Best place to 'get' a pub bike?

[e-rider]

I need a pub bike as even leaving my 'commuter' locked outside the pub makes me very nervous.

When I lived in Nottingham the local recycling centre used to have loads of old bikes that you could just help yourself to (or at least people did). In my current city this isn't the case. I've looked on ebay etc and even crapy old bikes sell for £100! I'm looking for something cheap (£20) to cover about 2 miles on each time, a few times per week. Ideally not a BSO but really just a pub bike - need a large or XL frame. Any ideas?

 

[vickster]

Freecycle?

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Car boot sale?

 

[vickster]

Or just get a meatier lock for the commuter?

 

[User6179]

Outside a pub !!!!!

 

[palinurus]

I have an automated search set up on eBay for every bike that comes up in a 5 or 10 mile radius. There's quite a few older bikes that come up that don't fetch high prices. Haven't found the one I want yet though…

Need a supermarket and pub bike myself.

 

[ShipHill]

I was lucky in that a mate gave me an old Muddy Fox that was lying round his shed when I got my current job and needed transport quick. I didn't even know he had a bike. Any work chums or mates got one they want rid of?

 

[Chris Norton]

Come over to Boston on a wednesday and there is an auction ever week where cheap bikes are sold. 5 to 15 quid is the usual price and most would be perfect for the pub bike. All have to have working brakes to be sold.

 

[biggs682]

local auction houses ?

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Cash Converters

 

[shouldbeinbed]

gumtree or preloved?

 

[Julia9054]

Freecycle definitely. Have got rid of 4 BSOs to very grateful people that way. Also got a great bike for my son which saw him through about 4 years. Got rid of it last year to an equally grateful family.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Cash Converters

Always good luck there for me, seems like if folks have a good bike and money problems, the expensive garage hanger is the first thing to go in the States. Really should be the last. Come fall, a lot of people planning a new bicycle in the spring sell their bike at the pawn shop and get bottom dollar instead of having the bike in the garage all winter. Me, I just ride most of the winter. On an Electra Townie 21D I got from a pawn shop for 2 bikes swapped in. A little fancy for a pub bike, but as it is a good stable tourer, it gets to the grocery store often. We do not see too many Electras here in the Midwest due to their dealer-based sales. Most dealers and interest in these bicycles comes from California and the Western States. But pawnshops have many a pub worthy steed as well, at least in the U.S.
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[Mile195]

Police Auctions or car boot sales. Failing that, "wanted" sign in your local shop. You're never too far from someone that's got one kicking around in a shed that they really want rid of. In fact if you hung around outside the entrance to your local tip long enough you'll probably see an estate car or a trailer carrying something that'll get you to the pub and back.

 

[Born2die]

Invest in some nice bolt croppers and well go find a chavs bike that's already been nicked (I'm joking please don't go nick bikes).

Honestly I scoured freecycle facebook sales groups in my area the local tip and found a beater to use