Where do you buy a bike if you're flat broke?

[Andrew_Culture]

...you may be able to learn a lot about how to fix and maintain bikes yourself as well (and possibly get to do a bit of welding/braising/shot blasting etc.)

+1 There is simply no way I could afford to cycle as often as I do without trying to fix my bike myself. It's my birthday soon and I've dropped heavy hints about a Haynes manual

 

[cyberknight]

+1 There is simply no way I could afford to cycle as often as I do without trying to fix my bike myself. It's my birthday soon and I've dropped heavy hints about a Haynes manual

Thats what birthday an x mas are for, last xmas i just asked for cash to buy parts .

 

[compo]

All around where I live we see bikes not very securely chained to lamposts on roundabouts and the railings along the main roads. These are not ghost bikes. I believe them to be bait bikes put there by the police. If I wanted a bike for a fiver I would ask the local pikies, but then I live a few hundred yards from a gypsy site. As for fixing bikes I was building them when I was a pre teen, as were most of the other kids my way. We used to go to the scrap yard and throw the bits over the fence, then go round and collect them. Right through till about the 1980's bikes were virtually give away items, and spares where 10 bob a dozen.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

What about police auctions? I got some astounding bargains when I was a kid.

 

[Red Light]

I agree about Freecycle. It has been overtaken with bootsaler and Ebayers. Mostly now when I give stuff away I take it directly to a charity shop.

I have in the past when I have something significant to give away - a set of furniture or when we no longer needed the baby cots and other baby paraphenalia, I have asked social services to suggest a family that deserved it and to ask them if they would like it. I then delivered it direct to them. Much better than using Freeloaders or Craigslust

 

[Red Light]

Try http://www.thebikestation.org.uk/ in Glasgow. Go on one of their Fix your own bike sessions and maybe help out and you might find they let you repair and have one of their donated bikes. But you will have to work for it rather than expect a free handout. And in the process you will learn how to maintain your bike and keep it from falling apart.

 

[Silver Fox]

If I wanted a bike for a fiver I would ask the local pikies.

I was thinking that myself, word is they do a nice line in Yeti 575's and Trek 4900's .

 

[lpretro1]

Try Recycle Outdor Gear site - http://recycleoutdoorgear.com/

 

[scotty110788]

Only 14, then use your business spirit paper round, 5-10 quid week, wash cars after school/weekends using ya parents cleaning stuff under sink and charge like 3-4 quid per car, anymore than that and your talking notes which results in door in your face plus pocket money and your away as it all stacks up

 

[musa]

If you have the old bike sitting there, sell it for parts, take it apart and sell it

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Without wishing to sound like too much of a biddy, my Grifter fell to pieces when I was thirteen and my dad lent me the £200 for a Raleigh Mustang (£200) and took all my paper round money (£6.40 a week) until it was paid back. So do you think it made me appreciative of my bike? Well certainly, but I still envied the rich kids who got bikes as gifts