Seen bikes U-locked and sat complete downtown, and a week later the wheels are taken, then the handlebar assembly a week later. Once it starts it gets gutted quickly. Out in the burbs theres a few all winter long bikes locked up by wheel at train stations that are complete, but old CCM type. So it all depends on the neighborhood, and how close the abondonment is to schools, foot high traffic areas like transit and how many homeless are nearby. I talk to a local homeless fellow that says he finds bicycles in my area of town all the time. Every month he seems to have a different old bike. I tell him where I've seen a few abondoned bikes.
The charity bicycle shop "Goodlife" is struggling to pay its rent, all bicycles are donated and fixed up by volunteers then sold off. They went to a new marketing strategy of having more completely fixed bicycles ready to ride for sale, then selling fixer uppers. I try to support them all I can. Some of the bikes are top notch others are the older CCM type. I've snagged some really good deals there, most recently there were two Electra rear racks, I bought the better one, still in package for $5, countless springy seats $5 each, some worth $100+ new, still in good shape. One item I could never find, were good shifters which they always put on the fixed up dontated bikes for sale.
I hope Goodlife Bicycles get over the March hump, warmer weather and sunnier days, close to a busy transit hub. Landlords didnt like the kind of clientele that frequented the shop, homeless which they had to move several times in the last 10 yrs.
Well that bike I picked up will do me well. Similar frame geometry to my Townie. Back pedal brake, single geared crank, 3 spd hub with broken off shifting mechanism.