Stolen: My Pride and Joy

Hello FGSS people.

I've not posted much recently. It's nothing personal :-) With finishing university, starting work, etc. I've not had much time for forum lingering. And as I spend all of my working days at a computer, I try to escape the screen during my free time.

I hate to mark my return with bad news, but last night my bike was stolen. This bike meant a lot to me and was a labour of love, borne from months of scouring this forum for advice and parts.

It was taken from a council bike stand outside the Southhampton Arms on Highgate Rd in Kentish Town (map)
It went missing at some point between 6:50pm and 9:20pm on Friday 9th July.
It was locked up with a reasonably good (but obviously not that good) Specialized lock. The flexible kind with various different 'cut-proof' layers.

The broken lock was not left behind and there wasn't any sign of damage to the bike stand, so I'm inclined to think it was someone a bit more professional than an opportunist kid.

I'm pretty shocked that someone took it from a busy street in broad daylight, but I guess that's just London.

I'm posting it up here in the hope that someone may spot it. If you do I would very much appreciate it if you could drop me a PM or an email at mister [dot] keating [at] gmail [dot] com

I will try to reward any help as much as I can.

Thank you all for looking.

IRO Mark V frame with a 'distinctive' paint job and a recognisable repair to the headtube which you can read all about here (check out the photos on the 2nd page)

Spinergy carbon front wheel (tubular). Currently has a 'Hudson Mohawke' sticker on it.

Rear wheel has a System Ex flip-flop hub with a 20t Condor sprocket on one side and a 16t Shimano sprocket on the other (both fixed).

Miche Primato cranks. The newer ones with the super-ugly 'Miche Advanced' chainring.

Bright red Time Atac pedals. I don't think they've made the red ones for quite a while. I've never seen anyone else with them anyway.

Ridiculous carbon super-over-sized MTB handlebars (cut down).

Black ITM Stem.

Black Fizik saddle.

Black FSA seatpost.

Generic Carbon road fork with aluminium steerer.

Miche 1/8 chain :-)

Thanks again.
Sam.

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ouch, sorry to hear that. that pub's right by a fucking shitty estate.

think I saw the bike yesterday cycling down kentish town road by the sainsburys wrong way down the one way bit. Not sure of time but it might of been earlier than stolen I'm sure you can rule it out if you know you were there. Sorry can't be of much help but I hope you get it back.

Ouch!

Looks quite spesh, so there's a chance of spotting it.

think I saw the bike yesterday cycling down kentish town road by the sainsburys wrong way down the one way bit. Not sure of time but it might of been earlier than stolen I'm sure you can rule it out if you know you were there. Sorry can't be of much help but I hope you get it back.

that would have been me in a hurry to get to maplin...
well spotted though! thanks for posting.

Fuck, sorry to hear.

Eyes are peeled, easy to spot.

Best of luck.

bad news and lovely bike.

You gonna check out brick lane tommorow morning early?

Back luck, Kentish Town is like the Wild West in places.

Slightly higher res image if it is any help

. . . also Friday 10th July = Friday 9th July.

It used to be 10th in 2009

I remember it well; outside the cop shop on Whitfield st. Good luck getting it back.

It was locked up with a **reasonably good **(but obviously not that good) Specialized lock.

The** flexible kind** with various different 'cut-proof' layers.

but good luck getting it back.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of bike theft in that area. The bike racks outside the lido are notorious for bike theives. Puts me off cycling there completely.

I hope you get it back, I am often round that area so I will keep a look out

Unfortunately, there is a lot of bike theft in that area. The bike racks outside the lido are notorious for bike theives. Puts me off cycling there completely.

I hope you get it back, I am often round that area so I will keep a look out

I really wasn't expecting it tbh. I work there and used to live there. Always seemed like a reasonably safe place.

Oh well... Off to brick lane now I think.

Not just brick lane try any localish Market

Not just brick lane try any localish Market

yep. good point.
pity i can't cycle around checking them out... :-(

that's unfortunate. good luck getting it back and keep your eyes peeled.

also, if you're ever at the SA they let you bring your bike in to the back, so no need to leave it vulnerable

that's unfortunate. good luck getting it back and keep your eyes peeled.

also, if you're ever at the SA they let you bring your bike in to the back, so no need to leave it vulnerable

I very nearly took it through to the back! It was busy out there on account of the sun though. Kicking myself now.

You down there often? It's become a favourite of mine since did it up.

bad luck, hope you get it back

Sorry to hear that.

Obviously you know this now, but for others...

I used to live across the road in Dartmouth Park off Chetwynd Road.

It was a really nice, desirable, expensive road (we got a bargain rental deal, could never have afforded it otherwise) and generally crime is very low but bike thefts and car break ins were rife. Basically because Gospel Oak is across the road - which is rough as - it's actually one of the most deprived areas in Europe.

Our next door neighbour had four bikes stolen before she gave up. They cut through an inch thick railing for one and used liquid nitrogen to break another. I'd never leave a bike locked up round there in the evening for long and always kept my bike inside.

I really wasn't expecting it tbh. I work there and used to live there. Always seemed like a reasonably safe place.

Oh well... Off to brick lane now I think.

good luck getting it baack :(

really hope someone spots it,
I think i remember seeing you ride around that area Grafton Road/Gospel Oak in the mornings during the week? (was about 8months ago though!)
eyes peeled, hope it turns up

really hope someone spots it,
I think i remember seeing you ride around that area Grafton Road/Gospel Oak in the mornings during the week? (was about 8months ago though!)
eyes peeled, hope it turns up

ahh, are you the guy with a blue(ish) bike / blonde hair?
moved house about 8 months ago, so i don't take that route any more...

i've had my eyes peeled on gumtree/ebay and round brick lane but still no joy :-(

WTF do they get liquid nitrogen from!? is it that easy to come by?

gutted about your bike hope you find it / them.

Our next door neighbour had four bikes stolen before she gave up. They cut through an inch thick railing for one and *used liquid nitrogen* to break another.

WTF do they get *liquid nitrogen* from!? is it that easy to come by?

Its not particularly easy to come by at all, because its got to be stored at 77 Kelvin (−196 °C; −321 °F). This obviously entails use of a special container even for transport of a relatively short journey. My dad is a retired veterinarian and a specialist in animal husbandry. He used to carry this stuff around, as bull sperm was kept in the "tank", at the right temperature.

I think the substance used might more likely have been plumbers' pipe freezing spray. There should have been no way to detect use of liquid nitrogen afterwards, as it would have dissipated rapidly and become just part of the air that we breathe - which is 78.09% Nitrogen.

Yeah I went to this museum when I was a kid they demostrated freezing a variety of things like bananas and I think a spoon or something, then tapping them with a hammer. I couldn't imagine a load of scallys walking around with a thermos of the stuff!