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How do you find bikes at garage sales?

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How do you find bikes at garage sales?

Old 02-26-13, 09:34 AM
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Actually, there's a married couple here in PDX that make a hobby out of finding & fixing up old mixtes; every so often, about twice a year, they have a little clearance and put them up on CL. Beautiful restorations at fair prices.
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Old 02-26-13, 11:01 AM
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A little off topic. I respond to a CL add for a bike that I am interested in some of the components. I said in the email: "Do you still have the bike, I am interested." and give him my phone number. He emails me back in about 45 min: "Yes I still have it, can you come get it this afternoon. I'm moving and I need to get rid of it." Now I'm thinking I should be in pretty good shape for the negotions.
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Old 02-26-13, 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by hikerinmaine
All great ideas, but one other thing to keep in mind is to head to the more affluent section of town for the yard sales. They buy the higher end bikes and treat them like trash, so they don't mean much. I bought my Cannondale Black Lightning off a guy driving a Range Rover, talked him down from $65 to $50 because the tires were flat and he couldn't air them up. It hadn't been ridden in years so to him it was just some old bike, when was like new when I washed the years of dust off it.
+1 to above, in particular to their children trashing their personal property, particularly when it's nouveau riche, but you have to let the head honcho think they are "master of the universe," or deal with their spouse.

Then there is my friend's wealthy 90 year old mom on the Cape, old money without grand kids, who is for the most part immobile, but won't part with anything, including her 3 speed Rudge and her 1970's Mercedes sedan, not driven in over a decade, unfortunately not a 280 SE cabriolet.

Occasionally, church/temple, and community wide garage sales are fruitful. Some towns have police sales too.

I find it interesting that Michigan State University is hawking abandoned bikes on Lansing Craigslist, at "retail" prices.

But what strikes me the oddest are these patient flippers/sellers, other than BBC,who have been trying to sell their wares for two years or more, with nary a change in price. Here are a pair of NJ Peugeots, not PX10's, been up since at least 2011. That's $899 each for BIN.
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Old 02-26-13, 12:53 PM
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Its kind of like the lottery, you have to play to win. The more sales the better the odds. I have found:

1983 Trek 500
1987 Trek 400
1985 Trek 670
1986 Centurian le Mans
1986 Schwinn passage
1984 Sekai 2400
1986 Nishiki Sport
1988 Raleigh Olympian (Technium frame)

All within 4 miles of my house, rideable and all but the Trek 670 $20 or less.
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Old 02-26-13, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by bent-not-broken
Its kind of like the lottery, you have to play to win. The more sales the better the odds. I have found:

1983 Trek 500
1987 Trek 400
1985 Trek 670
1986 Centurian le Mans
1986 Schwinn passage
1984 Sekai 2400
1986 Nishiki Sport
1988 Raleigh Olympian (Technium frame)

All within 4 miles of my house, rideable and all but the Trek 670 $20 or less.
I think I officially hate you.
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Old 02-26-13, 01:33 PM
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Unheralded bikes are still out there:
"Road bike $125" was a Giordana w/8-sp Campy.
"Colnago $125" was, of course, a Colnago (norskagent beat me to it)
"Schwinn $20" was a Heavy Duti, sold for $200 to an Iowan.
"Pinarello $1000 OBO" was a never-ridden Montello w/spare wheels, 8-sp Syncro, for $800

I never seem to get the screamin' deals, but I am delighted once in a while.
"Road/TT bike $375" on CL. No photos. I always check those.

$325 to buy, $250 in add-ons-$50 in sell-off's = $525.
I know that's a lot, but it's fun.

Last edited by RobbieTunes; 02-26-13 at 01:39 PM.
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Old 02-26-13, 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by MookieBlaylock
Hey everyone, I hope I didn't offend anyone by creating a new thread on this topic, but I thought other people could benefit from your answers, too.

