Blue Collar Cycling
 

I'm thinking about offering bicycle repair in my rather blue collar, heavily latino neighborhood. Most are the dreaded big box store brands. Also, lots of BMX bikes around here. Is it worth going through on trash day and trying to flip any of them?

Looking for your thoughts and perspective on this.

I mostly lurk :innocent: here so go easy on me about the fact that these bikes aren't worth repairing okay? For some of these folks, spending $20 for a new chain plus labor is more affordable than spending $99 for a new one.

Thanks in advance

What you got to loose, do it. Sounds like a valuable service to your neighborhood.

Define "worth".

You will almost surely be able to take in more money than you will spend for out-of-pocket costs. If you are looking for a reasonable return for your labor, that's another story.

Sure, If nothing else you'll be able to salvage bikes to enable the poor kids/folk's to have
a bike that couldn't otherwise.

I forget which of the forums here I saw it in, but there was a link to a video about a guy who repaired bikes in Philadelphia if I recall correctly. It seemed to be mostly for kids in his neighborhood, and mostly for really low bucks.

I don't know if he really made enough to live on, but the video definitely showed that he made kids in his neighborhood happy.

It's not a bad idea. I have taken many Xmart bikes from the trash to rebuild into a decent bike.

What I can't use that is metal I take in to recycle and pickup a few dollars also.

When somebody needs a tube or tire I have a few good ones for sale also.

do it dude, no harm can come from rebuilding Xmart bikes into something better, may be the only way a halfway decent bike can be affordable for folks who are worse off.

Thanks for the support everyone.

I won't lie, I am looking to make a little money while offering a much needed service to the community. I see it as doing good but also getting paid for something I like to do. I'm not looking to get rich though.

What I'm not sure about, is how I define and how the market defines reasonable rates for labor. As it stands, there is virtually no overhead if this works remains in my basement.

You will get 'rich' in the most important manner of all.....help others who can't help themselves.
This is 'richness' money can't buy. Besides once you start you'll find all sorts of good things starting
to happen in your life. No kidding.........

To a certain type of person, it would be fun and challenging and satisfying.

Worth it? Well, the main cost is time and effort. Its also highly helpful to have a pile of old parts you can make use of. If you have to buy much, the costs are going to catch up to you almost immediately. Even as little as a tube here, a tire there, some housings here, will make it difficult to do without it turning into problem.

That said, I encourage you to give it a try. I think its good for you (if you are that type that enjoys the work as therapy), and also good for the community if you are making cheap and decent bikes available. In my case, I started out playing around with my own frankenbikes. In the course of snapping up a couple of parts bikes, I started a small supply of spares. Then I flipped a couple of bikes. A few more parts bikes, a few more bikes for sale. And now, I have a small supply of usable wheels, not-quite-worn-out tires, tubes, salvageable housing, a box of derailleurs, a box of brakes, and the like. This vastly changes how I size up a bike in the trash. I.e., does it have a nice frame but tacoed wheels? I can decide if its worth devoting a spare wheelset on it.

jim

My handicapped nephew in Houston has worked on bikes for the biggest part of his life. He lives in a mobile home park and has been repairing bicycles for the neighborhood kids and others for about 10 years now and does a great job and makes a few bucks doing it. He's doing what he loves to do and helps out a few kids that otherwise may not be able to have their bikes repaired.