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Karma Cycle

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01 / Original postKarma CycleZoot Katz · 5 Nov 2007 02 / This pagePosts 1–13Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #13Jym Dyer · 7 Nov 2007

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Original section
Road Cycling
Published
5 November 2007
Last activity
7 November 2007
Original author
Zoot Katz
Posts
13
Discussion status
Public discussion
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290
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Topics
Cable routingDIY vs bike shop repairs

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  1. Original post
    Zoot Katz
    Archived post
    #1

    Today, at Our Community Bikes!, I was scrounging for a trashed tire
    to trial fit for frame clearances and to buy some cable housing
    ferrules. Jay was busy with a couple at the counter looking to buy a
    bike. David missed Halloween and was just back from cycle touring
    Germany. We chatted. He gave me some ferrules. I wanted to buy a
    dozen or two so he gave me more and charged me a quarter. I gave him
    two bucks and put the change in their coffee fund.

    At the counter I came to understand the couple was looking to replace
    the woman's bike which had been stolen and they didn't feel like
    spending a lot. (OCB! sells only donated bikes)

    Jay told them to look over the bikes on the rack, some reconditioned,
    some needing work, and make their selection.

    I revealed my Halloween persona to Jay, chatted and was interrupted
    by the woman, almost breathless, exclaiming that she'd found her
    bike. There were tears in her eyes.

    Not the bike that had just been stolen. No. A much nicer bike that
    had been stolen when almost new - eight years ago!

    She recognised it by its colour and the handlebar she'd put on before
    it was stolen. She positively identified by a worn but still visible
    top-tube decal of the Buddha she'd bought in Tibet.

    Jay gave her the bike.

    We helped them dig it out of the rack. It needs a saddle, a chain,
    and probably some other work so they'll be back.

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.
    --
    zk

    Report
  2. nmp
    Archived post
    #2

    Zoot Katz wrote:

    [snip good story]

    Quoted message said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    To be a bit more down-to-earth (some might say cynical) about this:
    hopefully the lady will get a good lock this time.

    Report
  3. nmp
    Archived post
    #3

    Zoot Katz wrote:

    [snip good story]

    Quoted message said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    To be a bit more down-to-earth (some might say cynical) about this:
    hopefully the lady will get a good lock this time.

    Report
  4. Brian Huntley
    Archived post
    #4
    Zoot Katz said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    Great story - now we need the back-story.

    <fiction>

    After the junkie stole her bike 8 years ago, he sold it for $10, got
    high, and fell off the Lion's Gate Bridge. He landed on a passing wood
    products ship headed for the Philippines and was never seen again. The
    bike's buyer was a weasle with a "$3 a day for a month" used bike
    shop, who sold it to a young woman who liked the Buddha sticker.

    The bike enabled her to get to her classes at UBC, where she worked
    hard and graduated at the top her class. She then clerked for a
    reputable law firm, passed the bar, and donated hundreds of hours of
    pro bono work to bicycle related causes. Last year, she decided to get
    a new bike (a Rivendell) and donated the old one to Our Community
    Bikes!

    </fiction>

    Report
  5. Brian Huntley
    Archived post
    #5
    Zoot Katz said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    Great story - now we need the back-story.

    <fiction>

    After the junkie stole her bike 8 years ago, he sold it for $10, got
    high, and fell off the Lion's Gate Bridge. He landed on a passing wood
    products ship headed for the Philippines and was never seen again. The
    bike's buyer was a weasle with a "$3 a day for a month" used bike
    shop, who sold it to a young woman who liked the Buddha sticker.

    The bike enabled her to get to her classes at UBC, where she worked
    hard and graduated at the top her class. She then clerked for a
    reputable law firm, passed the bar, and donated hundreds of hours of
    pro bono work to bicycle related causes. Last year, she decided to get
    a new bike (a Rivendell) and donated the old one to Our Community
    Bikes!

    </fiction>

    Report
  6. Mike Kruger
    Archived post
    #6
    Brian Huntley said:
    Zoot Katz said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    Great story - now we need the back-story.

    <fiction>

    After the junkie stole her bike 8 years ago, he sold it for $10, got
    high, and fell off the Lion's Gate Bridge. He landed on a passing wood
    products ship headed for the Philippines and was never seen again. The
    bike's buyer was a weasle with a "$3 a day for a month" used bike
    shop, who sold it to a young woman who liked the Buddha sticker.

    The bike enabled her to get to her classes at UBC, where she worked
    hard and graduated at the top her class. She then clerked for a
    reputable law firm, passed the bar, and donated hundreds of hours of
    pro bono work to bicycle related causes. Last year, she decided to get
    a new bike (a Rivendell) and donated the old one to Our Community
    Bikes!

    </fiction>

    This could be a good game. Here's my backstory:
    <fiction>

    She left it unlocked when she went into a convenience store "just for a
    minute".

    The bike was stolen by a teen as a crime of opportunity -- he thought the
    Buddha decal was cool, and the woman was nice looking. He had no choice of
    possessing her, but could possess her bike.

