LAUGHING OUT LOUD--WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH ALL THE BICYCLES I BOUGHT

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LOL -- Took some of my cars out of the back garage to make room for all the bikes I bought over the last year. Bought up every bike from every thrift shop within fifty miles. Not to make money, but to give to my friends so they'd be able to get around after the dreaded Y2K thing. I smile every time I think about it.

-- thinkIcan (thinkIcan@make.it), January 05, 2000

Answers

And every one of them has new tires and tubes.

-- thinkIcan (thinkIcan@make.it), January 05, 2000.

You're going to start a hobbyist bike biz? Cool.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 05, 2000.

Some suggestions:

take the ones that are best used for spare parts for the others and use them accordingly

give some to homeless people

sell them back to thrift shops, or have a massive bike garage sale

Are they all rideable? If not, fix up the ones that are...(new hobby)

Give some to some kids that are big enough to ride them, but whose parents don't have enough money to afford bikes

Maybe a messenger service in your town would like them? Maybe you can start your own messenger service? Or convince someone else to? (If the market is there for it, of course...)

Start your own bike shop? On the side, maybe?

Lotsa ideas...btw, buying a bike was something I never got around to. Do you live anywhere near north Texas? I'd still like to buy one, just for the fun and exercise.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), January 05, 2000.


ThinkIcan,

I might buy one. I could sure use one, regardless of Y2K or not. I was gonna buy one a couple of months ago, but I was able to get quite a bit of food and other preps for what I was gonna spend on a bike. I figured shoe leather would do me fine if things got really bad, and if things were truly TEOTWAWKI, I wouldn't wanna be out riding around on a bicycle, anyway.

Got any recumbents, where are you at if you do, and what would you take for one(please specify what model)?

Thanks in advance,

Don

-- Shimoda (enlighten@me.com), January 05, 2000.


TIC--many police departments have a program whereby they accumulate used bicycles, fix them up, and give them to needy children. Or you could donate them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Too late to take a tax deduction for last year, but there's always this year.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 05, 2000.


Shoot. That was the one prep I meant to but just didn't complete. Wish you were nearby. Would love to take one off your hands.

I like the feeling that being prepared gives me. Sets me free from worrying about myself and my own so that I can continue to fill the leadership role I have been graciously given in regards to other's problems.

-- anon (anon@anon.anon), January 05, 2000.


Another suggestion: Why not start a bicycle club and you and your friends go bike riding every day. You will have a lot of fun and get some exercise. I used to enjoy riding until my knees got so bad I couldn't.

-- Nadine Zint (nadine@hillsboro.net), January 05, 2000.

Have a tricicle? An adult one? They look loke such fun.

-- Pam (jpjgood@penn.com), January 05, 2000.

ThinkIcan,

We have something called a "Yellow Bike" program here in Austin, Texas. Free bikes scattered around the city, for anyone to use that needs them. You could start something up like this in your community, if you wanted(kinda sounds like that's what you were shooting for after a fashion anyway).

Always a good idea to lower the number of tailpipes out there!

If you need info on what it takes to do a Yellow Bike-type program, Jim Holland @ 512-326-4474 can hook you up.

Peace,

Don

-- Shimoda (enlighten@me.com), January 05, 2000.


Make some money, sell them to the Chinese.

-- Just a thought (thinkingthinking@more.thinking), January 05, 2000.


Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

Donate. It's a tax "right-off" for this year.

-- Robert A Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 05, 2000.


If you're itching to sell, try ebay.

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), January 05, 2000.

Too much of a good thing? Nah. All these suggestions work! A garage sale would be good. Or donations to poor kids who would be ecstatic.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

You've gotten a few nibbles already. Try posting a listing on this thread and maybe you'll get some buyers!

I've got a few extra LEDs, but I'm just going to build some more "long-life lighting" with 'em. 8-}

-- DeeEmBee (macbeth1@pacbell.net), January 05, 2000.


Thanks everyone. Great suggestions. Think I'll wait untill the end of March to see how this plays out, and if nothing has happened by then, I'll donate them. By that time the weather will be nice enough for the kids to enjoy them.

-- thinkIcan (thinkIcan@make.it), January 05, 2000.


Survey Says: Saw each bicycle in half and market them as unicycles - you'll double your money overnight...

(sorry, I couldn't help myself)

Actually, many of the more serious suggestions above would be good ideas - and let you help your community as well.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), January 05, 2000.


Hey Can, hold on to those bikes a little longer, when the stock market soon falls to 2000 you and your friends will be able to use them then.

1fish

-- 1fish (fisher4@earthlink.net), January 05, 2000.


Hi. When I lived in Austin, years ago, the Chronicle used to run ads for an org called "Bikes Not Bombs," that would collect bikes, fix them up, and ship them to war-torn countries for the locals, (or maybe just Nicaragua, can't remember.) Don't know whether they still exist, but knowing Austin, they probably do. Maybe Don Shimoda could check out that rag and find the number. Always thought that was a neat deal. (Don, if you ever drank a pint in Maggie's, I probably poured it for you.)

BTW, your name always reminds me of my dad. Days before he died of cancer, phasing in and out of lucidity, he looked directly at my sister, with the sweet childlike clarity that some dying people express, and said, "I think I can make it now." So when we hear that song, "I Can See Clearly Now," we remember that. I assume that's where you got the name?? In any event, thanks for the prompt.

-- justme (dovetailer@earthlink.net), January 07, 2000.


My husband collected a lot of bikes; mostly junk ones, for making into bicycle-pulled trailers. He's made one so far, using an old welder he got at a thrift store, and parts from the bikes. It's totally nice and much stronger than any bike trailer I ever saw. Now he's thinking of making (he's spent days drawing designs) 3 and 4 wheelers than can carry passengers, as well as bike trailers. Whatever happens, the price of gas ain't gonna go down, and people may want alternative transportation. All those other ideas were good too!

-- Pramada (pram108@yahoo.com), January 07, 2000.

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