Ok, not sure if you’re all familiar with freecycle (nowt to do with cycling), it’s a network of local yahoo groups where you post up things you no longer need free for collection.

I replied to a post for a decent Trek road bike, and it turns out that the lady was offering it on behalf of her son who tragically died recently and wished his bike to go to a good home. The frame was too small for me so I did not take it, but as a cyclist and out of respect for the lady I’d like to help make sure her late son’s wishes are carried out.

Now call me an old cynic, but having donated a lot on Freecycle over the years I know that whilst it’s great idea and helps many genuine people, it’s also abused a lot by people who just take everything going and then flip it on Ebay/Gumtree. I’m keen to not let this happen and want to try to recommend to a better option where the bike would really go to someone who would make the best of it.

Any ideas?

Edit: Bike is located in Sussex.

Donate it to a charity such as The Bike Station, of which there are many.

speak to a council cycling officer, or CTC there will be local cycling charities who can do something with it.

I have loads of friends who want to get into cycling but can’t afford a decent bike – I’m always on the look out for bikes for them like this. Maybe ask around people you know to see if there is anyone who would appreciate and use it?

I love giving bikes to folk at little or no cost when they had really no chance of getting anything decent, but there doesn’t seem to be much around nowadays.

wanmankylung – Member
Donate it to a charity such as The Bike Station, of which there are many.

Good idea, but looks like it’s Scotland based no?

I used them as an example of such a charity. There will be a similar one near you.

Why not “sell” it to one of us but for a charity donation of the ladies choosing. If it’s a 54cm I’d be willing to put in an offer. In terms of use it’d be used as a turbo/hack/lend out bike.

I don’t have it, like I said; I turned it down because it was too small. But good idea.

Chichester: http://www.ctc.org.uk/map-feature/stonepillow-restore-chichester

Big list

A leftfield suggestion if you want to email me.

I’m organising a Top Gear type clunker challenge day on the 9th May for our local biking types in West Sussex.

We’re raising funds for Sussex Air Ambulance who occasionally (not too often hopefully) have to help pluck cyclists off the roads and hills.

We’re raising money in the day and auctioning our bikes at the end, all proceeds to the charity. I’d be happy to help by selling it to a cyclist and adding the donation to ours if you thought this would be something she would appreciate.

James

I’m involved in running a local cycling charity, part of what we do is refurbish and recycle donated bikes to fund our projects and provide affordable bikes to people, there are other similar charities to us all over the country (we’re in Devon) and any of them would love donations like that.

Similar to muppetwrangler’s suggestion, the local cycling club set up a fund for youth racers from the procedes of selling a dead memebers bikes, I think they still accept a few bikes a year and the funds partialy pay race entry fees for under18 club memebers.

Might be worth asking at your local club if they have anything similar?