[Closed] How do you find a hack/commuter?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RALEIGH-EQUIPE-ROAD-RACING-BIKE-STUDENT-RETRO-BARN-FIND-/161071154729?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item258096c629 or similar will see you right.

Got one in the shed in Newcastle... Not worth posting. Do a search on eBay by distance and collection only limits the buyers so often cheaper.

Put a Wtd ad on your local yahoo Freecycle.

Local free press.

Ads (wtd & For Sale) in newsagents.

I managed to build one up from stuff I had lying around for about £100. Luckily I had the big bits like wheels and frame already to hand. Try the local secondhand shops near you or see if the LBS has anything they've taken as trade-in.

leave it unlocked outside my flat etc

Here is a challenge for STW - who can build up a bike that is functioning that can be ridden 5 miles and then be left outside unlocked in a town or city. The winner will be the bike that stays put the longest.

Here is a challenge for STW - who can build up a bike that is functioning that can be ridden 5 miles and then be left outside unlocked in a town or city. [s]The winner will be the bike that stays put the longest[/s] The winner will be the person who lives in the nicest area

Nice area hasn't stopped many people being rinsed for £6K of bikes Bregante...

I bought a serviceable old Marin from retrobike for £150. Probably spent another £75 on it.

Search for 'Bike' on eBay, then select 'Used' and 'Auction only', and restrict the location to within 10 miles of your post code.

There are loads of bikes that can be used as hack, and loads on eBay under £100.

And if you restrict the search to within 10 miles its easy to go and pick them up and make sure they are as described.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mobile/MobileModels.aspx?ModelID=80999

The 29er version is £292.50, its great value.

Found mine in a hedge, was almost part of the hedge.

A 1982 Raliegh Tempest road bike, the gold paint hid the patches of rust well.

The wheels had rotted, i ditched the rusting drop bars and suicide brake levers, a riser bar some old deore brake levers and £115 spent with on-one for a track wheelset and DX 18t freewheel.

The pub hacker is now a pedigree racer, only got joint 4th in a SSEC and second in the clunker classic on it.

Sad thing is in a lot of places old knackers are hard to find, gone for scrap these days, seen loads in local recycle/tip but you can't fish them out anymore.

Mine would still get nicked because it single speed/fixed, would end up in that London place to spend it's life being nicked and sold then nicked again.
Still only cost me £115 in new bits, and had stacks of fun with it.

My first DH race bike, second hand in 06 was only £250, new chain and BB later, did a local series in 06 then a Dragon series in 07 so it can be done if your not too fussy.
🙂

I found mine abandoned in the bike shed at work.
Used that old thing for years, retired it to the dump 2 weeks ago.

That's a point - your local dump/recycling centre is worth a look.

I want something to pedal to work but I wanna be able to service it and replace/upgrade bits as they die, leave it unlocked outside my flat etc, you know, a hack...

Can't find anything remotely 'serviceable' under £250...

I got a 1990ish Raleigh Ascender for £35 from a local tat shop. It was in really good condition, just needed the "shed dust" cleaned off it and new tyres. It's done me great as commuter / hack bike. The frame will outlast the universe, it's like riding a cast iron gate.