Junk bike challenge 2023

[Splatter Paint]

I have a plan… well, part of a plan.

- Buy something retro cheaply (say max purchase price of £40)
- Meet with other RetroBIKE people who have also bought junk bikes.
- Ride quite a long way and hope the bikes don’t break.
- Drink tea, eat cake, talk bikes.
- Devise some sort of points system.
- Score the entries.
- Have some banter over the scoring.
- Decide a winner.
- Go home, try and sell said bike for at least what you paid for it.

Err that’s it.

Anyone up for this? I know this winter will be tough for many people and fuel costs are £££ but I thought I’d put it out there.

SP

 

[Mod-Master]

This is basically top gear, which still makes sense because bikes have gears.

 

[Mod-Master]

Suggestion:

Giant Stonebreaker Retro Vintage Classic Steel MTB - 17" Frame - 26" Wheel | eBay

Cantilever brakes. Overall the bike needs a check over and a little bit of TLC, but it is still very presentable. Well used back in the 90s!

www.ebay.co.uk

You can probably knock him down.

 

[gtturbo]

I organised something similar with the local roadie club. We had some special stages along the way, like an episode of Top Gear, which got you points and a eventual winner. At the end the bikes were given to charity. We set a £30 limit on the bikes and aside from pedals they had to be given away as you rode it.

 

[legrandefromage]

I already have a bike built from 'stuff' :

Free frame
99p eBay wheels
NOS eBay job lot fork
Free Tioga XC tyres
£5 NOS 1 1 1/4 stem
£5 XT levers
£10 DX thumbies
M550 mechs from the spares bin

Don't know if it counts as a junk bike though

 

[Mod-Master]

There a free Raleigh from the 50s on marketplace, you probably fix it up for next to nothing.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Points:
Oldest bike?
Most original?
Lowest purchase price?
Highest new price?
Best spec?

 

[M_Chavez]

Road, offroad or gravel? How long a route?
We should also break this down into geographic areas. E.g. Folks from Inverness won't be heading over to St Austell, even if the tea, cakes and bike chat are really good there.

Also, basic consumables like tyres, tubes, chains, cables, etc shall not count towards the £40 budget, otherwise we are encouraging folks to ride bikes that are not road-worthy.
Pedals and saddles open to personal choice outside of the budget constraints as well?

 

[Mod-Master]

It would be fun to take part in this I think.

 

[M_Chavez]

It would be fun, but has to be in summer (breakdowns = long walk to the car, so long daylight and warm evenings essential).
£40 easily buys a hybrid or a bso, but for a good road bike £40 won't be enough...Will have to look for a freebie and hope it's a good fit.