Originally Posted by Totoro

This catch of the day is a Raleigh Super Course that I rescued from the trash heap. Call it a Frankenbike if you like. I had never seen anything so filthy in my life. I don't think it has ever been cleaned or oiled in 32 years.

I cleaned it up = buckets of black water and it is now in working order. Everything was original except the seat. Unfortunately the Brooks was replaced with a plastic job. The derailleurs were shot (both front and rear), so I pulled some Suntour Heros off an old Schwinn that was also in the junk pile.

I have repacked the bearings in the wheels and headset, added bartape, new cables, new tires and tubes. The new seat was from one of my other bikes. The rack was also from the trash heap (came with a nice panier).

The total cost for materials was under $50. As for the value of the labor I put into it...well, let's just say it was a learning experience. The only flaw is a blip in the seat stay that you can see in the second photo. I don't know if this will result in metal fatigue, but it doesn't affect the ride at all.