My beautiful raleigh - vandalised

[Andrew_Culture]

I knew of someone in Ipswich who was jumping up and down on a bike when the wheel spun causing him to defy gravity for a moment, when that brief moment passed he lost his front teeth to the crossbar.

Karma

 

[tyred]

Now I'm in a quandary. I was just about to post on here to see if anyone wants to make me an offer for the damaged bike as has decided I couldn't afford the wheels. However. Just found this in eBay which I could take the wheels from and out into the traveller.
http://m.preloved.co.uk/m/showadvert/105599390/raleigh-colette-ladies-bicycle.html

Anyone got any thoughts. I really. Any decide what to do.

That would work, and you get a nice period luggage bag, the sort of thing that often sells for 30 -40 quid on ebay. I would buy that, strip of everything useful and list the donor frame on ebay, you might even get your money back out of it. Loop type frames are in fashion at the moment.

Just double check with the seller that they are the same 26 x 1 3/8" wheel as there were 24" wheels used in some smaller frame sizes and I find it difficult to tell from those photos.

 

[tyred]

Looking at Jane's bike again, I would definitely put chrome rims on it again. It's too nice and original to mess about with.

 

[Janeyb]

Oh believe me - the spokes are definitely bent. this wheel is almost bent in half. I have no idea how they managed it.

 

[RaRa]

Very sorry to see whats happened, to me it looks like someone's jumped on it repeatedly. Mindless violence just to ruin what was obviously a loved and cared for item.
I hope you manage to get it back the way it was and have many more hours of happy riding.

 

[User269]

Bring back public flogging,

Bring it back? I thought we still had it in the West Country?

 

[Amanda P]

... the police are coming round which I'm surprised at. We reported it as there are CCTV cameras at the station aimed at the car park, bike rack area so we thought they might get the little sod as they did last time. But instead of just taking details they're on their way to inspect the bike even though we said it wasn't worth taking up police time. But who am I to argue.

This kind of scenario, in a rural area, suggests that the police have a pretty shrewd idea who might be to blame. It's always worth reporting stuff like this - I've been involved in a couple of cases where the local officer talks to the 'usual suspects' and obtains a confession quite easily. You might get some recompense yet - but don't expect too much in the way of corporal punishment....

Sorry about the bike, though. Hope you get it fixed. (You used to be able to get polished alloy rims that, in appearance, were almost indistinguishable from steel ones, but of course much lighter and better for braking).

 

[SquareDaff]

Sorry to see the damage these neanderthals have caused. I hate seeing a bike like this. Boredom is no excuse. Kids actually have a lot more to do today than we (I'm old) ever did, if they could just turn the current trend towards vandalism to looking for legal things to do.

 

[tyred]

Sorry about the bike, though. Hope you get it fixed. (You used to be able to get polished alloy rims that, in appearance, were almost indistinguishable from steel ones, but of course much lighter and better for braking).

I've seen them in 27 x 1 1/4" (and stilll available) but never in 26 x 1 3/8".

 

[steve keay]

I really hope you fix your bike up and enjoy riding it again

 

[growingvegetables]

Just a tuppennyworth - it's still a very handsome bike. And the photo shows how much love and care has gone into it. A fwiw - hang on to it. If you can't fix it up now, it's worth hanging on to until you can?

Be warned - do not trust my judgement. Years ago, an idiot in Frankfurt Airport drove his forklift truck into my beloved 12-string guitar. An Eko; built like a Russian tractor, and played like a dream.

And I carried that broken wreck around West Africa and back to Britain. I kept trying to find somebody with the skills to bring it back to life. Nada. The guys I took it to - took one look and said "no way".

Eventually - after 12 years (!) lugging the wreck around, I chucked it in a skip one weekend. Stupid, but I mourned its going.












And on the next Friday, met a luthier in a pub who KNEW my Eko 12-string, would be able to rebuild it, and would have done it for free just for the pleasure of bringing it back to life. Ah sh!t - sometimes life sucks.

 

[Janeyb]

:0). Thanks for that. I think I have to keep it for a while and decide what to do when I have the money. I'm having to spend a little in my road bike at present so can't do both. Thanks for that lovely story. My husband would understand that completely being a guitar nut.

 

[Psyclist]

Get a beater bike (basically a rusty old, unattractive bike which rides well) if you can - something that doesn't look nice and most likely, vandals won't bother, let alone thieves.

I'll be making a beater bike for riding up to town etc. for locking up for periods of time whilst my good bike stays at home and is only used for leisure/exercise.

This would be your best bet.

 

[roadracerash1]

Talking about old raleighs. Someone squashed my raleigh record sprint by reversing over it in their van. (i was still riding it at the time). .

 

[Enid Agnus Dei]

Why? just why?? It makes no sense at all and what a set of idiots.