STOLEN: Mercian 853 lugless

[bettybrew]

My Mercian road bike was stolen at the weekend fro Preston (could be anywhere by now).

It is a reynolds 853 frame in red, white and blue, lugless, Campagnolo Chorus components and Vento wheelset. As far as I am aware it is a one of a kind and should be distinctive enough if spotted.

This bike made me fall in love with cycling and we have won a hill climb and time trial together.

Please, please keep your eye out and help to reunite us.

Betty

 

[uphillstruggler]

best of luck with getting it back

 

[Blue Hills]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Definitely distinctive which might help if it was an "amateur" theft. Out of interest, how/where from was it nicked?

 

[bettybrew]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Definitely distinctive which might help if it was an "amateur" theft. Out of interest, how/where from was it nicked?

Stolen from my parents up in Preston, Lancashire. Its been in their shed for about a year whilst I moved to boat life & had no room for it. Desperately want to find it, so many happy memories with that bike. Really hoping it is easily spotted.

 

[Blue Hills]

Sorry to hear it - how secure was the shed/bike within it?

Don't mean to rub anything in.

Just wondering for folks' guidance I suppose.

Am from up your way - will keep a look out when in those parts.

Don't know if others have views on its fate.

Not likely to have left the country/been resprayed?

May be an amateur.

 

[lane]

You can set up a search on Ebay and Gumtree to flag similar bikes for sale. May not go up for sale for a few weeks so keep looking. Good luck.

 

[Blue Hills]

You can set up a search on Ebay and Gumtree to flag similar bikes for sale. May not go up for sale for a few weeks so keep looking. Good luck.

Good practical point.

There's also:


http://www.findthatbike.co.uk/


which allows you to set up alerts.

That site has a dual purpose.

Helps you to find your own nicked bike.

Or buy legit second hand bikes you are interested in - I have bought two or three thanks to it.

It's search engine covers ebay plus other channels.

 

[bettybrew]

I have already set up alerts via find findthatbike. Spread the word via facebook (checking on the marketplace too), twitter, instagram, work colleagues, old cycling clubs, forums etc

I don't think going into how was the bike stored is any use at this point, there were two bikes, they stole the lightest that they could lift easily over the high fence. It has happened, I'm understandably annoyed and frustrated but it was my parents home and they are gutted it has happened. All I can do now is keep my eye out and ask people to kindly do the same so I can maybe get it back. At the moment I cant afford a new bike, and sadly may never be able to replace this one if it isn't recovered.

 

[Blue Hills]

anything else nicked?

If so, suggests amateurs.

Also your supposition that they didn't know the quality of what they had taken.

Sounds like you have the bases covered.

Hope it all works out.

 

[bettybrew]

anything else nicked?

If so, suggests amateurs.

Also your supposition that they didn't know the quality of what they had taken.

Sounds like you have the bases covered.

Hope it all works out.

Unless they wanted to steal some uni artwork from years ago, a box of patched up emergency inner tubes and odd tire levers or an old wicker chair there wasn't much to steal. They got lucky, lets just hope I'm just as lucky and can hunt it down!

 

[e-rider]

a bit off subject here but I've never seen a Mercian like that before (and I've seen quite a few) - did you buy it new?

 

[bettybrew]

a bit off subject here but I've never seen a Mercian like that before (and I've seen quite a few) - did you buy it new?

Hi, no I didn't buy it new. I bought it off someone who got it direct from Mercian. I think he said it didn't fit him right. It honestly felt like that bike was built for me, it fit like a glove! So sad that it has gone, doubt I'll ever be able to afford to replace it, definitely cant replace the memories and journeys we had.

 

[fossyant]

Worth keeping an eye out as thats an unusual frame.

I have a Frank Herety SLX thats d-locked to a massive ground anchor. Its priceless to me as was built for me and has a custom paint scheme. I know how you must feel.

 

[bettybrew]

Worth keeping an eye out as thats an unusual frame.

I have a Frank Herety SLX thats d-locked to a massive ground anchor. Its priceless to me as was built for me and has a custom paint scheme. I know how you must feel.

I check every day without fail. I'm just hoping that it is still in one piece, I have a dreadful feeling that they will trash it (I had a previous bike destroyed when thieves tried to steal it, they bent the frame horrifically).

 

[Bonefish Blues]

It'll pop up at some point, I'm sure. Hard for the thieves to have stolen anything more distinctive!