The Chainlink

I picked up an old Raleigh for super cheap on Craigslist last week, but when I brought it to a bike shop to be looked at, they said that it had been in a collision-- the frame was cracked, fork was bent, it was in worse shape than it looked to the untrained eye.  I emailed the guy who sold it to me, but I don't have high hopes for getting my $40 back.  Most of the parts are in bad shape-- I was intending to strip it and convert it. 

So what should I do with it?  Will West Town Bikes or Working Bikes have the capability or interest to fix it?  I worry that if I leave it in the alley, a bike thief will find it and sell it to some unsuspecting new owner. (In that scenario, I know it's more likely to be found by metal scrappers. I just don't like the idea that another cyclist might end up riding it without realizing that it's unsafe.) 

or hey, anyone here want a broken Raleigh for $20?

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What model, year, where was it made or do you know the S#? :-)
Go back to the guy's house and hit him over the head with it. (It's already cracked and bent after all.)
Bring it to Working Bikes. They can use all the components on the bike and they will strip it and leave the damaged frame for scrappers, who routine pick up scrap metal left for them outside the building. The scrappers, in turn, will bring by the occasional bike. Don't sell it to anyone unless you are selling it for the parts. It is unsafe to ride.
I;m interested in the head badge. Pref one that says Nottingham. pending on the model, year and visual appeal I might actually be interested in framing it(just the frame) but all that is just a maybe. I'm picky
FatTireFool, here are some pics. I don't really know much at all about the bike and can't seem to find the serial number.

I can think of younger days when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do.
I could never see tomorrow, but I was never told about the sorrow.

And,
How can you mend a broken frame?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken frame, and let me live again.

I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees
And misty memories of days gone by
We could never see tomorrow, no-one said a word about the sorrow.

And,
How can you mend a broken frame?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken frame and let me live again.
Give it to West Town; they'll use the parts.
You screwed yourself on this one, don't even bother getting upset cause there is no reason do. Just a bad call on your part. Who knows if this cat even knew they bike was screwed up. It hardly looks ridable with the condition of the chain and rear derail set. Chair sounds good ....
I'm not upset. I gambled, I lost, now I just want to get rid of it.

cutifly said:
You screwed yourself on this one, don't even bother getting upset cause there is no reason do. Just a bad call on your part. Who knows if this cat even knew they bike was screwed up. It hardly looks ridable with the condition of the chain and rear derail set. Chair sounds good ....
Give it to the folks that make Ghost bikes. Sadly they are always needed.
Where is the frame cracked? I wouldn't know for sure without seeing it in person, but there doesn't appear to be any buckling or cracked paint at the headtube lugs. There's a chance that all that would need to be replaced is the fork.
The crack is in the head tube. I actually asked about whether getting a new fork would be sufficient, but apparently that won't work. This isn't something I would have known to look for, but you can see that the lugs are pulling away from the tube.

Michael Perz said:
Where is the frame cracked? I wouldn't know for sure without seeing it in person, but there doesn't appear to be any buckling or cracked paint at the headtube lugs. There's a chance that all that would need to be replaced is the fork.

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