Recyke Y Bike Newcastle

[Sam Kennedy]

Anyone here had any experience with 'Recyke Y Bike' in Newcastle, or other similar bike recycling schemes?

I'm thinking of getting a road bike from there for Christmas, and I'm not really looking for anything flashy or expensive, just something for club runs on the weekend, and maybe a bit of road cycling during the week. (My Sirrus will be my winter/trail/dad tagging along bike)

What should I be looking for? How can I distinguish scrap metal from a hidden gem?

Oh, and does anyone in the Newcastle/Gateshead/Sunderland area have any road bikes for sale? (I only really want to go for about £200, I still want to get a turbo trainer and other stuff for Christmas)

Cheers!

 

[HJ]

Bike recycling schemes are a good source of cheap second hand bikes, the bikes are fully refurbished, have been checked over by qualified cycle mechanics and usually come with some sort of warranty (three months or so). The only downside is there is no way to predict what they will have in stock.

 

[Arch]

From my experience of Bike Rescue here in York, recycling schemes are probably less likely to pressure you into something unsuitable. They are usually run for interest, as oppposed to out and out profit, by people who care that you get the right bike. As HJ says, you can't predict stock, but Bike Rescue have hundreds of bikes of all sorts in the warehouse, so there's probably always something suitable, even if it's not ready to go yet.

Worth giving them a go, anyway, see what they have. Get to know the folk there, and they can keep an eye out for something suitable....

 

[NormanD]

I've not heard of them myself Sam, but looking at their web site I think I'll pop along on saturday and have a look.

 

[onlyhuman]

I have used Recyke ur byke in Newcastle. I took my Trek hybrid there after the bike shop said it was beyond economic repair and I should buy a new bike.

I rented workshop space and tools, and a very kind person guided me through the process of replacing the chainset, chain and sprockets and sorting out the wheel bearings. I did the work myself, and they picked out suitable replacement parts, including a very nice (lightly used) Sugino crankset. When I went into Recyke ur bike I thought the Trek might be doomed, now I think it might see me out!

I then bought a refurbished Raleigh racer from them for £75. I had been wanting to try a road bike, and this seemed a good way to dip my toes in the water without spending a lot of money. The bike was worth the money, given that it had a lot of new parts and was properly adjusted, lubricated and guaranteed, but I quickly decided I wanted something a little bit more modern and less "entry-level". My son is now using the Raleigh, and he is happy with it, he thinks it is "pleasingly retro".

The people at R ur B were extremely friendly and helpful, and it is a charity so it is all in a good cause and you can feel virtuous. They send container-loads of unwanted bike parts to Africa where they are put to good use.

 

[Norm]

What a great idea!

I can find something similar in Bradford, but nothing any further south. Anyone know if us soft southern shandy drinkers have access to anything like this?

 

[Hilldodger]

http://www.cyclemagic.org.uk

 

[HJ]

http://www.bikerecycling.net/

 

[Norm]

Thanks for the links.

Bristol (only for young adults), Waltham Forest, Southampton (only for immigrants), Isle of Wight (for those with learning difficulties) and Canterbury. None are within drop-in distance.

 

[Arch]

Take a trip to Leicester for the day. Cyclemagic, and the best selection of curry outside India....