Another skip project

spongtastic

I know it's an Apollo, I know it's a BSO, but it cost a total of £11 and my daughter loves it.

Chunkers1980

Nowt wrong with that. You could do with another to replace anything that breaks is my experience of bsos

spongtastic

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Nowt wrong with that. You could do with another to replace anything that breaks is my experience of bsos

Already have a full set of spares plus easily found in the skip at work

cat_with_no_tail

Oddly enough, I've just taken delivery of a bigger, bluer version of one of these. It's currently fastened to the turbo trainer in the garage

spongtastic

Accompanied her on the first go out on it on Sunday, did the 8 mile route around the town that usually takes me half an hour in just over an hour and 15 minutes. Coped well with a couple of difficult bits, fell off once.

Now wants to know when she's going to get a proper bike like the 456.

The Rookie

Point out hers has full suspension so MUST be better!

Cut off the excess steel seatpost and replace the bars with some cheap alloy and you'll save a couple of pounds! You could replace the 'shock' with a solid bar as well!

Carl170

The Beginner wrote:

Point out hers has full suspension so MUST be better!

Ha Ha!

My daughter has just been given a lovely single speed bike by her best friends parents, who upgraded her to a full susser which is about 4 kilos heavier with limited travel and gears that dont engage properly.

This was just like the full susser my daughter got rid a while of for those very reasons!

Cheers

Carl

spongtastic

I know it's not a £3000 carbon dream build but a couple of bits have changed.

Have fitted different wheels that look like they might be decent but de-stickered because they're fitted with old deore series hubs on the front and a unknown shimano on the rear 400g less. Different shock that's alloy rather than steel that actually moves and weighs 150g less. Front triple crank/mech/shifter replaced with single and bash over 500g lighter. Again all taken from a bike in the skip at work. Set of EA30 bars from ebay 99p, saving another 100g. Blackjack tyres from Germany that were £5 each and weigh around a kilo less for the two. Will leave it at that for under £25 in total.

Given that she's already completed the long route at Rendlesham without any problems I think it's time to try her on the unmarked routes.

The Rookie

You bringing her up as a weight weenie? Wish I could find skip bikes like that!

spongtastic

The Beginner wrote:

You bringing her up as a weight weenie? Wish I could find skip bikes like that!

She won't be a weight weenie, I've just tried to get it as light as possible for as little as possible. Couldn't afford £200+ for an Islabike, Trek, etc that she might not ride and that I know will be left out in the garden for 99% of the time.

I'm quite lucky in terms of skips as the refuse crews that work from our depots bring back 2 or 3 BSOs a week that people have dumped or thrown out. Last week it was a 'Pirates of the Carribean' kids bike with stabilizers that looked like it had never been used. I pulled that one out and gave it to the local Youth Centre, perfect for a 3 or 4 year old who's parent haven't got much money.

It's just a shame that we don't run the local recycling sites, the number of bikes I see there that staff 'redirect' out of the rubbish is amazing.

The Rookie

We have a local recycling centre, my daughter used to work in the bike workshop there, the issue I have with them is
1/ Prices are high, they recently put them up from circa £40-£60 to make more money out of the bikes they get given for free
2/ Despite having piles of spares they won't sell them, instead suggest you donate your old bike and buy one of theirs!

There is always useful stuff to be had, even off the worst BSO's!

spongtastic

The Beginner wrote:

We have a local recycling centre, my daughter used to work in the bike workshop there, the issue I have with them is
1/ Prices are high, they recently put them up from circa £40-£60 to make more money out of the bikes they get given for free
2/ Despite having piles of spares they won't sell them, instead suggest you donate your old bike and buy one of theirs!

There is always useful stuff to be had, even off the worst BSO's!

My issue is that it's the staff who take them home and sell them and pocket the money. But that's Essex and Suffolk.

The Rookie

Yes that's not good, when my daughter worked there they were allowed to buy parts but not bikes.....The rear wheel on my commuter came from there and has since done over 2000 miles....