I continue to hear people finding good "finds" at garage and yard sales.
I ride my bike around on Saturday mornings. In the spring and summer it is impossible not to find yard sales. On weekends in April and May I can roll past 100 or more sales in a 50 mile ride. I have found some gems at these sales. Here is my advice:
  • I hope nobody takes this the wrong way, but there definitely is a demographic 'profile' to folks who have decent bikes for sale. Rich folks could not be bothered with spending a whole day to only make a few hundred dollars. Poor folks generally have nothing of interest to sell. I have been most successful in the 'hoods with a upper middle class 30's to 50's white bread demographic. Single family detached houses in deepest darkest suburbia.
  • You don't have to slow down to get some key indicators of the value of a bike. If the bike is standing by itself, then it has a kickstand, and so it is worthless. Shiny steel rims - same conclusion. Don't even slow down.
  • The bikes on sale are almost always junk. But these for you are a pretext to engage in conversation with the folks running the sale. Ask them if they have any "old race bikes" for sale. This is where all of my scores have been. Stuff that officially wasn't for sale, but got hauled out of the cobwebs because I could convince the owners that I was serious, had money, and that they were never going to ride this again.
  • Bikes with tubular wheelsets are heavily discounted. I point out the safety risks and liability associated with selling these to someone off of the street. I will "take these off of their hands to avoid this bike falling into the wrong hands". Seriously: the risks to the seller are real.
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Old 02-26-13, 01:40 PM
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Just go buy a new bike. Go for a ride and forget you ever found this place. The answers here will only lead in a downward bike buying spiral. When you bottom out and sell everything at the local swap meet for pennies on the dollar, you'll wonder why you ever started this hellish trip inthe first place. You have been warned.
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Old 02-26-13, 04:59 PM
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Aye laddie... leaves this darkn'd place to thems' what knows it; git owt while ye caan still see th' fair lite o' dey!!
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Old 02-26-13, 05:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Dave Mayer
If the bike is standing by itself, then it has a kickstand, and so it is worthless. [/LIST]
I was with ya, until I read that. That Frejus in the above pic had a kickstand on it.
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Old 02-26-13, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by fender1
Just go buy a new bike. Go for a ride and forget you ever found this place. The answers here will only lead in a downward bike buying spiral. When you bottom out and sell everything at the local swap meet for pennies on the dollar, you'll wonder why you ever started this hellish trip inthe first place. You have been warned.
You crack me up Fender.

Good advice though!
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Old 02-26-13, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by fender1
Just go buy a new bike. Go for a ride and forget you ever found this place. The answers here will only lead in a downward bike buying spiral. When you bottom out and sell everything at the local swap meet for pennies on the dollar, you'll wonder why you ever started this hellish trip inthe first place. You have been warned.
Lmao...sounds wife induced...may not be far away.
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Old 02-26-13, 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Vonruden
Lmao...sounds wife induced...may not be far away.
von give me a heads up when your spiral begins (as well as the location of subsequent swap meet fire sale)
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Old 02-26-13, 07:22 PM
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Don't forget to look around for some other nice things at garage sales, like camping equipment for the next tour, bike accessories, and tools. Oh, and a nice thing or two your SO will love. While they're looking at the new thing you brought them, you may be able to sneak 4 or 5 bikes in the house.
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Old 02-26-13, 08:59 PM
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I have found:

1983 Super Mondia
1986 Schwinn Super Sport
80's Ciocc
2- Benottos
90's ALAN
Something or other Schwinn 853 Reynolds Frameset

I turned down:

Bianchi With Campy 9 speed for $275.
Ti Colnago with 25th Aniversary Dura Ace With matching wheelset for under $900.
Tomasini , whatever the heck it was "real Cheap"
and a flood of gas pipe 10 speeds, Oh, and a few Centurions that were so....you know.....not right.
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Old 02-27-13, 01:50 AM
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Originally Posted by gomango
Agreed.

Although I have found a couple of gems, I won't beat the street anymore for twenty dollar bicycles.

Not when there are still $6 San Gabriel bamboo fly rods and $15 Phase Linear amps to be had.......
And the $50 Stratocasters, the $5 Fisher 400 tuners, the $10 Faberge eggs...

Personally, my best-ever garage sale find was a minty $30 1983 Trek 500. I'll take that.
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Old 02-27-13, 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Gravity Aided
Don't forget to look around for some other nice things at garage sales, like camping equipment for the next tour, bike accessories, and tools. Oh, and a nice thing or two your SO will love. While they're looking at the new thing you brought them, you may be able to sneak 4 or 5 bikes in the house.
Picked up a really nice Seth Thomas/Aston Valve Nautical clock that is driving my wife crazy. Sounds like 60 minutes. I think she'll go for a bike trade...
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Old 02-27-13, 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Dave Mayer
  • I hope nobody takes this the wrong way, but there definitely is a demographic 'profile' to folks who have decent bikes for sale. Rich folks could not be bothered with spending a whole day to only make a few hundred dollars. Poor folks generally have nothing of interest to sell. I have been most successful in the 'hoods with a upper middle class 30's to 50's white bread demographic. Single family detached houses in deepest darkest suburbia.
  • You don't have to slow down to get some key indicators of the value of a bike. If the bike is standing by itself, then it has a kickstand, and so it is worthless. Shiny steel rims - same conclusion. Don't even slow down.
  • The bikes on sale are almost always junk. But these for you are a pretext to engage in conversation with the folks running the sale. Ask them if they have any "old race bikes" for sale. This is where all of my scores have been. Stuff that officially wasn't for sale, but got hauled out of the cobwebs because I could convince the owners that I was serious, had money, and that they were never going to ride this again.
  • Bikes with tubular wheelsets are heavily discounted. I point out the safety risks and liability associated with selling these to someone off of the street. I will "take these off of their hands to avoid this bike falling into the wrong hands". Seriously: the risks to the seller are real.
I guess we have much different demographics.

