What to do with hoards of good parts that won't sell?

[Robert Troub]

Any 27” rims? I need some parts if you would be interested in making a deal on a few things…

I have 5 pairs of Schwinn 27" wheels....what do you need?

 

[Robert Troub]

The cost of shipping kills it for a lot of the cheaper stuff. $8.10 shipping on a $5 part?

Right...ya gotta bulk box stuff.. use USPS flat rate boxes......bulk prices too... Sell boxes for like $20.00 plus shipping.....

 

[Robert Troub]

Here is what I did with a lot of the ones that I couldn't sell , cool bit takes time , about $ 10.00 a bike worth of paint & a couple of evenings and I got about $ 150 each for them, but yes I scrapped a lot also sadly l

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You got more than a couple of evenings...more like 2 weeks a bikeat best...nice bikes!!!!!

 

[Robert Troub]

Yep either donate or scrap. I had about 30 Schwinn lightweights in various states of disrepair and rather than mess around with trying to make a few $$ over a long period of time I made a few $$ over a short period by scrapping them.

Agreed...I am in the process of parting out 12+ Schwinn lightweight bikes......lots of time involved....,. Shifters, brakes hand grips, Sprockets all will sell....but it takes a ton of time to part out, clean, list, box, etc...but it works.....

 

[Lamont]

online homer bucket of road bike stuff


But First caution families members to segregate and dilerberately sell tools . They always sell well and shouldn’t be included in a free for all ...

Don’t let the vises and wrenches was away in a free for alll.



Thought :

Could a family member make up and administer generic lots:

Ie :

Medium flat rate box :

Adjust the quantity based on what fits

Single destination with disclosure that it’s a grab bag / as found

One pic of an example lot


With :

5 @ alloy stems
5@ 70’s /80s front derailluers
5 @ same of rear dearailuers
5 @ friction shifters
2 hubs ( front and rear )
2 freewheels

One random scoop of bike hardware bits

Whatever else is logical and would fit in the medium box ( ie a few chains )

Maybe it’s the above 3 x not 5 c ?

Shipping is fixed , so fix the box


A lot of guys into steel road bikes or saving a frame to make a rider / project

Might take a punt for the right price



A family member could make up boxes and stack them to the ceiling with 1.5 square foot of floor space , and clear $20 for grandma every time one sells . The lot could be configured on the basis if what there and an described
Accurately once.

For the non bike family member it’s like making sandwiches . If they buyer ends up ieith a couple of a coupke Of mismatched suntour derailluers and a few stems and a few shifters in the pile, plus some less rusted hardware for old bikes , he’s ahead .

Makes it simple as Ebay can be , but they could do on road bike forum as well

Streamlines the process and if they are the same , properly discribed as “ as found / untested / need cleaning etc

My freind who is a mechanic, and comes into parts, sell piles when space is tight.

Folks love the grab bag , but the key is to have logical , generic pile and a prices to entice

Look , it’s not alot of money for the work , but for evample :

$ 25 for the lot
$16.25 ship
Ebay -20 percent or whatever it is

That’s a stack if $20 dollar bills for grandma in a corner , over time better that may just be better a mother’s day card

Making it bite size , genetically described, cheap lots that yield at least $20 after fees may just be worth the effort for a grandkid of son daughter cousin .


I think that kinda lot would be appealing to anyone getting into the hobby or who flips old 10 speeds in an urban market where bikes are always in demand and routinely needs parts.

Good if you to help out your friends widow !













a family member that would take responsibility

 

[Two Wheeler]

As someone who has collected a ton of bikes and parts over his years, I find myself dealing with helping someone clean out what remains of another's years of collecting bikes and parts. The old guy was most fond of road bikes and even three speeds. Over his 85 or so years he accumulated quite a bit, most of which was in his basement and attached garage.
As I and a few others go through boxes of parts the big question is what to do with parts that really don't bring enough to list or ship?
For instance, he had a 55 gallon barrel in the corner full of misc. 5 speed freewheels, and two huge tubs of used freewheels that he took apart, cleaned , relubed, and bagged for future use. I counted 70 just in one drawer, and didn't even attempt to count those in the tub or barrel.
He's got boxes of Shimano, Suntour and a few other brands of derailleurs, all used, still greasy with bits of sharp cables still attached.

