Found in the alley next to a dumpster, been sitting there for months. All I know is the brand, and it's old. I've owned one before but it was a 3-speed and a step thru frame, about the same era. What do you guys think, would you take it home? Is it worth lube, tubes and tires?
by hatchhazard
32 Comments
I mean…I wouldn’t *NOT* take it home 🤣 But I need to *STOP* taking them all home! 🤣
Nope
I’d take it to a bike co-op or community shop or other bike related charity organization like free bikes for kids and donate it.
Nope, it can be someone else’s headache
Pass
There’s not many bikes I wouldn’t take home, but this is one l definitely wouldn’t.
I took a fucking Huffy Granite out of a dumpster and road that irredeemable POS for an ENTIRE YEAR! These things were clearanced by Walmart at $78.97. EVERYONE in the ghetto had one. . this meant mine never got stolen. I ended up with 3 of the damned thing because people thought it would be funny to dump them off on my doorstep.
This is no Granite. This is a bicycle. You bet your ass I’d take it.
And thank you, “Spunky”, for that year. you were a life-saver, even if I had to adjust your derailleur twice every ride.
Need pic of the whole bike.
The parts alone are worth scavenging.
That thing will clean up real nice if you take it completely apart and clean/shine parts individually. It will be much easier that way.
That looks pretty gross..
Its got some really nice lugwork so if the frame itself fits you, and is rust free then for free…snag it! Just be aware that the frame is the only usable bit. Every other last piece will need replacing/upgrading. Edit: oh yeah…not a lube tube and tires situation for sure. Its a strip down and start over project.
I don’t know where everyone else is from, but that is a totally saveable bike where I’m from. I take all bikes I can find, foreign workers always need bikes so I just clean these up best I can, lube the chain, change tires and pads, spend €15 in parts and sell it for €40.
That one’s even nicer than most of the trash I find thrown out, that’s s €60 bike for sure!
For me the yess or no of a bike will in large part be decided whether or not it has cottered cranks, and if it does I will donate. I would not turn so much as one bolt.
To collect it? Sure.
But to ride regularly it I would want to get aluminum rims, plus those cottered cranks are quite difficult to overhaul.
Frame and lugs look nice. It’s a bit hard to say overall with the pics so closeup, but what can be seen looks nice. Don’t see any rust. Obviously needs new tires, but that can be a good sign, it hasn’t been ridden but has been stored in a dry place for many years.
Dude you struck gold ! Restore it
My wife, “another one!”
Are you a photographer?
A set of tires cost more than the bike will ever be worth
If it says Suntour I am at least taking those parts off for the collection.
I’d likely stare at it for a while, realize I’ve too many unfinished project bikes, and give it a once over for scavengeworthy parts.
Put back into dumpster
Xbike would love you. These guys are dorks since it’s not a big brand in immaculate condition. If you like it and it’s sturdy, fuck around and build it out and sell it if you don’t like it. i took the chance on an old rusty af schwinn for a winter beater last fall and it’s been my favorite bike and I own three bikes in better condition with better parts
How heavy is it? If it’s hi-ten heavy steel no one will want it. And you won’t enjoy pedaling a 35 lb boat anchor up an incline. Been there not doing that again. If so, strip the components and kiss it goodbye.
“All I know is the brand”
Doesn’t tell us the brand.
I would take that home only for the frame to be used as decoration in my garage. Most everything else looks trashed/not worth the effort.
I would harvest the magnificent SunTour micro ratchet stem shifters and any additional cable stops and clamps. The rest of the components are bike boom crap. It’s a nice patina with lining on the frame though. But that and the shifters are all I’d salvage. With the spacing and dropouts these frames are great candidates for a Shimano three speed coaster hub. Build dnd wheel on some cheap Zac 19 rims and make yourself an English roadster.
Could you take closer and more useless pictures 😂?
Do the Pedal cages say MADE IN FRANCE? I’m guessing this is a Peugeot that someone changed (at a bare minimum) the FD on and sprayed rattlecan green over red. For me, no, it stays where it is.
These are so cool looking all cleaned up, but NOTHING is easy to work on. I have struggled with them replacing cottered cranks, rebuilding reverse threaded BBs (nothing sealed here), trying to center the brakes, and sourcing parts with almost-but-not-quite standard sizes. The parts almost always end up costing more than the book value of bike. When you finish, hopefully you’re in love with it, they’re hard to sell in my area.
The only good news is that if you fix it, it’s unlikely to be stolen, and it will run fairly reliably. I say “fairly” reliably because mass market bikes of this era don’t stay dialed in. If hopping off the chainring, grinding noises or odd rattles drive you crazy this bike is not for you. I mean, unless you like tweaking it every other week.
I am no longer aloud by my wife to bring any more home. Her only caveat is, one must go to bring one in. 🤔
I’d take a few parts, leave the rest. Those clips look nice.