Most of it is just luck, but "curb side treasures" and garage sale finds are getting a little harder to come by. I remember seeing decent old road bikes at garage sales for $20 not that many years back, and nobody was exactly fighting over them. They now sell for $150+ on Craig's List within hours of being posted. Millions of bikes are bought in the U.S. each year, but they wind up sitting in garages, basements, and storage sheds collecting dust and rust. When their owners decide they want to "free up some space"...we want to be there. You can find out when bulk (trash) pick-up days are scheduled, and go around to see what you might find. I have heard of more than a few NYC antique dealers who had their established routes. You can check Craig's List and your local newspaper for garage sale listings in your area, set up an organized route to follow to get to as many as possible, and hope for the best. Neighborhood garage sales can often be really good. You can hit the church rummage sales, flea markets, and the like. You need to stay focused if you want to hit a few of them, and still do something else for the rest of the day. You also need to avoid buying stuff you don't need, just because it's cheap...unless it's something you could use, or resell, or somebody asked you to find one for them. You will run out of cash for the next sale where you might find something, and wind up with too much clutter. You can also talk to the LBS owner. See if he has any old junkers he wants to sell, or unload for free. He may have a bunch of old stuff he is going to toss that he'll give you. He needs the space, and may not want to resell these items because they are used or slightly damaged in some way. Certain things aren't worth their time as a "rule of thumb". They are worth our time, though. Don't forget that these guys are running a business, and try to stay on their "good side". Also, keep a bike carrier in your car trunk at all times...it comes in handy.