Stolen bikes

Not sure where else to post this, but had a weird experienceriding back from track training last night. I was heading along Railton Road towardsBrixton, minding my own business. Then on an open bit of road with no traffic,another cyclist turned right across my path, fairly slowly, saying “Wheeeee!”. Itwas actually like he was trying to make me crash into him. I took evasiveaction, but was a bit shaken.

Then 30m or so down the road I came across another cyclist, who was just pottering about on what looked like a stolen bike (stealth black Quintana Roo,full Record, clicky clicky freewheel). I say it looked stolen because of how hewas riding it, the way he was dressed (cargo pants, long-sleeve jumper), andbecause it just wasn’t the sort of bike you’d be pottering around Brixton on of a Monday. He sort of hung around at the Atlantic Road lights, and then rolledoff in another direction.

So, a few questions: 1) Does anyone know this bike? 2)Has anyone heard of a group of bike thieves operating in this way in that area (Ifeel like I’d had a near miss, and that maybe the intention was for one guy tohit me and his mate(s) to nick my bike)? 3) Am I making too many assumptions about these guys?

This sounds very plausible. Thieves are known to work in gangs, happens a lot (or at least, used to) in De Beauvoir, Hoxton. Sounds like you called it right.