Oldpeddaller

Bike jumbles, neighbour's garage/shed clearances, CTC magazine for sale ads, e-bay. Best thing is to find some 'proper' bike shops (the sort where the guys have greasy fingers) and hang around, buy a few cables and when they aren't serving anyone, start a conversation. Don't use the word Classic, just ask if they've got any old racing bike parts, you've got an old 70's bike you want to make rideable. The answer will probably be No, but don't give up, call in from time to time and sooner or later they might have a complete bike or pair of displaced wheels to dispose of. Picked up a couple of good donors that way and amassed a stock of new cables, washers, bottle bolts. I also keep a sharp eye out when going to the Council recycling site and try to get to people with bikes on board before they chuck them. I always offer a fiver and have always brought the bike home for free - to my wife's disgust! Also skips where buildings are being cleared/developed. I always find the owner and ask if I can have the bike(s) in the skip - and every time I've been told to take as much as I want, the more the better - it means they don't have to pay for as many skips. I've just made friends with the local metal recycling guys - they had a lot of washing machines, kid's MTB's and tangled up with this lot three really nice racing bikes on board their truck - too late to save those but they've promised to drop off any racing bikes in my front garden in future as these don't weigh much so aren't really worth them carrying - the space on board is more financially viable when filled with something heavier! I'm hoping they come through, the description of some of the bikes they've scrapped this year so far made my mouth water. It's best if you're not in a hurry because this way you can score a lot of stuff for free - which in the current UK economy with petrol at £1.38 per litre is pretty much essential! Good luck mate.