Bikes of Goodwill -
 

Maybe some of the C&V crowd might snub at shopping for bikes at Goodwill but I'm amazed how many neat bikes for pittance are there. Read to the bottom as someone might want a Peugeot gem.

The first acquired was this nice original Raleigh Twenty for under $10. Of course I had to do some TLC and replace the rubber, but once again rides with pride.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=380961

Then just this last week picked up an early 90's Schwinn Hurricane ATB for $7.

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I initially glanced at it for the low price but soon discovered what a versatile frame. All rigid - perfect, simple and fits a wide range of wheels / tires. Has all the right braze-ons for fenders, racks, bottle cages but more importantly, is a 26" mtn. bike that handles 27" and 700C road. Has the canti studs but also bridged and drilled for a wide assortment of road brakes. I'm trying to restrain myself to minimize the expense going into it but will be a road drop conversion. I'm leaving the simple low-end thumb shifters too. It will be a loaner, something for the grandkids can use plus I'll add two hitches - tow a trailer and a kids 'bike along'. Will also be a winter beater and it won't bother me having constant road salt on it.

Some other misc. bike related from Goodwill: Two trailers, one is an Instep and the other a brand new Schwinn $14 each (all complete with hitches and caster wheels / handle for stroller). A kids 'bike along' for $9. Mounts to seat post and the rider pedals / coast behind. Other: Brand new in the package road drop bike mirror $1, new alloy kickstand $1 (will use on the above beater Schwinn when used with trailers). They had those plastic chain cleaning with rotator brush - NEW for .50 each in the packages (Finish Line knockoff). Cheap but no interest and I passed on them.

OK, so now onto something interesting and true C&V stuff:
shopgoodwill.com - #16487544 - Vintage 58-60's Peugeot 26" Steel Lug Road Bike - 5/18/2014 7:15:00 PM

This is on online bid offering for a 1960?? Peugeot. All original with a bike registration of 1962. The included Coloral bottle and cage is worth at least $100. Shipping is steep but if someone resides near that Goodwill store, could be a great buy.
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one hell of a nice pug that is.

Seven or eight years ago, I used to routinely find bikes at a Goodwill, picked up as many as five at one time. Those days are long gone. Too many pickers camp out all day long and too many side deals between employees and friends. I still routinely pick up other stuff at thrift stores but not bikes.

My favorite thrift store has gotten greedy as well. Picked up a lot of deals there in years past. Nice lugged road bike with 6 speed index shifting on closeout for $2. My nephew rode it for four years at college. Picked up a Burley, and a Rhode gear trailer, for $20 & $12 respectively.

Was in there last week, saw another trailer for $29 - a cheapo dept store version. Then I looked at the price tag more closely - they actually wanted $129 for this POS.

The bikes used to all be priced at $20 or less. Now they want $50 and up, for crap Magnas, etc. Easier to find deals on CL now.

Where do you live, so I can visit your local Good Will?!

That may explain the lack of them here, too, over the big ol' hill from where you're at.

I got lucky once, though, recently, and bought an 80's Raleigh mtb for $30. Cables, housings, brake pads, and a front shifter, and I've got me a $60 rigid mtb. Really, though, it's a good deal because I've been determined to keep it cheap.

My local goodwill regularly has a wide variety of completely hammered Huffy mountain bikes for $80-150 each.

Chicago area. Last week, while I went to the Home Depot, wife wanted to check out the Goodwill. I quickly looked around and noticed a clean older Raleigh 3 speed for $150 (too rich for me) but they also had an early Schwinn Varsity - full fender w/ lights, clean for $49. When I returned an hour later, both were sold.

The Peugeot posted is in OR. I wouldn't doubt on the territory and a hit or miss for the old bikes, but if any bike has a flat, the price is dropped drastically.

Goodwill's are generally depressing places to visit in smaller cities.

In major metro areas, you can find cleaner, well stocked goodwills. I have never checked for bicycles though.

