I usually spend too much time on-line researching the tech in & outs to have the time to hunt bargains at the thrift stores or yard sales. Certainly for bikes, with a 700mm standover'it is hard enough to find anything to fit me; to hope to find something that fits and is a bargain. I get most of my degreasers, lubricants, and tools from LBS, shorts from Performance, and most of the rest of my gear from STP/Campmor/REI. I like to fiddle with things: made a handlebar space extender from a broom handle & old seatpost light clamp, my first taillight was a 10W Marwi helmet light that I taped a Pet ID tag reflector on, and then there was the turkey rack under my sagging trunk rack...