Cycling Gear Donation

[2LeftCleats]

I'm reducing my cycling footprint by getting rid of stuff I haven't used in awhile and don't plan on using anymore. There's a local bicycle project willing to take old bikes, parts, clothing etc.

The issue is clothing. Most of the stuff I'm donating is lightly used or unused. And most of that is non-denominational. However, there is a nice set of unused bibs with a team logo I inherited. It's outdated and not like the team's current kit, but I personally wouldn't wear them since I wasn't on the team. So my dilemma is to keep them unused in a drawer or potentially put them to good use by giving them away.

Thoughts?

As always, thanks in advance.

[Gummee]

ebay? Start the auction at a penny and see who buys it. There's always a cheapskate out there looking

M

[tumbler]

However, there is a nice set of unused bibs with a team logo I inherited. It's outdated and not like the team's current kit, but I personally wouldn't wear them since I wasn't on the team. So my dilemma is to keep them unused in a drawer or potentially put them to good use by giving them away.

Seems like an easy answer... give them away or sell them so someone can make use of them. You probably have the means and good fashion sense not to wear the logo of another team, but I'm sure there are people who could care less about that and would be happy to wear them. Go ahead and donate, or put it on eBay starting at $1 if you think it's worth a few bucks.

[o2dazone]

I've bought a few skinsuits (for the incredibly few races I do) with old bike shop and team logos on it. I got em for a song. Buyer pleased, and seller made some dough. I'd do the same for bibs, jerseys, whatever. Function is function, and in the winter, there's gonna be a jacket over the jersey anyway

[jmoore]

Trainer wear? Base layer? Give them to a friend who is just starting cycling?

[2LeftCleats]

Really not interested in making money. Just want to get rid of them. Only concern was the 'propriety'--if that's the correct term--of having a non-team member use a team kit. I know lots of folks ride gear from pro teams and I view that as being a fan, much like wearing pro football jerseys. But for regional teams, it more likely connotates the wearer is a member. But I'm probably overthinking this.

Thanks.

[jr59]

Donate them, let those guys decide

[Look585]

Local juniors or HS MTB teams would love your decent used kit.

[sandyrs]

Really not interested in making money. Just want to get rid of them. Only concern was the 'propriety'--if that's the correct term--of having a non-team member use a team kit. I know lots of folks ride gear from pro teams and I view that as being a fan, much like wearing pro football jerseys. But for regional teams, it more likely connotates the wearer is a member. But I'm probably overthinking this.

Thanks.

I know that if I saw someone I didn't know wearing my team kit, and we struck up a conversation in which I found out the kit was received via a donation to a local charity, I would be stoked, not offended.

[RedRider]

I sent a box of my "no-longer-worn-but still-good-used" stuff to a friend that works with inner city teens getting them on bikes. If you ask around you will probably find a good cause to give to.

[ultraman6970]

Personally I always had problems of opinion with all those projects (the ones from here, not generalizing) that receive free stuff. From the two coops I know in the area both of coop have only the name and the fact that you can learn to fix bikes in there but besides that is just a disguised regular store that source stuff basically at zero dollars and selling full market price to overprice for the stuff they got. Remember one wanted like 1500 for a tandem that they got for free, or the other one that wanted like 90 bucks for a set of well used cinelli handlebars for example, opposing IMO to the concept they are selling to the public.

That said, I was the OP I would offer the stuff at CL or Ebay (here maybe?) and just get enough money to get a box of donuts or make a donation in money to any cause you like. About the team clothing, well always you can ask the actual team, maybe some people from the actual team wants the stuff for training? Good clothing is always welcome man.

[fuzzalow]

Nobody, but nobody cares about what you wear in cycling garb. Nobody. The only ones who do are the cyclists that salve their own egos in endless self-elevation, judgementalism and elitism. All the goofy rules about what is OK and not OK to wear based on some elite cycling code of Hammurabi.

In the bigger picture, all this does is set a tone that pits cyclists against each other. And for the newcomers, it's tough enough to summon the courage to dress in Lycra clothing and not be capable of riding at less than 385 watts FTP that braggart studs hint they can do. Heaven forbid they wear faux pas kit that brands them as outcasts. My attitude is different - we never throw any cyclist as one of our own under a bus.

Listen, I'm all for for camaraderie among teammates but if you've observed a critical mass group of cyclists become emboldened to become douche-like, it is often found worse in the cyclist band of brothers in team kit.

C'mon, it's just riding a bike. Please don't misunderstand my tone about this. It is not reflective of upset but of bemusement. Comically adolescent behavior IMO which compels me to be "that guy" in presenting a slightly different point of view. No need to be shy, right?

It's outdated and not like the team's current kit, but I personally wouldn't wear them since I wasn't on the team.

No problem with you choosing not to wear. But big problem if that same thinking prejudges against someone that does choose to wear.

You probably have the means and good fashion sense not to wear the logo of another team, but I'm sure there are people who could care less about that and would be happy to wear them.

Fashion? There's no accounting for taste.

I know that if I saw someone I didn't know wearing my team kit, and we struck up a conversation in which I found out the kit was received via a donation to a local charity, I would be stoked, not offended.
Good for you. It isn't likely that some guy stalked after one of your teammates for the purpose of robbing his team kit and leaving him naked on the side of the road.

[gavingould]

West Town Bikes in Chicago (http://westtownbikes.org/) would be pleased with a donation of whatever you've got.

[2LeftCleats]

Just drove the stuff to the donation site.

Bloomington Bicycle Project has been around 15-20 yr. Lives primarily on donated stuff. Volunteers help folks fix their bikes. They have a program to help kids earn bikes by volunteering time. So rather than hassle with ebay or CL, this was a quick and painless way to rid myself of stuff. Probably could have spent time and made a little money on it but I viewed it as the Goodwill of bikes. Glad to see it'll be used locally.

[druptight]

This thread got me asking around here, and I've got half a drawer of ugly charity jerseys I'll never wear again so I'm going to take mine to donate to bikes not bombs and they'll end up somewhere in the 3rd world hopefully making somebody happy. Thanks for the idea!