I've gotten many decent bikes from the local thrift shops:

1983 Mongoose Californian - got for $16, flipped for juuuuust a bit more than that
http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/...0-16163735.jpg

1997 Schwinn Hydraglide - $14, done over and given to a neighbor kid
http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_2435.jpg

1987 Mongoose Hilltopper - $20, i think, was my wife's, since given to one of her friends
http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/...ps61877ee4.jpg

1984 Centurion Elite RS - my current road bike even though it is too big for me
http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/.../Photo0155.jpg

Other bikes I remember are a Tom Kellogg-built Ross Signature (gave to a neighbor) and a Nashbar Toure MT (also given to a neighbor).

I also recently grabbed a 1994 Mongoose Rockadile MTB for my son.

I also will buy cheap crappy big box store bikes at the thrift shop if the tires, chains, and pedals are in decent shape - they are a good, cheap source of small parts, and can usually be grabbed for less than the price of a new tire.

Thrift stores around here price check against Ebay and mark their bikes accordingly. Occasionally a bike slips through, I bought a Colnago Super off a guy who bought it from a thrift store $40...I paid considerably more than that!!

My theory around here at least is that the economy has sucked for so long that pickers that used to just go for shoes, or toys, or electronics, etc, are now grabbing anything they can make a buck on, including bikes. Many are not bike savvy, so they will grab good bikes and junk. I've bought bikes from many of them.

The good news is I continue to find other items at thrift stores that can build my bike/hobby kitty to be used on keeper items.

In Southern California, I see bikes go in but they then vanish.

My local Goodwill only keeps kids bikes. Apparently a scrapper has dibs on the adult bikes. They never make it to the back room.

Let's not forget the ridiculous reality TV shows like American Pickers, Pawn Stars, etc. And the rising cost of gasoline.
Once the demand is noted, the prices began to rise. I've had a few lucky finds at Goodwill.....a 1983 Specialized Expedition is great shape for $40 being the best.
But those days are gone here.

We ought'a hire a Private Eye to go into these places undercover, to find out what's going on.

I won the auction for this Expedition a couple years back, from the Hillsboro Goodwill. I was in Portland that week anyhow, so I was able to pick it up in person. The auction photos were terrible, as was the description. It turned out to be a very lightly ridden bike in almost completely original condition(aside from the bars and brake levers).

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...t/IMG_8259.jpg

This was Goodwill for 25 bux
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-J.../Commander.jpg

15 years later, it's still ridden almost daily, albeit with a Duomatic hub.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H...commander3.jpg

Oddly, I too scored a beautiful mid 60's AO-8 in mint condition from Goodwill in a really nice light green not too different from the OP's, also with early decals but I never liked it. Dead ride so it went.

Ho-hum. 1973 Eisentraut, built for a bike shop in DC. First gen dura ace. Found hanging at local thrift. http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/a...entraut001.jpg

I usually find 1 nice bike a year at Goodwill. I found my daughter's Basso Gap for $14.99, a Trek 520 for $19.99 and a Specialized Rockhopper Comp for $45. I sold the the Trek and Rockhopper for a tidy profit while the Basso is one of my daughter's favorite rides.


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It's the land of the $75 Huffys here too. Sometimes, though,the pricing is weird, and a good deal will slip through. About a year ago, I picked up a dead mint, full-Deore equipped early 90s Novara, for just 16.00, with a $60 Magna and a $70 Murray next to it.

Those are some killer deals. I think I remember seeing your Rockhopper on CL - pretty fairly priced as I recall. I have passed by a number of good deals at the thrift stores. The one I still regret is the womens Rockhopper I could have grabbed for $20. Thought I'd let someone else get a deal. That, and the fact that my bike count at the time was north of 10. . .

It seems to me such an anachronism that such veritable gems are up for grabs in parts of the country with a strong bike heritage/culture - whereas trashed, $75 junior Huffy's are the rule in places where bikes are commonly held in low esteem.

http://www.bicyclerainbow.com/kids-b...lueandred3.jpg

My local GW always has bottom of the barrel dregs. Anything that might appear to be a good deal will have some serious flaw.
I was told all the bikes go to the Portland store and they get what filters back down. I don't know if that's true, but I've simply never seen a GOOD, rideable bike bike in my LGW.

Most of our thrift stores have crap bikes, if they have anything at all. The Habitat For Humanity store, however, occasionally gets nice ones.