Up here it's the 'in thing' to have a yard sale, even if you don't need the money. The rich people want to fit in, and pretend they're one of the regular people. It's amazing to see a Rolls Royce at a yard sale ($16K, I have a picture around somewhere). They also want to exercise, but can't be bothered to actually do it, and of course they need the best equipment. These are the people who have heated driveways in Maine so they don't have to plow or shovel snow, and a lot of the places on the coast are summer homes that are used for a month out of the year. One oil tycoon from OK I knew keeps a POS Ford Escort in the garage, complete with rust, just so he'll 'fit in' when he stays at the house. I was working on his coastal house at the time, when he arrived in his extended motor home (think larger than a Greyhound bus) towing the Jaguar, but needed to drive the Escort to town for some milk. Then there are the people who aren't 'as' rich, but pretend they are. It's really quite comical to see the pecking order and them trying to keep up. Mount Desert Island (Bar Harbor) is famous for this.

If the bike is standing by itself, it probably means the owner put a kickstand on it. These people can't be bothered to actually lean a bike or lay it down, and the bike they had growing up had a kickstand, so the new ones should as well. I have had people bring their bikes to me to install these kickstands, only to find out it's not possible because there are no attachment points for them.
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Old 02-27-13, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Dave Mayer
You don't have to slow down to get some key indicators of the value of a bike. If the bike is standing by itself, then it has a kickstand, and so it is worthless. Shiny steel rims - same conclusion. Don't even slow down.
Oy!
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Old 02-27-13, 02:03 PM
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Scored this gem...poor shape 1970 Robin Hood...after some serious elbow grease this puppy will look sweet...just check oury the custom wooden pedals I had to match my wooden racks....gonna be classic!




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Old 02-27-13, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Robinhood1970
Scored this gem...poor shape 1970 Robin Hood...after some serious elbow grease this puppy will look sweet...just check oury the custom wooden pedals I had to match my wooden racks....gonna be classic!




I bet that one is going to be a stunner after your done! Maybe track down some wood rims too?
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Old 02-27-13, 06:25 PM
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I've seen/acquired some nice bikes that have had kickstands on them, but I still agree with those who contend that kickstand equipped bikes should be viewed skeptically.

Very frequently, in my experience if not others, vintage bikes equipped with kickstands have had the kickstand mount tightened down enough to dent or otherwise deform the chainstays at least a little bit. Usually, this is on the bottom, hard to see, and ultimately only a cosmetic issue. But you then can't sell the bike or frame honestly as "frame is dent-free". And any frame dents just kill the value of a frame/bike.

So I'm with those who mentally depreciate a bike with a kickstand - it is either a low end bike or if a high end, high chance of dented frame. In the second case, it still may be worth a look, though...
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Old 02-28-13, 03:23 AM
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Just this last weekend i picked up a early 70s Gitane with headlight/taillight/sanyo generator, rear rack, skewered alloy wheels, curved back seat post for $4.00. It is ruff and rusty but will clean up well. I had stopped for some Jacobson wood clamps which were also $4.00. The bike was off to the side under a tree. It was just around the corner from my house. 1988 Bianchi sport sx with all tri color 600, $25.00, Free 1971 sports tourer with pristine 71 NR rd, Free 1984 Schwinn World Sport, they just seem to find me. I did not set out to look for a bike but they were just there.
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Old 05-01-13, 02:21 PM
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I'm posting this because these guys do a good job of making a bike sale fun. Plus , the El Cerrito garagesales are this weekend. I've only got two stops.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/3777776418.html
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Old 05-01-13, 02:42 PM
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Of the half dozen or so great flippers I have found dirt cheap at Garage sales I used the strategy of close and easy alomost none. I just got up early looked for adds within a 5 miles or less that had a lot of stuff and mapped out a course and road around on my bike. Your most likely to find great garage sale deals at sales in older better niegborhoods that have a lot of stuff.
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