wrk101

+1 I routinely rescue them from the curb or whatever and donate them to the co-op. I cannot afford to fix them up, as I am on a limited budget. Spending my restricted bike funds on bikes where I cannot at least cover my costs, just depletes my budget, and eventually, stops any progress. Every market is different. Around here, if I picked up a Huffy for $10, and put $75 into tires, tubes, cables, chain, freewheel, bearings, grease, brake pads, I might get $40 for the finished bike.


So instead, I focus on bikes where the market will at least cover my costs, and sometimes, pay a premium for it. That way, I replenish the bike fund, and keep the process moving.

+1 And the last Roadmaster I attempted to fix for a friend had brake calipers that were a combination of pot metal and plastic. They disintegrated in my hand.

Fortunately, I find enough LBS branded bikes to wrench on anyway. And there are the occasional Free Spirits and others that were decent.


For basic transportation, I can still find LBS branded rigid frame MTBs cheap. The build quality on these bikes is usually really good, I have enough donors to keep my out of pocket expenses down, and the finished product is a good, solid, reliable ride.

Flying Merkel

At one point I could take a craptastic 10 speed pile, bolt up a set of cheap single speed wheels (God Bless C-list and take-offs) and sell the result for $160.00. Front brake only, cheap bell on the other side- cuz we're ironic- flat black spray paint. Instant street cred. Market's out of line here. Haven't found a single bike to flip since June. Not participating in the insanity.

I rode my single-speed creations. They worked perty good.

And a link. https://oldtenspeedgallery.com/ I love the old bike boom bikes, even the bad ones.

OldsCOOL

They couldnt make a decent Harley, either.

Mercian Rider

I don't have the time either. Plus part of the mission of the local co-ops is to teach people how to work on bikes, and those bikes typically need a lot of work. And the co-ops have lots more parts in their many bins than I ever had, so replacing stuff doesn't really cost them anything.

jeb814

I'm looking forward to that part of the learning curve. In the meantime, I have discovered that I actually can remove a cottered crank, that the plastic on Simplex front derailleurs will break if you over tighten the screws, and that it is probably lubrication overkill to use $10 a tube Phil Woods grease for the bottom bracket of a Free Spirit.

jeb814

You made the connection. The Free Spirit and the Huffy are the bikes you passed on to me. Little did you know that you were contributing to the education (or is it delinquency) of this senior citizen. I am anxious to get to the mixte. I have three grand daughters who will soon be big enough for it. I will gladly accept those parts of you can locate them. I think I still have your email. I'll send you a note.

Mos6502

Put $25 into new tires and a few pennies into new grease, and sell it for $50.

Most of the Huffys I've found had barely been used - dry-rotted tires and dried up grease - the rest is usually like new aside from dust and maybe surface rust.

I once picked up a basically NOS 1986 Huffy 10 speed at the thrift shop. The gumwalls weren't even rotted. But the brakes didn't work worth a dam(n) with even the slightest mist in the air, which was a problem since I lived in Seattle at that point. I sold it on for what I had paid with a caution to get better brake pads.

Also I agree, AMF bikes are particularly loathesome. I picked up an essentially unused Western Flyer branded AMF, and the spokes had almost no tension on them. The frames also have a distressing tendency to bend with normal riding. I wouldn't even pick one up for free, except maybe to use as a lawn ornament.

Chris_in_Miami

Oh, I agree with that (a friend had one!) They did make pretty good bowling balls, I have to give them credit for that.

As you acquire knowledge, you'll also learn that Simplex front derailleurs also break even if you don't overtighten the screws.

Abe Froman

Speaking of Huffy...
Back in 1982 or so I raced BMX and Huffy was a joke -everyone I new regarded them as pieces of ****. Then the kid that lived down the street who was an great BMX rider got sponsored by Huffy and they supplied him with a completely awesome "Huffy" racing bike that was the envy of everyone!
I don't know if Huffy actually made the bike or they rebranded another makers frame, perhaps?

vjp

I love my "Murray".

Amesja

I think I just came up with a great anti-theft idea -I might pick up some Murray or Huffy decals...

bobotech

Wait, wut? What in the world is that? that does NOT look like a Murray. Has downtube shifter bosses, nice lugged construction.

Oh wait, I see the word Serrota down on the chainstay. I thought they made frames for Huffy? Not Murray? still curious.

vjp

In '85 and '86 the 7-11 team rode on "Murray" bikes built by Serotta, and in '87 and '88 on "Huffy" also by Serotta (I also have one of those but it has been re-painted white with Serotta decals)

bobotech

Oh neat. I missed that about the Murray Serottas.

kiwigem

I really enjoyed this post. Thank you for sharing.

sykerocker 

And I've run across Iverson's that made any AMF, Huffy, Murray or Rollfast appear to be a second cousin to a P-13 Paramount by comparison. Iverson's were the absolute worst.

Chris_in_Miami

You might want to check this thread out.

QStorm

Murray, Huffy, Free Spirit and the like are really the only c&v bikes that I am interested in at this point in my bike riding/collecting journey. I like some so called "low end" Trek, Specialized, Giants, etc. also but, I'm into bikes that I can ride comfortably and confidently (I'm a clyde) and lock up when I get where I'm going without too much worry. Perhaps as I shed pounds and make more money, I'll develop a taste for higher end bikes but I really doubt it.

Mos6502

Yes but at least Iversons were cheap. AMFs usually cost more than Huffy and Murray bikes.

Myosmith

I'm an old Schwinn man myself. My first "road" bike was a 1970s Schwinn Varsity in chestnut brown. I'm not sure what happened to it as it was in storage at my parents' home for 20+ years and disappeared at some point. I fixed up this Caliente last spring, if it had fit me better, I'd still have it but it's now doing service as a college commuter for a young lady, so all is good.

oldroads

Wait a second! Some of those AMFs were Hercules AMFs and are great 3-speed roadsters!

randyjawa 

Yes. I am working on the first one right now, a near mint Miyata Evolution that I am building for a young woman who intends to ride it from Vancouver to Mexico. That feature article is underway right now.

I recently saw the vintage value in old mountain bicycles. I have some pretty neat old bikes, including the Miyata, an Araya, a Bianchi Alaska, a Tom Richey, a Nishiki(no pic), a Rock Hopper, a GT Tmberline and a Rocky Mountain Hammer, for starters.









Please keep in mind it takes me about 40 hours to do a short feature article. When a full build is involved, that time jumps like crazy. But I really like doing the publication work and it would seem that many people do enjoy the information and pictures I present. Hope so...

Mos6502

But AMF didn't make them. Hercules bikes were in a whole different league.

loubapache

Sorry to bump an a few month old thread.

Thanks, Aaron. I enjoy reading your posts.

My Huffy Bay Pointe is one of my favorite bikes. I do not care how cheap it was and how little it is worth. It rides smooth and is pretty fast with the Shimano Positron 3s 3-speed hub. I fully restored it and converted it to a drop bar. There is something about these low end simple beauty that I am attracted to at the moment. I have some Murray Pheonix as well.

The Bay Pointe came with some IRC Guarantee Roadmaster tires (26x1-3/8). These are some of the best tires I have used. They are knobby but roll/coast really well. I cannot seem to find them now so I got some Kenda Hybrid Ninbus for other low end 3 speed bikes.

leftthread

Any chance you could post a shot of the Zebra?