An auction house has what looks like an indonesian cyclo for sale. It has highly decorative sides with landscape on the outside and a nice red leather padded seat at the front. It works, just single speed, but it needs some attention. Tyres are marked 'becak barang'. Im tempted, even tho i have no immediate use for it, tell me why i should/ should not buy it and whats a good price?! Thanks.
Buying a second hand rickshaw/ cyclo
- Thread starter tfc03
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
'Becak barang' apparently means 'Rickshaw goods'. As for buying it I wouldn't think 'er indoors would be too pleased. Value? I'd ask an Indonesian rickshaw driver.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Pictures?
BlackPanther
Hyper-Fast Recumbent Riding Member.
- Location
- Doncaster.
If in doubt, wallet out.
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
If anyone wants to know the difference between a bike rider and a real cyclist, refer them to the above post.
I salute you, Sir.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Hi @tfc03 
Difficult one this. What do you want it for? As a novelty to have fun with or something practical to use?
If the former then it sounds good - colourful and eyecatching. If the latter I suspect you'll find it too heavy and slow to get much use out of it unless you live somewhere really, really flat.
Price: Difficult to judge. Having had a modern one for commercial use I look at the practical side of it and I'd not want to pay more than a couple of hundred pounds for a single speed machine. As a piece of moving art though you might have a completely different idea of value.
I'm keeping an eye on this thread with interest.
Difficult one this. What do you want it for? As a novelty to have fun with or something practical to use?
If the former then it sounds good - colourful and eyecatching. If the latter I suspect you'll find it too heavy and slow to get much use out of it unless you live somewhere really, really flat.
Price: Difficult to judge. Having had a modern one for commercial use I look at the practical side of it and I'd not want to pay more than a couple of hundred pounds for a single speed machine. As a piece of moving art though you might have a completely different idea of value.
I'm keeping an eye on this thread with interest.
Thanks everyone. I have till lunchtime to decide! At times like this I wish I had a garage.
Buy it and use it as an armchair.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
As it is a single rear wheel there is nothing preventing you from fitting a geared rear wheel or even an electric 'pedal assist' kit.Thanks everyone. I have till lunchtime to decide! At times like this I wish I had a garage.
All good ideas, especially sticking a big cassette on the back! It would be buying for the novelty value. My neighbourhood is flat, and its a flat two miles to work along mostly bike paths, maybe i could start giving lifts! Rewind two years and I didn't have a tagalong and it would be very handy!
I'm thinking if its cheap its worth a punt and if I cant live with it I could do a light fettle and donate it on to a local bike org to see if they can use it in some way - festivals and the like. Otherwise its going to sit outside a local asian restaurant as advertising! Storage, combined with the need to maintain domestic harmony, is the main issue [isn't it always]. I have a sense that it really meant something to someone, importing it wouldn't be easy. There are other bits in the auction - pedal cars, an early Giant OCR, that make me thing it belonged to an enthusiastic fettler! I'm getting sentimental in my old age.
I'm thinking if its cheap its worth a punt and if I cant live with it I could do a light fettle and donate it on to a local bike org to see if they can use it in some way - festivals and the like. Otherwise its going to sit outside a local asian restaurant as advertising! Storage, combined with the need to maintain domestic harmony, is the main issue [isn't it always]. I have a sense that it really meant something to someone, importing it wouldn't be easy. There are other bits in the auction - pedal cars, an early Giant OCR, that make me thing it belonged to an enthusiastic fettler! I'm getting sentimental in my old age.
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Be interesting to know its history and why it was shipped over. I imagine it was destined to sit out a restaurant or similar or perhaps a memento.
Rickshaw sold for £230 so pretty good estimate above. I am not the proud owner! There was quite a bit of interest and a telephone bidder was successful.
I had a look around it and found the previous owners address! This was a boutique wedding venue so my guess is it was imported for that. Either they changed strategy or it was too much to do up- brake looked especially troublesome!
I had a look around it and found the previous owners address! This was a boutique wedding venue so my guess is it was imported for that. Either they changed strategy or it was too much to do up- brake looked especially troublesome!
