Finding a donor bike

[Mark B]

Truthfully, I had just about as much fun rounding up the donor frame and building my bike as I do riding it. I hit all the local thrift stores, as I have seen y-frame mountain bikes in there before. Of course, when I actually want to buy one, there isn't one to be had. The thing that irritated me was; I would be sitting at a stop light and a homeless person would ride one across the street in front of me. Believe me when I say I was seriosly considering mugging a homeless person for his bike. :roll: It would have been the perfect crime, too, as nobody would recognize it when I was done! :twisted:

I found suitable frames on e-bay, but they usually went for more than I was willing to pay for an experiment. Eventually, I found my frame on Craigslist. Since buying my frame, I have come across several, including some good quality bikes at pretty reasonable prices. So, if you're struggling in your search for a donor frame, keep looking because they are out there.

Mark

 

[Kamatu]

I agree, although craigslist for my area (and the ones around it) seriously suX0rz on bikes. Either it is people overpricing kiddy bikes or someone trying to unload that ultralight DF. I poked around the pawn shops and thrift stores for a bit with not a lot of luck (at least on bikes, scored a few nice tools cheap). One shop did have the Tiara, which had a rep on the Yahoo! boards as a great cheap donor and a little magnet work told me that while the mainframe was aluminum, the front and rear were steel.

Well, since I'm a big guy (slowly retreating from 300 lbs now), I already knew I'd had a problem and nobody had any suggestions on the other boards. I talked to the folks at the LBS and they figure I won't bend the frame, I'll blow the suspension cylinder first. So I figure for $30US I'll take a chance on it and I can steal some spring rubber from my racing buddies to make sure I don't blow the cylinder. After all, I get it to work, I won't be doing anything other than learning to cruz up and down the street I live on, the wife will have to learn to show me she can, I can gift it to her and then go ahead and justify buying one of the $200US+ bikes that can take my weight and a bit more.

Although I'm afraid that might mean a hardtail, but you takes what you can get.

 

[Mark B]

Kamatu wrote: I'm afraid that might mean a hardtail, but you takes what you can get.

You get sub 300 you should be alright, especially with a quality 26" mtb frame and wheels. Those are pretty bulletproof, you can beat them to death off road, withstanding jumps and stuff... They'll stand up just fine to what you're doing. For road riding (assuming you are riding road), you will never need the amount of travel offered by mtb gear. All you really want is just enough to take the edge off chipseal, railroad tracks and stuff like that. However, with your weight, that extra travel should serve you well, soaking up the shock and taking it easier on your wheels. I wouldn't sweat it, I'd get what you want, build it up and ride the crap out of it. You'll never hurt that frame and I have my doubts you'll hurt the suspension much, unless you start jumping it off curbs.

Mark

 

[Kamatu]

You are mirroring some of my logic, for my learning period, I don't think I can hurt the Tiara, but after that, when I take it out on the street some (actually a 4 lane highway that the cheap bustards resurfaced and didn't expand the shoulders), I'll have the little one on the back and some bumps, tracks, curbs and such to deal with, so I'll need something heavier then.

One fun thing, I checked out the Tiara after I aired up the tires by giving it a quick spin (configured as sold at Wally's). I definitely did not like the pogo spring effect, but then my wife thinks it is the greatest thing since slice bread, so go figure. I know it's going to change when I'm sitting on the top tube and leaning on the seat post, but my wife got a laugh at me wobbling all over the place trying to figure out what was wrong with the bike, when it was the bike's design betraying me.

Side Note: The boy's bike is too big for me to pull off pedals and trainers for him to push/coast on it. We are checking to see if we can get his first bike back (pedals on the front wheel like a trike, he never was big enough to ride it using the pedals), we gave it to a friend who keeps foster kids. Good news is that he has just learned the trick of bailing out without eating the fall (pain is a good teacher ), so it might be time to take the trainers off anyway.

 

[mi7d1]

For my Cruzbike Clone I purchase a "Honda" Y-frame mountain bike from ToysЯus. If I recall it was half off and I paid $50.00 for it.

 

[Mark B]

mi7d1 wrote: For my Cruzbike Clone I purchase a "Honda" Y-frame mountain bike from ToysЯus. If I recall it was half off and I paid $50.00 for it.

That's cheap enough... What did that weigh after you got it built up? That's my only source of complaint is the weight of these inexpensive bikes. Even my Pacific, which is aluminum, is made of such thick tubing that it still weighs more than a high quality steel bike.

Mark

 

[Kamatu]

I ran across a Huffy Avarice poking around online.

http://www.amazon.com/Huffy-Avarice-Womens-26-Inch-Comfort/dp/B000JF9BPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1205501643&sr=8-1

Looks like a good donor candidate, especially for big guys. Supposedly all steel and a nice low tube to get the seat down as far as possible. I'm going to go try to get a look at one, even though the only place that seems to have them locally is the store I avoid like the plague: Target.