From Trash to Cash: Nishiki International

The part of my life that is not consumed by Work, Family, and trying to squeeze in a ride now and then, is consumed by used bicycles. Here in college town we are flush with rich kids looking for cheap bicycles. Luckily for them, I usually have some. Every Spring we host our annual Swap Meet and I usually bring 3 or 4 single speed bicycles (as well as others). Priced accordingly, they sell out quickly. Knowing this, I plan for the end of summer when the kiddos come back, and I do pretty good for myself. 

I certainly understand that to them, $200 is a lot for a used bike. I mean, the monthly payments on their Range Rovers, BMW's, etc... are probably killing them (He said with copious amounts of sarcasm). However, as I had discussed before, I do not mess around when It comes to offering quality used bikes that I stand behind 100%. While I talk a big game, it occurs to me that I have not really shown you what it is that I do when I am getting drunk in my garage.

(believe it or not, this is after I cleaned up a little)

A couple of examples of bikes that were born in my Man Cave:

(No Fat Chics) - This was such a great bike. I built it as a SSCX bike for me, but took it to the swap meet, and BAM!! Sold in about and hour. I paid nothing for this bike, and got to keep the wheels since the customer wanted to use his own.

Another one of my favorites was this Panasonic That I got for ten bucks at a yard sale. Cleaned it up,

...and turned it in to Hipster Gold.

Thankfully, this bike went to a former co-worker who attends the University and as such, It does not get left out in the snow.

These are just a couple of my favorites, but you will be happy to know (Maybe... I mean, perhaps you don't give a damn) that between the beers, I have been a busy beaver, gathering nuts for the end of summer so I can sell them to college kids (that's what beavers do, right?)

...And because I started this build with no forethought of my shitty blog, I neglected to take any pictures of it as a whole so you could see it before and after. So you only get to see this bike

after I had pulled it apart.

I assure you, everything was rusted to shit, and the frame was dirty beyond measure. But I have to say, When a bottom bracket comes out as cleanly as this one did, a little smile starts across my face and I get a bit excited.

Call me a dork, but there is nothing sexier than clean threads in a bottom bracket.

Like any good, used bicycle, it has a couple of scratches. But after cleaning it up, the paint looked great. 

Granted this is a shitty picture from my dimly lit garage, but when you see the finished product, you will understand.

Moving on to the beautiful head tube badge, this plan looked like it was starting to come together.

This is one thing about old bikes that I really miss. Beyond lugs and paint, The art of the head tube badge is one that I wish would make a come back.

I didn't go crazy on the crank, but it didn't really need it. Once installed on the square taper bottom bracket (you remember those, right?) it spun like a top.

It was at this point that I posted this photo on my Facebook Page 

to announce a new bike in the works:

The paint really pops in the sun. I would describe it as green with a gold undercoat.

Cleaning up the chrome fork really made it stand out.

The next step was getting some fresh rubber on it and once that was done it was ready for the finishing touches. Only, I never got to them before a friend of mine (who had come over for a repair) decided that he wanted it. Just like that, it was sold before it even hit the open market. It should have after all, I mean look at this thing!

A bike that cost me nothing to acquire, and about $25 in parts. A little elbow grease and voila! I made some money doing what it is that I do best, 
Turning Trash into Cash.

It's a shame I didn't even get to wrap the bars.

Oh well, there is another one in the works, and this time, I took more pictures ;)

See you soon,

Queso.

*update

Bikes look better with fenders.

Good thing that the buyer is single, 

He's gonna have to beat the chicks off with a stick!