Bikes are sturdy machines, but they do get too worn to use. Some people change their priorities and lifestyles, making the bike no longer considered part of their life. Other people simply neglect the bike, making it useless.
The number of bicycles thrown into the junkyard has been steadily increasing worldwide. In countries like China, the decrease in bicycle demand has led to a massive surplus of unused and decrepit bikes. So what to do with old bicycles? Are there ways of recycling it that are eco-friendly and not wasteful? Find out some tips that you can do below:
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Selling on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Craigslist
No matter the state of disrepair in a bike, someone will always find some use in it. So the best way to get rid of a bike is to look for old bike buyers on the internet. You’d be surprised how many people are interested in buying old bikes, particularly the rare ones. You can search on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, and the like.
Facebook Marketplace, in particular, is a great place to connect with potential buyers near your area. To facilitate the transaction, put as much information about your bike in your post. Indicate the brand, dimensions, and other details about the bike.
You also must include the level of wear (rusty, with dents, looks brand new, etc.), how old the bike is, how long you have used the bike on the road, and others. Putting these details in your post will help potential buyers decide on and price your bike. This method is the same when writing a post on other online selling platforms such as Craigslist.
Scavenge an Old Bike for Bike Parts
Please note that selling an old bike as a whole unit would not yield as much profit as scavenging your bike for bike parts. If you have some knowledge of bike parts and brands and can properly assess the quality and wear of your parts, you can sell them part by part.
Doing this is more profitable because more people search for specific working bike parts rather than old ones. Learning what parts and brands are sought after is a huge plus.
List the parts of your bike that are salvageable. If you do not know your way around a bike, get the help of an experienced mechanic. After deconstructing your bike, assess each part’s level of wear and tear. Include these specifications on your social media post, so interested buyers can better understand what they’re looking at.
Bring your Bike to a Recycling Center
If you don’t want to sell your bike or its components, there are multiple ways to get rid of it. Bicycles have an immense recyclable value in countries such as the US. Its metal parts, and even the tires, can be repurposed.
You could look for curbside recycling programs in your community and check if they accept old bikes. There are also many bike shops and recovery facilities that may be willing to get your bike.
Of course, if you don’t want to bother looking for people interested in your bike, the simplest way is to bring it to your local junk shop or scrap yard. You would not get much for selling it as scrap, but at least have it taken care of as quickly as possible.
Donate it to a Non-Profit Organization
There may also be local non-profit organizations that may be interested in having your bike. These organizations usually take old bikes and refurbish them for their bicycle education programs and advocacies. You can also find them on social media or Craigslist.
Get Creative
There is more to life than using and disposing of things – you can reuse and recycle your old bike and give them a new purpose. You can look for inspiring ideas on the internet on how to recycle your bike and its parts.
For example, you can turn your old bike into wall decor or a garden fixture. Bike wheels can be turned into vine trellis, and bike frames can be welded into steel fences. The tires can also be used as weaving to create a waterproof doormat or a garden chair.
Some even repurpose their bikes to start unique art and science projects. A bike’s gears, for example, can be used to power a simple machine. If you don’t mind exercising your creative muscle, there are countless ways to give new life to your old bike.
Give It Away
So what’s the easiest way to get rid of an old bike? Give it away, or give it some new purpose. Who knows, your bike may find a new purpose and meaning to other people. After all, another person’s old bike may be another person’s treasure.
Conclusion
If you are still wondering what to do with old bicycles, this article has given several ways to properly do it. Whether selling online or giving it to others, your old bike still has a lot of use and purpose and need not go into the junk. If you no longer find usage of your old, there are always other people who will find it useful.