Diamond in the rough..

[ermsamermsam]

Cycling through town the other day my eye was caught by a bike parked up by a tree.

A super nice bike sat rotting out in the street.

The solid chain, airless tyres and weeds growing up through the wheels indicate it ain't been loved in quite a while...There would be a law against this when I am incharge.
I've put signs on it indicating my interest in buying it, but I expect the owner is long gone. Every time the phone rings I think "ohhhhh, might be the bike guy" but so far nothing.
At least I'm moving next week so at least I won't have to cycle past it every day.

 

[john]

Good luck, what a shame to see such a thoroughbred rotting away like that. Looks not long left from the pics though.

 

[cchris2lou]

just take it .

 

[ermsamermsam]

Well, it had crossed my mind that offering money for the bike might encourage somebody to declare possession one way or another, but so far it hasn't happened..
I think the frame is in ok nick though the rest is totally shagged.

 

[ededwards]

It makes you wonder how anyone could abandon this? Really hope the owner did not lock up and then meet an unfortunate end and therefore no one knew the bike was there.

I reckon you owe it to yourself, and us, to make every effort to rescue this from a rusty end - could you make a donation to an appropriate charity if you can't find someone to buy it from? Best of luck.

 

[ermsamermsam]

It does seem highly unlikely that anybody knows who owns the bike, it really has been sitting there for a long time. I have been thinking about, cough, creative ways to take ownership but it can't be done. Not by me anyway. Murder, Rape, Bike Theft etc are not really things I am comfortable with. One has to have some moral guidelines, doesn't one. Anyway, even if I was wobbling the missus has a clearer vision. When she saw me googleing "DLock Biro" she wasn't into it AT ALL.

 

[TW85]

I rang the police about an old Raleigh (esprit? spirit? something like that) that is sitting outside Chelsea cinema, clearly abandoned - knackered wheels, no handlebars, smashed mudguards, but a solid looking frame

the woman on the phone said that there shouldn't be any reason why you should get in trouble, as the person who owns it would have to report it stolen, something to do with if no-one owns the bike and it has been abandoned, it's not a theft, however she couldn't condone me taking it for obvious reasons and I should ring the council for advice

The council said that abandoned bikcycles have a notice stuck on them, then another however many weeks or months later, and then one day they are taken away and crushed if no-one claims them

I asked if I could be there when they cut the lock and have the bike, they said no, it has to be taken away and accounted for

One could ring up the council, pretend it's yours and that you lost the key to your lock. I can't condone someone stealing it. For obvious reasons I say it's a victimless crime if ever there was one.

By the way, the one outside Chelsea cinema could easily be lifted oer the top of the signpost it's attahced to and wheeled home, I can't really be bothered with it now as I've got a new project now