Originally Posted by
mackerel
Go to neighborhoods that have a large number of old people.
As you know, old people die quite often.
Subsequently, their children have estate sales to sell off their parent's crap.
Everything must go and it usually goes for cheap.
Not just that, but older neighborhoods tend to have people who: 1) Acquired vintage bikes when they were new bikes and 2) Have accumulated a lot of stuff. That's why better neighborhoods aren't necessarily better if they're too new.
I usually find one bike a year worth buying, but I frankly don't try very hard. I walked away from a nice $15 Trek hybrid last year that at minimum I could have traded with my LBS for shop time. I'm much better at spending too much for stuff.