Maybe take steel wool to them, wash them off and then wax them. Should help protect them somewhat. You could also clear coat them, though that's frowned upon where rust is involved.
I'd donate too, if I had anything to donate.
-Gene-

I've had good luck wet sanding surface rust off of spokes with some very fine sand paper and automotive quick detailer.

The 3S spindle code indicates a length of 121.5mm which may be too long. You'll have to try it and find out. I think 107 to 110 would be a better fit.

EDIT: Sheldon says a 113 to 115 would work with a 7 speed system.

There is Bikes Not Bombs in Boston. I've probably given them
half a dozen frames that were between saleable and the trash. I've also donated piles and piles of parts.
I think they have a program to get money for scrap aluminium (seems a shame to trash a rim that has a hop
in it). Anyway they ship containers overseas. They have easily 4000 bikes for that. They have earn a bike
programs. I have no way of knowing what else is out there, but they seem to be a pretty good model of how to
run a program that helps a lot of people.

1304Bikes, Raleigh NC, run mostly by NC State students. They accept parts, build bikes, and give them to people who really need them. It works great, and I take parts there.

UNC, the whine and cheese school,..zilch. Same with trust fund Duke.
(I sincerely hope I've just not heard of it, but no one I know there is aware of anything; I'd love to be wrong on that issue)

This one's a 6-speed... But blard. I don't know much about spindle sizes, AT ALL. I may just ask the LBS. But poop. Man, I dunno really what to figure. If spindle length varies between cranks, than phooey!

Read and learn my friend:

https://sheldonbrown.com/bbsize.html

You can learn a lot from Sheldon.

I have an acquaintance that like to fix up bikes and he got involved in giving free bikes to college students.
Not sure what the motivation was. Anyway the bikes soon disappeared. Appears they would ride them
down a hill and then throw them into a pond at the bottom of the hill because they didn't want to ride
back up. Seems free things are often not appreciated.

Too true.

^^^+1
That's because a lot of today's generation feel if it's free or cheap, there is no perceived value or worth to items. Disposable is a way of life too.
A teen stated, once an item is given to me, it's my business whether I lose it or want to break it, or give it away. I correctedly added yes, if you had paid for it and lived independently.
But that point doesn't register, only that we're being unfair to impose authority over their free will.

I was an odd teenager in that I appreciate gifts almost too much. I still have some I didn't really like, but was grateful to be given even though I really have no use for them anymore.
It's always bothered me how inconsiderate and selfish my generation is. There are so many children basing their lives off of supposed monetary value, and not on actual value. Clothes and shoes, electronics, cars, gaudy things that make no real enhancement to your character but they seem to believe make them better, cooler, people.
Remember, I'm 20... I really shouldn't be so ambivalent to my own generation... but... I just hate how STUPID they are. I guess that's why I get along with you guys and gals so well. </rant>
-Gene-

Amani576, is it just me or do all the young C&V social outcasts have very similar ideas and outlooks on things other than old bicycles?

You pretty much said it.

When I moved to another school a year and a half ago, I bought bikes on craigs and just gave to several of my students. They'd come by my house and we'd go riding, and I'd see the bikes on campus so I knew they were using them- it was pretty cool. But I can't really afford to just give bikes away, and as others have said, many people that get something for free don't really take care of it. I'm working on getting a bike co-op here on campus and with the community have started a community garden- we're doing 4 acres this year, with hopes that we can expand to more than 30! The community garden will be a great model for doing other things to improve our little town. We're small enough that a co-op makes a lot of sense, as does riding everywhere on bikes. It's really a matter of getting like-minded people together. And it can really be rewarding to see it actually happen!

You and I would probably get along well, if not for the fact that we live on opposite sides of the continent. And yes, it does seem that all of us social outcasts seem to have been born past our time.
-Gene-

That's probably true in some cases, but I hope that stories like this don't serve to discourage people like our own Mr. Banjo from giving.

+1. As a 25yr old; I ofter look around at my peers, sigh, and think to myself "WTF?"

I'm 19 and in the same boat.

Yep. Cell phones are a big "No," for me. Most younguns I see today (I'm 19) have their nose buried in texting, or are too afraid of nature or adventure to go out and live. My girlfriend's mom wouldn't let her walk home, (1.3 miles) from the movie store because it was dark out, and I was floored. Sure, she's a girl, but she's with me and besides, that's just fear. Women are every bit as independent and capable as men.
Where was I going?
Yes, kids these days are rather soulless. Many of the ancient cultures (the Mayans are getting the spotlight) point to this time in Earth's history as a time of change. A Guatemalan named Rigoberta Menchu came to my college last semester, and she's a pro on these things. She said the kids of today are known as (roughly translated) "The Kids of No Time," they are growing up in a transition between ages, don't know nature or themselves, only their things. The have no time and don't smell the roadside flowers. It's really, really sad.
People say, "All generations complain about the youth being worse but they never really are."

