Best cycling deal you've ever got?

[Defisch]

The owned of the LBS had bought a new power steering pump for his F-150 and needed a hand putting it on. I started helping but with customers and the phone it was easier to just do it for him, just to help him out. I went to leave the shop after I finished and he gave me $189 set of Speedplay pedals I had been looking at earlier.

[balatoe]

A friend of mine was giving away his 2005 Trek 8500 single speed mountain bike. So I emailed him and picked it up the following day. I don't think I can get a better deal than this one.

[Bill_P]

about 1993 I picked up a Trek 400 at a garage sale for $50. Fixed the two flat tires, put about 5000 miles on it and gave it away to a friend. It was stolen from him...easy come, easy go.

[longbeachbiker]

1) $30 WTB Pure V saddle. It's nice to find a saddle that fits my ass like a glove for only $30.
2) $40 WeeRide. It wasn't that great a deal but the joy on my 10 month old daughter's face is priceless.

[old'n'slow]

I understand this may not strike everyone as a deal, but my Colnago CT1 Lux Titanio frame for $700 rocks my world.

I love the way the thing rides...!

[pmuller]

New here to this great forum, and back to road cycling after long 5 years due to work, moving to 3 different countries and 5 different cities.

Back in 2003, I got a Felt F1R (Easton Scandium) complete with Dura Ace for something around $1500, and considering that the country I was living had (actually has) steep import taxes I believe it was a great deal. Found out later that the seller was buying a high end Look frame and just wanted to recover something from this bike. I still have this bike and use it, though rarely, when I visit my family and friends in my home country.

[paule11]

About 15 years ago brought a heap of irc paperlite and firestorm folding tyres for $3.00 each also alloy road bike forks threaded 700cc $3 each.

[Tommy Walker]

At the PX in Frankfurt the wife and I bought his and hers Peugeot uprights ("Yale" and "Princeton") for bike path jaunts, and the cashier rang Yale up for $202.00 and Princeton for $2.02. She didn't notice, and we didn't speak up.

and you probably claim your integrity is beyond reproach.

[snosaw]

I got some good advise on RBR...for free!

[Mr. Versatile]

About 10-12 years ago I was looking for a new commuter bike. My commute had increased to 36 mi round trip and at that distance I figured a road bike was in order. My LBS had a Panasonic that fit me pretty well. The frame was really nice and rode very smoothly. The wheels were decent, the group was Shimano 6 spd. It was dirty, but I couldn't see anything wrong with it. I paid $30 for it. I put a longer stem & different bars, which I already had at home, & new tires. I rode it to work & back for 10-12 years, winter & summer, packed it up & rode it from N. Central Oh. to Niagara Falls & back. Two years ago I was hit by a car & unfortunately it didn't survive. Not bad for $30.

[sti-spec c]

The best deal I every got on a bike was when I got my first bike for my 4th birthday. Since then, I have not been able to find a better deal.

[Pedalhead]

XTR front D, new in box, $21.00

[PlatyPius]

I had a customer give me a Bridgestone RB-T because he didn't think it was worth the cost of a new front wheel, even though I tried to convince him that it was.

(It was almost pristine.)

[snah]

Blows my SRAM gruppo (minus shifers) for 450 outta the water

Got the 2010 SRAM Force, new, full groupo, for $385. Killed on that deal.

Won a Garmin Edge 500 at a Performance Store grand opening,

[pigpen]

Best deal lately was a set of wheels.

Mavic reflex tubbies
Campy Record (silver)

Absolutley no brake wear, straight, properly tensioned, no cassette body gouging, smooth bearings w/ record skewers.....for 150.00.
Heck a NOS silver front hub goes for almost that on eBay.

Glueing some FMB sprints on them and going to beat the snot out of them in cross.

[tarwheel2]

My best deal was an Eddy Merckx AX ti frame and fork with Campy Record headset for $500, in my size. I've probably ridden that bike 20,000 miles by now, and it is my go-to bike for long rides.

My other great deal was a Waterford RS-22 custom frame and fork with Chris King headset for $650, in the same size and geometry I would have spec'd if ordering one. A new Waterford set up like this one would have cost me at least 4X as much.

[maximum15]

1) 5 years ago I picked up a bianchi trofeo (in very good shape) with 7 speed suntour sprint for $50
2) new Velocity Spartacus wheelset for $100
3) new Colnago Force fork $50 -- but I still can't afford a frame to go with it
4) new 2004 Litespeed Classic with full ultegra for $1700 which was a pretty good deal
5) used ultegra 9 speed shifters for $10 (bought these several years ago as a backup set)

[edthehead]

2000 Bianchi Veloce with Campy daytona in brand new condition (nubs on tires factory grease on chain, not a spec of dirt) for $300 in 2010. From a rather portly man whom claimed his ex-wife bought it for him in 2001 but he refused to ride it, and that now that they are officially divorced he could sell it.
or
The $5 terry fly saddle i put on it (swap meet)

[oily666]

ZebraKenko road bike with a DB Ishiwata frame at a garage sale for $20.00. Gave it to a Boy Scout leader who toured Europe on it.

New Bianchi Eros with Velocity Aerohead wheels and Record hubs $1,200.00.

Nine years ago at a swap meet, a dealer had boxes marked $5.00, $10.00, etc., up to $25.00. Whatever was in the box, that was the price. I found a pair of LOOK CS 6 carbon pedals with adjustable Q-factor in the $20.00 box. They may have been used a couple of times. Still using them.

Spotless LOOK 481SL demo frame for $700.00 (retail $2,799.00). Rode it last night.

Three years back I found a NOS Campy Nuovo Gran Sport derailleur at a garage sale for $5.00. I sold it a week later on ebay for $77.00.

[acidrane]

some might not consider it a deal but i got jamis komodo lt mtn bike with full xt components for $350. i want to say the bike was about 7 yrs old when i got it but to this day, it runs smoother than my brother's 2010 specialized hardrock disc.

[mtrider05]

Paid $106 for a SRAM Force rear derailleur, got it today and they sent me a Red black edition. Sounds good to me!

[My Own Private Idaho]

I bought a Univega Modo for $50 at a garage sale, with Campagnolo 9-speed on it. I rode that bike for several years as a commuter, sold the group for $250, and the frameset for $150.

My son just got a Redline BMX bike at a garage sale for $30 that just needed new tubes, and brakes. This is 90's vintage, full chrome. He's really happy with it.

[Creakyknees]

The best deals are things that people give you for free.
A frame, a great deal on a parts kit from a friend. Stuff like that.

[xxl]

I got a NOS Quintana Roo steel frame and carbon fork off'n ebay, for $60.

It was from QR's brief foray into road bikes.

I also found a Colnago frame that someone had thrown in the garbage. It wasn't my size, so I gave it to some shop rats I know, who still ride it today.

[pdxtim]

$50 for a nice pair of sidi dominators on craigslist.