Thrift store finds

[Flying Zombie]

I got a Bendix blue band kick back hub for $2 at the Restore. It is now on my Sears Tote Bike. I also got a set of 2.5 inch downhill knobbies at Goodwill that I have used on my winter bike. I am studding these tires for this winter and have one completed. Also picked up a few Parsons seats at various thrift shops.

Is it hard to stud your own?
Nice HUB Score! Not a bad find at all~

 

[Flying Zombie]

Not hard at all to stud tires. It's just takes time, probably about an hour and a half or more to just set the studs, not counting the liner and mounting. I watch a movie or play tunes to help with the boredom. I used stainless steel #4 pan head sheet metal screws on my first ones. These are expensive, but I found an old hardware store in a small town that sold them in boxes of 100, they must not have updated their prices because they were reasonable. The ones I am making now have #8 non stainless steel. Check out the thread on this site "lets see your winter bike" on bike talk. Someone posted a how to and I just posted how I made mine.

Wow, Sheet Metal Screws!? I bet those dig in GOOD!
I'll give that thread a look, thanks for the heads up!
I might have to buy a winter rider for this ~

Zombie

 

[Pedal_junky]

Found this 66 Schwinn Racer at Habitat for Humanity store for $25. Lady said " it doesn't pedal." Got it home, adjusted the shift cable and shifts like new. Always a fan of the coppertone Schwinns.

 

[Nagant]

Found this 66 Schwinn Racer at Habitat for Humanity store for $25. Lady said " it doesn't pedal." Got it home, adjusted the shift cable and shifts like new. Always a fan of the coppertone Schwinns.View attachment 7440

Congrats!! I hope to find a inexpensive Racer someday.

 

[Pedal_junky]

Congrats!! I hope to find a inexpensive Racer someday.

Thanks. I added the repop fenders and cleaned the chrome up and recently sold it. Great riding bikes, I miss this one!

 

[us56456712]

$10 purchase last Saturday at the Restore (Habitat for Humanity).

 

[Nagant]

$10 purchase last Saturday at the Restore (Habitat for Humanity).

WOW! That is a great deal. Made by Giant in Taiwan. It probably has a chromoly steel frame. Fork steel varied by specific models. Would have to go through the old Schwinn ads from the 80's and 90's to find your specific year Frontier and get all the specs.

 

[Nagant]

I have an old Giant mb at camp with a Chmo frame. I got it at Sal's Boutique (Salvation Army Thrift Store) for $20 a month ago. Now that you mention it they look similar. Didn't know all this about the Frontier, thanks. I will take the red Schwinn to camp this spring and will have two rigid frame bikes to ride on Bruno's Run, a 10 mile single track MB trail in the Hiawatha National Forest. This means that I will have to get rid of my green 70s Schwinn (I think its a Varsity) camp Frankinbike as there is no room in the garage for more stuff. The Varsity was also a thrift store find but the fork and wheels were bent beyond use. It now has coaster wheels and a cheap front shock. The frame is too big for me anyway and dumped me into the Indian River so I am mad at it. I think I will post it on this forum in the for sale section this spring and see if anyone needs a frame. Here it is. What do you think? Or should I put it in my scrap trailer? I would like to get my $20 purchase cost from it, but that might be steep for a frame and no fork? Older boys bikes are harder to come by so maybe?

Here is a link for Schwinn catalogs from 1991 to 2000.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1991_2000/index.html

The Frontier shows up in about all of them. You would have to figure out what year by frame size, color, components..... compared to the specs each year.

Your Varsity frame frame is certainly worth $20 but shipping cost might make it a tough sell. In a proper size box it could go via USPS Parcel Select but still shipping would be around the same cost as the frame or likely more. With no other components it could be a hard online sell. If it was mine I would strip it down and hang the frame in a building up out of the way or find someone local that wants it.

 

[Nagant]

Glad you have decided to keep it. I myself never scrap good usable bike frames or parts.