This time, they really, truly are. It's scary.

Anyway, this thread is about helping people, not today's misled youth.

But by encouraging cycling, we encourage a slower method of transport, getting somewhere, but also focusing on the journey, whereas cars focus on DESTINATION. Cycling encourages adventure and boundlessness, portability and self-reliance, things kids now need to find themselves.

Jim is a good and smart kid, but hopefully giving him a nice bike will keep him far from the other fools today.

I donate all my unneeded parts to a couple of guys that do this sort of thing; fixing up bikes to give to people for free.

RobbieTunes, you should see about getting a co-op started at UNC or Duke. You might be surprised at how many people want to do something to help, they just don't know how. Or they are all working on other charitable concerns. ( I went to a college where the locals called us "cake eaters". Except for the ones that knew a majority of the staff at all the charitable organizations were "cake eaters.")

Okay, this got me thinking too. I have my doubts, but I won't bore you with them. I'll just go crazy and tell you my solution!

What we need, here on Bike Forums, is a new forum, "The Virtual Bike Co-op." There would basically be two types of threads: requests and offers.

A typical request might be something like "I'm a college student in Suburban New Jersey and I need a bike for getting around. Needs fenders and a luggage rack. I promise to take good care of it." There's no reason why someone couldn't post something like "I'm a high school long distance runner and want to get into competitive bike racing but can't afford a decent road bike," for that matter. Those are just random examples I made up. BF members can read the requests and, perhaps, one of us who is reasonably local will feel moved to take on this project, post what s/he needs to provide this person with a bike, and other BF members can, if they wish, contribute. Ideally the person receiving this gift would take part in assembly &c and would be willing to buy some of the parts needed for it --such as tires.

A typical offer might be like this. This is for real, by the way, I'm not making this up: In zip code 08648, I have a Nishiki Olympic frame and most of its parts. Looks like a 19 or 21 size frame. Needs a fork. Depending what one wanted to do with it, it might need other parts as well. If someone wants it, they should let me know.

There might also be requests to borrow a bike for a specific event, such as a cross-country tour; and loan offers for equally specific events.

Anyway, that's what I think we should do about your suggestion, Holiday!

not a bad idea, maybe subforums for offerings, requests, and maybe one for tool swaps or something as well

^^I like that idea.
^I also like the idea of a tool exchange. I need a cotter press but don't want to buy one because I will likely never use one again. Borrowing a tool in circumstances like this would be ideal.

I like the idea, but (however ironic considering my project is the one we're currently working on) maybe we could limit it to "senior members" or something similar, BECAUSE

check out https://www.freecycle.org/.

We have one in my community, and it started off very nice and efficient, but now it's bogged down with one thing and one thing only: Wanted ads. Lots of them, for extravagant things like laptops, instead of things like old furniture.

I fear hearsay could lead to a bunch of one-time loginners (see "vintage value inquiries ) asking for a plethora of parts and then not really being one with the forum.

I'm not sure how the "member" "junior member" "senior member" rankings really work, but it'd be a nice way to know the barts are moving around.

Tool borrowing, on the other hand, is a splendid idea.

-Nick

Well, we know the people who are around ALOT. People like, Kurt, East Hill, PCad (though not on this forum), RobbieTunes, DirtDrop, Cyclotoine... I know I'm forgetting ALOT of people, but you get my point, and those are the poeple who stick out the most to me.
And as has been said before, we know each other around here. We may not always know each others faces or voices, but we know the other person. I wouldn't lend out anything to anyone who's just hanging around and only posts maybe 3 times ever, but, if a person is notable around here, for tool sharing that's easier. Heck for project suggestions in terms we're using here, maybe people who are prominent around here can suggest for people they know, and take on the project. I'd feel a lot more confident lending them things, or flat out giving them things for a good cause. I guess it's a matter of who we, as individuals, trust. We shouldn't delegate who can, and who can't, but if we feel we can trust them, we're responsible for that and take the consequences, if any.
I know this was a little long winded and confusing, but it's hard to put into words.
I guess what's being asked for is a "Pay It Forward" subforum.
As far as the "Senior, Junior, whatever member" titles go... I pay them no mind. Because I've seen people with 3 posts that have the "Senior Member" title.
This is a good idea, it just needs to have good coordination and not turn in to a mess of "I want this, this, and this" but more into a "I have this, anybody want it?".
If you get what I mean.
-Gene-

^^I know what you mean. On the local free cycle here it blew my mind when I saw a "Wanted: Laptop, Treadmill, Recliner" and this was all from one poster. I mean, really, I want to post a wanted: $1,000,000,000 and 3 supermodels and we'll see how far that gets me.