The simple pleasures of a cheapo bike

[jiveman]

I bought myself a 'pub' bike earlier this year. £50 for a Peugeot Performance 300. A good buy, because the rather well to do lady had bought it new locally and did a year on it. And it's been stored ever since.
It had some shed rust, decayed bar tape and triathlon stickers on it, but otherwise really good.
I was going to sell it on, but I kind of liked it. So I spent a morning putting some nice old 600 on it that I was never going to use and some Benotto tape that's a million years old. I couldn't resist a ride, so on went some raceblades and off I went along Brighton seafront in the pouring rain. It was really really nice to ride. And bought back memories especially the skinny feel of Benotto tape. So that's a keeper. Just thought I'd share.

 

[legrandefromage]

Something that is sometimes lost in the scramble for one-upmanship on who has the best unicorn

There is the odd cheap bike that has the decent frame but crap parts - when the upgrade path was a path and not overgrown with weeds and gravel grinders

Anyway, bought many a decent bike at the carboots in and around Brighton and know the area well - the early 1980's would have seen me bombing up and down that massive (to me) seafront on my action man jeep until it snapped and broke

 

[Captain Stupido]

Re:

Thumbs up.

 

[MR OX]

Re:

Tip bikes are my favourite bike, a few years back i brought an Andy Thompson Orbit America from my local tip I knew nothing about road bikes then but just though it was cool & shouldn't end up in the skip, it'd been shed stored so like your Peugeot so had a few blemishes. I brought it home cleaned it off then stuck it on Ebay with a 99p start & no reserve. when it sold I rode it down to the train station to meet the buyer, I was gutted! I'd only ridden it up & down the road to make sure the gears indexed before listing it but it rode beautifully. Wish I still had it

 

[2manyoranges]

Ah .. the simple build. Done a lot of complex builds this year. And then I picked up a 40 quid P2 frame - and the joys of building a jumpy singlespeed with one brake was just great. So simple, so strong, so ‘together’....that’s the one I enjoyed most...

 

[Woz]

There is something very satisfying about building cheap and cheerful based on tip, charity shop finds or bad Gumtree listings.

It's a bargain way to try different brands, frame materials, geometry, parts, designs, etc. and get more experienced at
bike building and having a savvy eye for real good value.

I've had great enjoyment riding some of these bikes compared to being disappointed spending obscene amounts on under performing kit.

 

[FiveAlpha]

There is something very satisfying about building cheap and cheerful based on tip, charity shop finds or bad Gumtree listings.

It's a bargain way to try different brands, frame materials, geometry, parts, designs, etc. and get more experienced at
bike building and having a savvy eye for real good value.

I've had great enjoyment riding some of these bikes compared to being disappointed spending obscene amounts on under performing kit.

Totally agree with this. I renovate probably 10-15 bikes per year, but the most fun ones are not the full Dura Ace groupset on a Pinarello, but the interesting bargains, with an assortment of parts, where some work is needed to make it all run nicely. If there is something quirky, all the better.

The most satisfaction comes from transforming a real wreck into something wonderful, using an array of different parts sourced cheap/free.

 

[jiveman]

 

[greencat]

Agreed, there is something deeply rewarding about taking an obviously unloved bike left out by the bins, giving it the once over and finding it riding surprisingly well. Quite a few of my shopping bikes look fugly, but are pleasant well-running and sometimes even speedy rides.

 

[Foreigner]

I think the pleasure of riding a cheap old bike comes not only from its simplicity and fact you just saved it from a tip, but because it somehow brings back memories of your first/second/xx bike, that slightly heavier yet surprisingly nimble and rewarding machine you cherished until it got stolen or broken or forgotten about . We often get stuck to deep into all the shiny and fancy equipment and appropriate colour schemes or racing geometry, but let's face it, the older you get more appreciative you become of the comfort that these, so called lowly bikes posses in abundance.

Plus of course the fact they often are free or cost near to nothing.....aside some aggro you get from missus telling you off for bringing home that 'piece of rust', as she calls it.