    He told his parents he bought it for $10, but they didn't believe him. They
    didn't want to turn him in, either, and so the bike was hidden in the
    basement while they figured out what to do. They never did figure out what
    to do; it stayed 8 years in their basement until they moved to Florida. What
    didn't sell at the moving sale their son disposed of. Feeling sheepishly
    guilty about this event from his growing up, he donated it to Our Community
    Bikes.

    </fiction>

    Report
  7. Mike Kruger
    Archived post
    #7
    Brian Huntley said:
    Zoot Katz said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    Great story - now we need the back-story.

    <fiction>

    After the junkie stole her bike 8 years ago, he sold it for $10, got
    high, and fell off the Lion's Gate Bridge. He landed on a passing wood
    products ship headed for the Philippines and was never seen again. The
    bike's buyer was a weasle with a "$3 a day for a month" used bike
    shop, who sold it to a young woman who liked the Buddha sticker.

    The bike enabled her to get to her classes at UBC, where she worked
    hard and graduated at the top her class. She then clerked for a
    reputable law firm, passed the bar, and donated hundreds of hours of
    pro bono work to bicycle related causes. Last year, she decided to get
    a new bike (a Rivendell) and donated the old one to Our Community
    Bikes!

    </fiction>

    This could be a good game. Here's my backstory:
    <fiction>

    She left it unlocked when she went into a convenience store "just for a
    minute".

    The bike was stolen by a teen as a crime of opportunity -- he thought the
    Buddha decal was cool, and the woman was nice looking. He had no choice of
    possessing her, but could possess her bike.

    He told his parents he bought it for $10, but they didn't believe him. They
    didn't want to turn him in, either, and so the bike was hidden in the
    basement while they figured out what to do. They never did figure out what
    to do; it stayed 8 years in their basement until they moved to Florida. What
    didn't sell at the moving sale their son disposed of. Feeling sheepishly
    guilty about this event from his growing up, he donated it to Our Community
    Bikes.

    </fiction>

    Report
  8. Zoot Katz
    Archived post
    #8

    On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:40:04 -0800, Brian Huntley
    <[email hidden]> remote viewed:

    Quoted message said:

    The bike enabled her to get to her classes at UBC, where she worked
    hard and graduated at the top her class. She then clerked for a
    reputable law firm, passed the bar, and donated hundreds of hours of
    pro bono work to bicycle related causes. Last year, she decided to get
    a new bike (a Rivendell) and donated the old one to Our Community
    Bikes!

    Whoa. I know a car-free, bike advocate lawyer who was branded
    "radical" because she rode her bicycle to UBC law school.

    She's also been a member of the board at OCB! and has had a string of
    bad luck with locked bicycles stolen or destroyed in the attempt.

    I think she just bought a new DaVinci. I'll have to ask her about
    the Rivendell.
    --
    zk

    Report
  9. Zoot Katz
    Archived post
    #9

    On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:40:04 -0800, Brian Huntley
    <[email hidden]> remote viewed:

    Quoted message said:

    The bike enabled her to get to her classes at UBC, where she worked
    hard and graduated at the top her class. She then clerked for a
    reputable law firm, passed the bar, and donated hundreds of hours of
    pro bono work to bicycle related causes. Last year, she decided to get
    a new bike (a Rivendell) and donated the old one to Our Community
    Bikes!

    Whoa. I know a car-free, bike advocate lawyer who was branded
    "radical" because she rode her bicycle to UBC law school.

    She's also been a member of the board at OCB! and has had a string of
    bad luck with locked bicycles stolen or destroyed in the attempt.

    I think she just bought a new DaVinci. I'll have to ask her about
    the Rivendell.
    --
    zk

    Report
  10. Zoot Katz
    Archived post
    #10

    On Mon, 5 Nov 2007 19:27:45 -0600, "Mike Kruger"
    <[email hidden]> wrote, in part:

    Quoted message said:

    the bike was hidden in the
    basement while they figured out what to do. They never did figure out what
    to do; it stayed 8 years in their basement until they moved to Florida.

    hmmm. it did look like basement grime. The chain was rusted but the
    wheels were still good.

    It's more reassuring to think it had been out of circulation for a
    long time rather than feeding the sleazy underground economy of crack
    heads, junkies and bike thieves.
    --
    zk

    Report
  11. Zoot Katz
    Archived post
    #11

    On Mon, 5 Nov 2007 19:27:45 -0600, "Mike Kruger"
    <[email hidden]> wrote, in part:

    Quoted message said:

    the bike was hidden in the
    basement while they figured out what to do. They never did figure out what
    to do; it stayed 8 years in their basement until they moved to Florida.

    hmmm. it did look like basement grime. The chain was rusted but the
    wheels were still good.

    It's more reassuring to think it had been out of circulation for a
    long time rather than feeding the sleazy underground economy of crack
    heads, junkies and bike thieves.
    --
    zk

    Report
  12. Jym Dyer
    Archived post
    #12
    Quoted message said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    =v= This is awesome. Did you notice whether this one was there?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jym/316984828/

    <_Jym_>

    Report
  13. Jym Dyer
    Archived post
    #13
    Quoted message said:

    Seeing a forsaken bicycle reunited with the person who loved it first
    gladdened my spirit. I felt blessed to be a witness.

    =v= This is awesome. Did you notice whether this one was there?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jym/316984828/

    <_Jym_>

    Report

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