Bob and the Speedster

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Bob was being left next to the trash when I was pedaling back home with a carnitas burrito for lunch. I asked if it was his and he was just throwing it away and he said yes. I wasn't wearing Gargoyle shades, but still said, "I'll be back." When my friend Mat gets back to CO this Summer, it'll be done and waiting for him.

The Speedster had been on CL for five days at a whopping $25. I had gotten paid out for the Diamondback job this morning and have been waiting for a deal on something that size and style to get someone rolling.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Where you at, people throwing Haros in the trash? Around here, it's all fifteen year old Megalo-mart rust.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I've been looking for a Speedster! Score

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

The Speedster is stripped down now, 24" frame. The rear wheel was oddly trashed with a more bent rear axle I have not seen, however the rim is useable. The stem was a little stubborn and I ran out of WD-40 before it decided to break free, but a late lunch break for a beer, burrito and Haro were enough time for it to soak enough. The best parts on it were the stem, grips, pedals, crankset/BB, headset and seatpost clamp. The front rim is trashed and hub is junk. The saddle was twisted in a most horrible way, but I have spare Mesingers in my saddle stash. The frame is tweaked a little at the dropout on the non-drive side, but easily repairable. I'm going to build up an ISO 630 coaster brake chrome wheelset and call it good.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Where you at, people throwing Haros in the trash? Around here, it's all fifteen year old Megalo-mart rust.

The rear wheel was harshed a long time ago and it had been sitting outside. Even so, the wheel is repairable. All it's going to take is cable/housing, brake pads, grips, chain, tires and some elbow grease.

 

[RustyGold]

You don't see the 24" Speedster frames that often...good score

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

I now have two buyers interested in the Speedster after today. I had a few drop-offs, a pickup, and had to drive South a bit for a brake caliper addition and pick up a '59 Schwinn cruiser that was FOC on CL. Since being out of work, word is starting to get out around here among those who know I'm scraping by right now and good things are happening.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

The Bob Haro BMX is almost done and waiting for a new top cable for the gyro and it's done.

The Speedster is still waiting for a buyer. I've had three back out on it.

Picked up a 54cm 1974 Schwinn LeTour to restore for a road bike request. There are some shadetree bike "mechanics" that should be slapped. This thing was a myriad of horrors.

 

[horsefarmer]

Hope you have better luck selling your speedster tham I did. Bought a Nice 1969 Schwinn Racer 21" frame in red and a minty 1971 Schwinn Speedster 19" frame in blue. Both 3 speed. Wife and I test rode them around the block and liked them. Over the summer the larger frame got ridden all the time. The smaller frame was just too cramped. After putting new tires and tubes I lost money on that bike and it took months to sell. It was a beautiful bike, but to small for most adults.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

The Speedster build is just waiting on a buyer for me to build it back up and restore the paint and parts. Maybe I'll make a little time to just crank it out and put it up on CL.

When in CA for a couple of weeks, I picked up a rare 1985 Schwinn Panasonic-built frameset MTB for resto, along with an almost perfect 1983 Schwinn Cruiser 5. Both are getting the full treatment and flipped, so I have a few days of work ahead of me.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

C'mon KCI, let's see the Panasonic!

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Bob is with his new owner now:

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

The Speedster is now looking for a home. Test flown last night...it's ridiculously fast and a solid build.

 

[RustySprockets]

If your market is anything like mine, you'll be glad the earlier sales fell through. Many bikes around here are going for three or four times their actual value. It's madness!

 

[us56456712]

I now have two buyers interested in the Speedster after today. I had a few drop-offs, a pickup, and had to drive South a bit for a brake caliper addition and pick up a '59 Schwinn cruiser that was FOC on CL. Since being out of work, word is starting to get out around here among those who know I'm scraping by right now and good things are happening.

I can’t sell old bikes around here. If it’s not an elite newer bike no one wants it. You can’t flip bikes here. It’s a good place to find old bikes, but when I get too many and want some to disappear I usually have to put them on the street with a free bike sign on them. I just sold a very nice girls Hawthorn skip tooth for $25. I sold a pristine Hiawatha cantilever men’s bike for $40. I usually get $25 for a 1960s men’s cruiser. Basically these are give a ways. I just gave away a skip tooth rainbow Colson, a skip tooth Schwinn Excelsior klunker With a Morrow coaster brake, 1995 Trek single track and a similar Giant mountain bike. I have given away so many fantastic (botachia, Raleigh, Fuji etc) bikes to make room for upgrades in my collection. Fourty bikes is the absolute max I have room for. Makes me sick. I have a pristine 1970s Peugeot on market place for about a year and no one has even contacted me about it. It’s got new 700c wheels and continental tires and Mafac racer brakes. It’s still listed but I’m keeping it out of spite for our ignorant bike community. It rides flawlessly as I just rode it 90 miles. The Peugeot and a Raleigh road bike showed up dumped on top of the snow in my trailer one day. They both were pulled out of a bike shop dumpster.

 

[horsefarmer]

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

I can’t sell old bikes around here. If it’s not an elite newer bike no one wants it.

Sounds like a Snobitorium

Bummer for the snobs.

If you have some bikes for free, I'll drive up to Da Yooper to pick them up.

 

[Captain Awesome]

If you have some bikes for free, I'll drive up to Da Yooper to pick them up.

Ditto! Road trip!!

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Rode the Speedster to a friend's last night and it sold itself, as soon as his roomie comes up with a little dough later this week. He also requested a 26" BMX for the near future, as a friend who pedaled over with me was on my 1940 Schwinn.