While out nosing around today for a "beater" bike to use for ugly Winter days, I noted that almost all bikes on offer in pawn shops/ thrift stores- ect were in a really sorry state. Beat up frames, thrown chains, broken cables.. and to boot the asking prices were ridiculous!

How on earth can these bikes get so bad? Are people really that careless with their transportation?

At any rate, decided that the newish bikes on hand were a way better option, and that they are already paid for. I'll clean 'em off when needed.

With The Internet.. there are many other places to resell bikes than Pawn shops ,
the better bikes dont need a pawnbroker to get the money to gamble with

Consignment sales in an Actual Bike shop.. is a place to look and try.

Good advice. There is a place here in town that re does bikes, but their prices were just under a new bike from Bikes Direct. They had a fantastic vintage Trek race bike that was total eye candy.

I think it's the season. Garages and sheds have been cleaned, items donated, and yard sales were held. I noticed that few bikes appear of Craigslist and those that do get listed seem to move slowly.

I bought a couple "winter project" bicycles. But it's been so cold/wet this summer that I've had enough free time.... I've already finished fixing them up. I plan on reselling at least one of them but had held out on listing ether on CL until demand for bicycles increase in the spring.

There are a number of bike shop here that restore older bikes to good working order and sell them. Two that I can think of specialize in low-cost restores that may have have some cosmetic issues, but ride great!

Dang, you are where I grew up, and 40 miles North these days, LOL. Really though those kind of places are great, and a good way to support the local economy. The only one here had a Diamondback 26" MTB that was nice.. but the price was a bit steep IMO.

People that are BF members mistakenly believe all cyclists are like us. I think mostpeople (an e.e.cummings term - "mostpeople") that have bikes are not as interested in the sport/hobby as we are and simply don't take care of equipment they rarely or never use.

Hey man, want to sell that bike??

The bikes I saw today were HEAVILY ridden, into the ground almost. I'd like to find the name brand Garage Queen that was bought by a person of means, and hardly ridden.

I keep my bikes in good mechanical condition but I don't care about their cosmetic appearance. My bikes are full of scratches and dings, no decals. I treat them rough.

I feel conflicted about this. I'd like to say I cherish my bike, but I do beat it up pretty badly. I give it good care and maintenance though, so I guess that counts.

Buying a winter beater is a philosophy that I've never understood. I bought my Surly Krampus last November, just in time to start using it during the winter months. The first thing I did was totally tear down the new bike and spray rust inhibitor on the inside of the frame. Winter weather (especially this last winter) does require more cleaning and replacement parts, but I would never want to settle for a beater when I can enjoy riding my favourite bike around.

I don't have to deal with salt so my winter bike is the one with the biggest fenders to keep me dry. I do try to wash it down occasionally and I'm assiduous about keeping the chain lubed and the cables adjusted. My daily commute on the train and perusal of the bike rack at work shows the full range from fancy carbon and titanium road bikes with high end components to trashed BSO and vintage bikes in conditions ranging from lovingly maintained to totally thrashed.
From what I've seen Goodwill and pawn shops are useless for quality bikes and garage sales are wildly variable so my used bike sources are local shops that do used or consignment, CL and the local bike racer's mailing list.

A tool, not a jewel.

^^^THIS^^^

I do like it more than my saws, drills, guitars, amps and mandolins. I take care of it better than the construction tools, truck but not as well as the instruments.

However, I cherish Cheryl and my mom. I don't really get anal about the bike.

Hey, I was gonna say that.

+1 - Cycling has been a life long hobby and love of mine, and I consider bikes to be tools for a job. Their job its to provide me enjoyment. Cherish is not a word I would use to describe by relationship to bikes but I believe in having the right tool for the job (which is why I have 6 bikes) and cared for properly to provide me with the enjoyment from them that I expect. They should also be ridden, which is why I regularly lend my bikes out to friends.

My grandfather once told me "take care of your tools and they'll take care of you"

My bikes are tools ... but they are tools I cherish.

Maybe it's unnatural, but the bikes I own are extremely meaningful to me and play an important role in my life.

I don't baby them by any stretch, and part of cherishing a bike is riding it often, in my mind.

So yes ... in my mind, I do cherish my bikes.

No, it's a tool like everything else in my life.

I enjoy experiences, not possessions.

You should see my Audi and my research lab that are some heavily used items!

This.

With my cyclocross race bike in particular, the battle scars are part of what I love about the bike. My favorite is the small stripe of blue paint on my green Major Jake that marks the time I carried too much momentum into the stairs at Alpenrose and had to use the bike (which I had just dismounted and was in the process of shouldering) to protect my teeth from the railing.

My commuter bikes tend not to participate in memorable events like that, so a paint chip from the bike rack or the build-up of road grit in the winter is typically their worst blemish. Consequently, after routine maintenance related cleaning they usually end up looking pretty good.

Most of what you'll find in pawn shops aren't "transportation" - they're toys that were bought and rode maybe a dozen times for a total of 20 miles or so, and haven't been touched in 10 years.

As for me, no, I don't cherish things. I like many of my tools - my road bike is very nice, my Kindle is probably my favorite thing. If I lost either of those I would go out and buy a new one immediately. But I wouldn't feel bad for them or anything, they're just things. I don't care much if they're dirty. I clean the drive train to make it last longer with less maintenance, but I'm not very fussed about keeping the frame clean.

Agree with the "tools I cherish" sentiment. I freakin' love my new(ish) bike, can't wait to put some wear and tear on it...

You could say that I cherish my bikes with the very act of keeping them looking good and working well. I take care of my stuff, because it cost money to get, and money ain't cheap.

Agree. My pristine carbon fiber bike is especially cherished because I don't take it out in the rain. My beater mountain bike is also cherished even though I take it out anywhere, any time. As a year round cycling commuter, the bikes have an added significance and importance for my lifestyle.

Most importantly, my bikes are very personalized for fit and quality, perfectly for my encompassing cycling lifestyle. Shopping for a new one is a challenging and unwanted hassle, as when my cherished and classic Bridgestone RB-1 was totalled.

So as Merriam Webster expects by their definition, I will “hold dear, feel/show affection for, keep/cultivate with care and affection, and entertain/harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely (as in my daydreams and planning about riding)” my bikes, as long as we both shall live.

I cherish even my beaters.. which in the end makes them too pretty and defeats the purpose of having beaters >.<

I bought this bad boy for $15. Best money I ever spent.

Beater Bike Basket Bike by (cobrabyte), on Flickr

"Beater"

"Beater"

"Beater"

"Beater"


There's a couple more but no pics of them yet...