icepick_trotsky 

What bike/part did you pick up for a song? Freebies and gifts don't count.

willydstyle

Just picked up a Suntour Perfect 14-32 freewheel for $3 at the local co-op.

Chris W.

A first generation Campagnolo Rally rear mech for fifteen bucks (later traded to a forum member for all sorts of goodies )

Sir_Name 

Riding bikes and playing music.

Narhay

I bought an unknown track frame with some nice campy and pinarello parts for $80. He seemed to be cleaning out his storage locker. While I was there I mentioned to the guy that I liked to fix up old bikes. "Do you want this 6 drawer Rubbermaid thing and bucket full of parts and wheels for $20?"

It ended up being two campy record wheels, a campy seatpost, nos avid tri align brakes, and 5 other drawers full of maybe not as illustrious things but still pretty fantastic stuff.

Henry III

Why aren't freebies allowed? If they aren't deals then I don't know what is! My Super Corsa was free from a customer of mine at the bike shop. Her husband passed away and she didn't want it anymore. She also gave me a Medici Pro Strada frame/fork and will be getting a decent mixed group from her old Fuso I'm building up that she bought brand new. It's getting a mixture of new 105/Ultegra.

72Paramount

My best deal was a raleigh international for $120. Another good one was a set of wheels, Mavic tubulars w/campy high flange record hubs for $25.

eschlwc

for $60, this '76 donor bike with suzue hubs, rando bars, takagi double, first gen cyclone and barcons:



also for $60, this '81 bike with full s600 arabesque:


but my best ever deal was my winning bid for my first road bike as an adult. i might've paid too much, but it led to a wonderful pastime that saved me.

gomango

In 1979, I went to purchase a Colnago Super from a guy in southern Minnesota.

When I arrived, he took me to a pole barn that was loaded with various cars and older motorcycles.

I ended up with a 1969 Polo red LWB Porsche 912 and an extra engine for $1,100.

The Super was another $350.

That was a fair amount of $$$ at the time, but it was still a decent deal.

Wish I still had both of those around.

randyjawa 

For me, the best deal is not a dollars and cents thing. It is about the best bike I have acquired. I got this early seventies Carlton Professional for free...



I got this 1973 Raleigh International, practically mint, for $20.00...



And I paid $300.00, just for this Cyclops frame/fork set...



...This is the best bicycle deal I have ever got. The Cyclops is the best bicycle I have ever owned, regardless of cost or how much it will sell for, should I ever be dumb enough to sell it...

top506

No freebies? There goes the Miyata 1000 and Univega Super Strada!

How abut this Ross Signature 290s for $8?



Top

RobbieTunes

I never get screamin' deals.
I pay what is asked if I think it's fair, offer what I think is fair if not asked.

An '89 Pinarello Montello, NOS, never ridden, full 8-sp Syncro II, Record/Ypsilon wheelset, Cinelli steering, $801.

This carbon frame/fork/headset for $440 in 2011. I followed it for 2 years before that.
MSRP in 2004 $4000, frame/fork only.

Many Ironman bikes, but the caveat is that I think they're worth more than some people do.

flash2070

At a garage sale a half of mile from my home, two Eddy Merckxs, and a PFiffer for $500. As I'm leaving, I ask the seller if he has any other cycling things that he will not be using that he would like to give me. He turns to a wal,l walks over and takes a pair of wheels that are hanging from a hook. The wheels turned out to be Dura Ace with Dura Ace hubs. I sold the wheels for $300 which basically breaking it down turned the bikes out to cost me about $75 each. :-)

Pompiere

1989 Club Fuji at a garage sale for $20. It only needed tires, seat, bar wrap, and new bearings in the bottom bracket. This spring, I put on some 105 brifters that I found for $5. All they needed was a shot of WD-40. With all that, I still don't have $75 in it.

curbtender

After missing a Raleigh International for $50 at a neighborhood sale, I went down the street and scored my Mondia Special for $10...

bikemig 

A late 70s Davidson racing bike with cinelli bar and stem, brooks pro saddle, full campy super record group and 2 sets of wheels built around campy hubs, one clincher, the other tubular, for $200. I have the original paperwork for the sale. The guy walked into a bike shop and said he wanted to sell his bike. The guys at the shop called me in because it was my size and they know I liked old bikes. I need to get the bike up and running this summer.

gomango

Get that beauty on the road.

They are very nice riding bicycles and that was a whale of a deal.

iab

I am pretty much happy with my purchases so they are all good deals, no matter the amount spent.

If it something I don't want, even free is a bad deal.

KonAaron Snake 

Exactly. Not sure why there's so much focus on how much something costs here.

The best deal I've gotten is my Marnati - because I love how it rides and fits.

randyjawa 

Well put! However, for me and on a fixed income, the ones I don't want, help to pay for the ones I do want. That said, "free" can and often does, cost a lot.

USAZorro

From those I still have...

It ended up being a lot of work to

a. get the stuck stem out of the steerer
b. sand it down and get it repainted
c. properly dressed with era parts

but... the rough Raleigh Professional frame I got on e-bay for $17.50 has to be right up there.

The repainted Trek 760 I bought on CL for $75 (which still had most of the Dura-Ace components still on it and in reasonable shape) was financially the best deal.

PaintItCeleste

Wow, there are certainly some great deals here. Probably my best to date was a Specialized Allez Epic fully equipped with Shimano 105 in great condition, and most importantly, MY SIZE, for $75 at a garage sale. It was my first taste of a truly light, nimble road bike. Up to then, I had been riding The older boat anchors, and while I loved the reduced rolling resistance (as opposed to my mountain bike), they still weighed something fierce. Finding the Allez at the garage sale a few doors down, I had to ask the seller if she was sure $75 was the price, as she said it was her husband's and he was absent. She called him up to confirm and sure enough, he just didn't need it any longer. It was an excellent bicycle for many years.

bikemig 

I don't disagree. At the end of the day, it's about the enjoyment we derive from our hobby (or passion). Still one of the reasons that C&Vers are C&Vers is that they like recycling old cycles and saving money over buying new ones.

TickDoc

Ed.

With the added stipulation that wasn't known until opening the thread, my first thought was (and remains!) SWIMPAL.



The dog was pretty good, too!