In Memoriam: The bikes we have lost

[7rider]

I had my first "real" bike stolen.
It was a 1992 Miyata Triplecross hybrid. The first bike I ever bought at a shop after doing research and test-riding, and not a hand-me-down from my sister. That bike really launched me as a rider. Still, when it was stolen, I used the insurance money to buy a Bianchi Eros road bike, which really expanded my range as a cyclist. So, in hindsight, it was actually a really good thing that my bike was stolen.
BTW...the Bianchi was subsequently sold on Craigslist to a college kid from Baltimore. Some days, I still miss that bike, too....

[tulip]

My 1983 Univega Gran Turismo--that was A Bike! It took me on my first tour through France when I was only 15 years old. Stolen (by former boyfriend) when I was in college. bummer.

1983 Vitus. '83 was a good year for classic bikes. I got this one in 1989. It was too big, but I rode it for 15 years anyways. I liked it because it was light and French. I went down in a bad crash, and the frame cracked at the dropouts. I shoulda kept it, though, but I left it behind when I moved on in 2006.


1987 Centurion something. It was bright yellow. Aluminum. snazzy. I sold it. I don't miss this one.

1985 Fuji road bike. My first racing bike. Stolen a year later. It was red and pretty.

Oh, and the kicker! 1989 Bridgestone MB-2 mountain bike. Oh so classic 80s mountain bike! I had to leave it in France when I moved back to the states in 2000. I always thought I would retrieve it, but things didn't work out that way. another bummer.

[Zen]

1973(?) Raleigh Record put on layaway at High's Cycle center.
It probably cost no more than $200 but I worked for it and bought it myself. I rode it 9 miles to school and to my job at McDonalds.
It was a hot July day when I picked it up, rode home, guzzled root beer then puked

Sold it to a friend when i joined the army.

[Zen]

No worries. It's all part of what got me here. But if you see a purple to green fade 47 cm Trek 420 out there, tackle the guy, hold him down and PM me. I'll be right over to get her back.

Idunno...that's my size

[sgtiger]

Idunno...that's my size

You know she'll put a hurtin' on ya for it.

[NbyNW]

My 42 cm Kandy Apple Red Rodriguez was the most beautiful 2nd-hand bike a girl could hope for . . . it was originally custom-built for a lovely woman named Dot who had to stop riding for health reasons. I felt so lucky to find it!

Riding that bike was the first non-PT exercise I was able to do, post sacrum-fracture. Those first few rides, while short, felt so liberating. I had it for one season, and was looking forward to building up to longer rides, when it was stolen from my garage.

I've never really stopped looking for that bike.

[Trek420]

You know she'll put a hurtin' on ya for it.

Me? Naaaaaah, I wouldn't hurt a fly. I wouldn't want to damage the bike

This brings up an interesting subject. How often do we see people riding and think "that's not your bike!"

This is a difficult question to express because I'm not talking class or wealth. For example recently on BART I saw a rider, dressed to the 9's in business garb with a Bianchi cross bike leaning on her knee. The bike had a lot of love and upgrades, didn't take much of an eye to see "these are not stock parts". But the frame and upkeep showed signs of recent neglect. A person who wrapped leather bar tape and a Brooks on a cross would not leave it leaning on poles and let it get scratched ... I don't think this is your bike!

I would never say anything to the rider but if that bike could speak she's saying "take me HOME, please!"

[redrhodie]

I left my 1980s Puch MTB in the basement of my last apartment. It was a gift from a now deceased ex-bf, and it was a too sad reminder of his tragic end, and things not working out. It was time to let it go.

[IvonaDestroi]

Me? Naaaaaah, I wouldn't hurt a fly. I wouldn't want to damage the bike

This brings up an interesting subject. How often do we see people riding and think "that's not your bike!"

This is a difficult question to express because I'm not talking class or wealth. For example recently on BART I saw a rider, dressed to the 9's in business garb with a Bianchi cross bike leaning on her knee. The bike had a lot of love and upgrades, didn't take much of an eye to see "these are not stock parts". But the frame and upkeep showed signs of recent neglect. A person who wrapped leather bar tape and a Brooks on a cross would not leave it leaning on poles and let it get scratched ... I don't think this is your bike!

I would never say anything to the rider but if that bike could speak she's saying "take me HOME, please!"

Wow, that's so funny you should mention that. I just took BART today and saw a homeless guy on a really nice Jamis. I have a friend that bought one recently for $600 but this one was waaaay nicer then the one she got.

It was funny because I thought you know, that bike was probably stolen at some point but this guy really seems to appreciate it. I don't know why, but he was this dirty old guy wit a bike that he kept pretty pristine. You could see where he had wrapped this dirty old tape around it to hide the name, and he had a patched up magna frame pouch to attach to it.

The rest looked really well kept, just the tape/pouch as one of those "make it look crappy so no one steals it" kinds of moves. I wondered if he appreciated that bike more then the original owner. I got the feeling that he seemed to.

[grey]

Like this?

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/bik/1135101342.html

That's close! Only the paint is different, otherwise, that's my baby! It made me so happy just to see that! I did a Google and couldn't even find a PHOTO - (((hugs))) to you all for helping me find my old baby!

*excited and hopeful*

[besagacious]

Wow, back in 1980 I had my bike stolen and was looking for a new ond. I saw an ad from the the Ski Rack a local bike shop. They were offering free demo days at a local x-country ski area on this new kind of bike in the woods. It sounded so cool. I didn't even know what Mountain biking was back then. It was one of the best rides I ever had. About 10 of us showed up for the demo. All newbies to riding in the woods. We wooped and yelled and hit the trails. After about an hour we came to a pond and a bunch jumped in. It was a day I will always remember, so much fun, energy riding in the woods. Needless to say the next day I purchased my gray Peugeot Orient Express. I still have it today. I can't ride much anymore because of bad shoulders but I keep the bike as I have so many fond memories of riding in the woods, over streams, through cow pastures, getting stuck in the mud, sand..... The Orient Express is 18 speeds and built solid. No shocks back then. It has wide handle bars which I still like today......an amazing bike....so long ago it is "vintage" now...

[Zen]

You think of that bike so fondly that you stopped lurking and made your first post, perhaps?

[Groundhog]

I posted my introduction and bike loss story here... http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=31188

Here's a photo of my bike on our Port Townsend to Sequim family ride.

I always called it "my dorky women's bike." Now after reading this forum I find it's a trendy mixte. Sigh. I'll have to post a pic of my new bike.

[Zen]

Oh Groundhog, I hate to be the bearer of this news but what you have(had?) is a standard womens bike.

This is a mixte

[Groundhog]

Oh Groundhog, I hate to be the bearer of this news but what you have(had?) is a standard womens bike.

This is a mixte

OK, learning a lot here. I guess it was just me...don't know why I liked it so much but I did...