 

[horsefarmer]

Found my JC Higgins on CL, Picked up my 56 Schwinn middleweight at LBS in Oshkosh, found a gambles Hiawatha 3 speed at the dump and rest came from a neighbor. Price free to $45. I cant buy a bike from our local Goodwill store, even though its all donated to them, used adult bikes are $69 to $169! It's just nuts.

 

[patman73]

i go an old mongoose supergoose from a thrift store for $30 , i talk the man down from $40, the guy wanted to buy my bike i was riding fo $30 , i told him it co way too much to sell & i was not selling it anyways - 2007 24" dk general lee $270shiped to my hous & i had ugraded parts on it

 

[Bicycle808]

I think us56456712's posts keep disappearing, but in any case, I'd buy the green Varsity frame for $20 plus shipping. Always wanted a green Varsity in my size....

 

[Flying Zombie]

i go an old mongoose supergoose from a thrift store for $30 , i talk the man down from $40, the guy wanted to buy my bike i was riding fo $30 , i told him it co way too much to sell & i was not selling it anyways - 2007 24" dk general lee $270shiped to my hous & i had ugraded parts on it

Is yours in that Bitchin Orange/Confed patina?
I got one of those some kid abandoned behind a dumpster in MINT. It later was stolen from me at school.

 

[patman73]

Is yours in that ....... Orange/Confed patina?
I got one of those some kid abandoned behind a dumpster in MINT. It later was stolen from me at school.

i gave the bike to my brother & i kept the wheels , that was in 2008 when i go ride of it
the bike was from 1970s or early 80s bmx chrome or nicklel plated

 

[Araya51]

Thrift store here in my neck of the woods have gone department store prices. Not just talking about bike but everything in general.. The wife and I went yesterday to check out what they had (Goodwill) and seen some really nice chairs that reclined and they were asking $199 EACH.!!!! Not for the pair but for each one.. Then I went to check out the bikes and they wanted Wallymart prices for beat up bikes that need work on them. Yeah these thrift stores here have gone way out of hand on there prices..

 

[Flying Zombie]

i gave the bike to my brother & i kept the wheels , that was in 2008 when i go ride of it
the bike was from 1970s or early 80s bmx chrome or nicklel plated

Aha. See, Mine was A General Lee wally world special BMX. It was made by DX or Haro.. Im not sure. It was REALLY smooth and well made though.. shame its gone.

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

Goodwill is the most expensive place for bikes here to. Right now they have an old Japanese Royce Union taco wheeled BMX bike they want $39 for and a rough shape woman's 3 speed Hiawatha from about 1980 for $25 (needs tires/tubes, cables, seat, wheel truing and is caked in rust). People here buy these older women's bikes for yard art. The Habitat For Humanity is expensive too, except in the winter. I can usually talk down the bikes at the Salvation Army and even occasionally St. Vincent's in the winter/late fall. Prices really went up at all my old thrift store haunts as soon as Ebay got going. No bargains anymore in Detroit, Green Bay or Appleton. However, Ishpeming, Calumet, Munising and Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula increased their costs but are still reasonable. These towns are so poor that they mostly have stuff that was already bought at a thrift store before it was donated. In the past 3 years I only found one bike (Cheap 20 inch girls for $5) at these small towns. You got to look though. I do occasionally find a 1980s USA built cruiser locally at thrift stores for $25 to $50.

Man Id love to see that Royce Union!!Does it have the funky girder fork on it??

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

I missed the taco'd wheel part!hahaha

 

[horsefarmer]

The other day @ st. vincents they told me I had to wait on the price of a 1960s Schwinn girls frame - I was just currious did not need a naked girls frame with nothing on it but thought who knows maybe a buck.
The staff got back to me like 10 min. later price is $39.99! They had to "research it on the net". American Pickers strikes again! lol

 

[Flying Zombie]

The other day @ st. vincents they told me I had to wait on the price of a 1960s Schwinn girls frame - I was just currious did not need a naked girls frame with nothing on it but thought who knows maybe a buck.
The staff got back to me like 10 min. later price is $39.99! They had to "research it on the net". American Pickers strikes again! lol

That show has assembled so much inflation in such ... invaluable things.. [though they also bought a Schwinn Panther once for 200 bucks.. so be on the lookout ^.6]