Most show no wear, most were likely fairly new when he stripped the bike for parts. Many were likely of girls models that had no market value.
There are chains, pedals, kickstands, used tires and tubes, a few hundred steel wheels, most appear to be Schwinn or Raleigh three speed wheels,, boxes of rims, both new and used, and probably a ton or more of small parts dumped into small drawers in what appears to be old library card files. Then there's the hubs. I found one full barrel of nutted Normandy high flange hubs, two barrels of matching rear hubs, and dozens of Schwinn high flange hubs off bikes like the Varsity. His kids tried ebay for a bit but not much sold, and its not worth selling a used freewheel for what they will sell for.
The real shame is that they have to bring something and likely will end up at the junk yard being sold by the pound.
The same with stacks of steel rims. There's nothing wrong with them but most these days view them as inferior and refuse to use them.
With the amount of time and labor clearing it all out I'm wondering if its at all even worth it the way things have been lately. With eBay being basically dead and CL not finding many buyers either I think the right snwer is take them to scrap and call it a day. ('ve probably got a few milk krates of old freewheels and those are likely headed to the same fate) Then there's the long row of stripped ladies frames, again, mostly Schwinn and Raleigh models that I thing are most likely going to need to be scrapped.
All of this has really made me think about what all I've saved and whether or not any of it iis really worth saving or n

As someone who has collected a ton of bikes and parts over his years, I find myself dealing with helping someone clean out what remains of another's years of collecting bikes and parts. The old guy was most fond of road bikes and even three speeds. Over his 85 or so years he accumulated quite a bit, most of which was in his basement and attached garage.
As I and a few others go through boxes of parts the big question is what to do with parts that really don't bring enough to list or ship?
For instance, he had a 55 gallon barrel in the corner full of misc. 5 speed freewheels, and two huge tubs of used freewheels that he took apart, cleaned , relubed, and bagged for future use. I counted 70 just in one drawer, and didn't even attempt to count those in the tub or barrel.
He's got boxes of Shimano, Suntour and a few other brands of derailleurs, all used, still greasy with bits of sharp cables still attached.

Most show no wear, most were likely fairly new when he stripped the bike for parts. Many were likely of girls models that had no market value.
There are chains, pedals, kickstands, used tires and tubes, a few hundred steel wheels, most appear to be Schwinn or Raleigh three speed wheels,, boxes of rims, both new and used, and probably a ton or more of small parts dumped into small drawers in what appears to be old library card files. Then there's the hubs. I found one full barrel of nutted Normandy high flange hubs, two barrels of matching rear hubs, and dozens of Schwinn high flange hubs off bikes like the Varsity. His kids tried ebay for a bit but not much sold, and its not worth selling a used freewheel for what they will sell for.
The real shame is that they have to bring something and likely will end up at the junk yard being sold by the pound.
The same with stacks of steel rims. There's nothing wrong with them but most these days view them as inferior and refuse to use them.
With the amount of time and labor clearing it all out I'm wondering if its at all even worth it the way things have been lately. With eBay being basically dead and CL not finding many buyers either I think the right snwer is take them to scrap and call it a day. ('ve probably got a few milk krates of old freewheels and those are likely headed to the same fate) Then there's the long row of stripped ladies frames, again, mostly Schwinn and Raleigh models that I thing are most likely going to need to be scrapped.
All of this has really made me think about what all I've saved and whether or not any of it iis really worth saving or not.

Where are these parts located?

 

[Popshop]

I am in the process of resurrecting a few three speed bikes, mostly Raleighs. Do you have any of the rrear carriers that go on the raleigh 26 inch. They should be stamped prestube Minor on them. Also in the market for some really spiffy SA trigger shifters. Thanks Ed

 

[Robert Troub]

Not sure if this has been asked...what state is this "treasure trove" located ?

 

[KevinM]

I will pm you on my needs.

 

[Nashman]

Recycling is better than land fill. Think ( or don't) of all the great bikes and parts that were thrown in junk yards, garbage bins or at the bottom of rivers or lakes. After the 2nd World War there were hundreds of BSA Paratrooper folding bikes thrown into canals in Europe. Even today a common "sport" in Holland/12-15,000 a year ( or maybe back in the 80's when I was on vacation there) was steal/throw a bike in the canals. Pity......

How many bicycles and cars end up in the canals of Amsterdam?

You'd be surprised how many bicycles a years are retrieved from the canals of Amsterdam. Far fewer cars end up in the water.

www.dutchamsterdam.nl