I've had the most fun with bikes & build-ups with cast offs from peoples kerbsides.

Also.... sometimes if you drop into shops like the Salvation Army, St. Vinnies, Good Sammys etc you will often get the same sorta thing - sometimes even in perfectly serviceable condition - yeah; it'll cost you $20 bucks or so - but it's all for charity. Get that warm fuzzy feeling too boot :)