Donor Watch

HOW WE SCORE DONORS

What makes a good VoltCraft donor?

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Frame Condition

Steel hardtails with no cracks, pitting, or DIY welds. Dropout spacing must be standard (135mm rear / 100mm front). This is the make-or-break check.

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Drivetrain Irrelevance

We strip it anyway. We don't care if the chain is rusty or the derailleur is bent — that's $30 in parts. What matters is whether the frame is worth keeping.

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Reusable Suspension & Wheels

Spoke count ≥36 and rims without cracks = keep the wheels. Fork condition matters for kit fit. Disc brake mounts are a bonus — saves on brake upgrades.

LIVE CANDIDATES

Kansas City

BUY

Mongoose Excursion 29" Hardtail

ASKING$260–$300

Facebook Marketplace

"Frame solid, drivetrain shot — perfect donor."

Phoenix

NEGOTIATE

Mongoose Excursion 27.5" (Excellent Condition)

ASKINGNegotiable

Facebook Marketplace

"27.5 limits kit options. $225 cash, garage pickup."

Albany

BUY

Schwinn + Mongoose Bundle

ASKING$70–$130 (both)

Facebook Marketplace

"Two frames, one price. Bundle deal for dual builds."

Raleigh

NEGOTIATE

Mongoose Excursion 24" Junior

ASKING~$200

Facebook Marketplace

"24" limits buyer pool. $100 cash or move on."

Austin

BUY

Mongoose Excursion 29" Medium

ASKINGNegotiable

Facebook Marketplace

"Classic 29 donor, clean frame — grab it fast."

NYC

NEGOTIATE

Charge Mountain Bike

ASKING$120

Facebook Marketplace

"No drivetrain info — $80 cash, inspect in person."

Seattle

NEGOTIATE

Lectric XP 2.0 StepThru

ASKING$700

Craigslist

"E-bike strip candidate — test battery or negotiate to $400."

SF Bay

NEGOTIATE

Magnum Navigator 27.5" (310 miles)

ASKING~$800–$1,000

Craigslist

"If battery holds: resell or convert. $550 cash, test first."

Denver/Boulder

PASS

Overland A/T Cargo Fat Tire E-Bike

ASKING$1,500

Craigslist

"Already an e-bike near retail. No profit window."

Denver/Boulder

PASS

2025 RadWagon 4 Cargo E-Bike

ASKING$1,800

Craigslist

"Resale candidate only — battery health make-or-break."

BUYStrong frame, tight price — act now

NEGOTIATEGood candidate, needs a lower number

PASSNo margin, move on

INSPECTION FRAMEWORK

One-minute donor check

Frame crack?

No crack → pass

Any crack → fail

Dropout spacing standard?

135mm rear / 100mm front → pass

Non-standard → fail

Spoke count ≥36?

Yes → pass

32 or fewer → fail

Battery holds charge?

Full range → pass

Dies early → $200–$400 off or walk

If it passes 4/6, buy it.

What makes a good VoltCraft donor?

One-minute donor check

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