I found a bike

Walking to work this morning and I found an old steel tourer lying on the pavement. Looked pretty knackered but there was a d-lock around the rear-wheel/triangle and a newish set of lights on it.

Looks to me like some old-fella has locked it to itself thinking it's too old to be worth nicking (i'm in yorkshire so bikes don't grow legs like london).. then some junkie has carried it off for half a mile before getting bored and dumping it.

Ideally i want to get it back to the owner, but if I can't i'll keep hold of it for a pub-bike.

I rang both lbs in town this morning; one took my details and promised to pass on my number if anyone came in asking, the other didn't want to know and wouldn't even take my number.

My next stop will be the old bill. My question is should I take the bike along with me to police station and hand it over or am I best just telling them i've got it and leaving my details? As i mentioned the bike is not really worth much, i wouldn't want to have to go back in three months time if no-one claims it but i'm more than happy to keep it and wait for a phone call.? Anyone have experience of police lost-and-found?

I wish I could rememebr it, but there exists some kind of salvage provision in British law, as far as I remember (and this if for bikes locked to posts/railings etc) it is something like:

If you see a bike you think has been abandoned (it needs to look abandoned, not left by someone who has gone on holiday/into hospital - so missing tyres/rust/no back wheel etc), you can register your interest with the police, you then attach a note to the bike to this effect - if after a period of time (which I forget, perhaps a month) the bike is still unclaimed - get chopping.

I should really look up this area of legislation as it often comes up and I have seen a few bits and pieces I like going to waste.

Walking to work this morning and I found an old steel tourer lying on the pavement. Looked pretty knackered but there was a d-lock around the rear-wheel/triangle and a newish set of lights on it.

Looks to me like some old-fella has locked it to itself thinking it's too old to be worth nicking (i'm in yorkshire so bikes don't grow legs like london).. then some junkie has carried it off for half a mile before getting bored and dumping it.

Ideally i want to get it back to the owner, but if I can't i'll keep hold of it for a pub-bike.

I rang both lbs in town this morning; one took my details and promised to pass on my number if anyone came in asking, the other didn't want to know and wouldn't even take my number.

My next stop will be the old bill. My question is should I take the bike along with me to police station and hand it over or am I best just telling them i've got it and leaving my details? As i mentioned the bike is not really worth much, i wouldn't want to have to go back in three months time if no-one claims it but i'm more than happy to keep it and wait for a phone call.? Anyone have experience of police lost-and-found?

PS, it was cool of you to register it with your LBS, nice touch ! :)

My next stop will be the old bill. My question is should I take the bike along with me to police station and hand it over or am I best just telling them i've got it and leaving my details? As i mentioned the bike is not really worth much, i wouldn't want to have to go back in three months time if no-one claims it but i'm more than happy to keep it and wait for a phone call.? Anyone have experience of police lost-and-found?

Take it to poleeeeeees station. If no-one claims it within a month you can come and take it back again.

Although last time I tried it with an old Bianchi frame I found, they claimed no knowledge of it when I returned. So they'd either kept it and taken it home (possible) or skipped it (likely, since it looked a bit scruffy). I was gonna do it up.Bah

They also had a reynolds 853 racer in there. I wanted it. Lots. Should've have gone and claimed that instead. Steel is reel after all.

I've found two bikes, just recently... bit of paint, bit of elbow grease and a few bits off ebay and they've come up splendid..

There's an awesome (if haggard) peugeot about to be removed opposite the Royal Courts. It's sat there for over a year now and now has a police sticker on it saying that It will be removed in 48 hours.

Kinda sad to see it go, I see it everyday!

you found that? where?

4candles =

a 1978Claud Butler... which had been chucked out (the blue one)

and a 1935 New Hudson.. which i saw on a building site and the site agent let me have it once the purchace of the site was completed (the back one).

BUMP -

Guys I found a bike today. Riding into the entrance to our Business Park (slowly, met my colleague who was walking) I come across a bike leaning up against the wall. Clearly trick, Volume thrasher, huge tyres, chuckers, tiny chain ring etc etc. The bars and stem were out of line and the lock ring and cog have come off the hub, although, nothing looks stripped, just maybe not tightened up properly.

So I left a note stick to the wall with my number and took it up to the warehouse. I posted on Stolen Bikes this morning, No one has replied on the thread as yet.
I'm thinking either a trixter has come off his bike (for whatever reason) and was too fucked to walk it home.

Or a theif has pinched it, come off too and ditched it cos he can't ride it home.

Just had an update. A guys from the company next door wo was in at 7am today said he was having a piss in the bushes at the front of the business park (nice!) found it stashed and pulled it out.

Anyone know of someone hiding a bike in Crouch End last night??

Get in touch if you do..........

PM or Zero seven nine four zero 168 192

If you see a bike you think has been abandoned (it needs to look abandoned, not left by someone who has gone on holiday/into hospital - so missing tyres/rust/no back wheel etc), you can register your interest with the police, you then attach a note to the bike to this effect - if after a period of time (which I forget, perhaps a month) the bike is still unclaimed - get chopping.

If this was possible I would start cleaning up. I pass several pretty nice half-stripped bikes on my walk to the station each morning. Some have been there for a few months, a Klein frame has been there for over two years.

Whenever I'm out and pass a station I see several stripped frames that are worth a few quid, or would be if restored, that have obviously been sat there for ages with a cheap d-lock holding them in place.

I wonder what the oldbill would do if I started 'tidying up' bike racks around London of stripped frames.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2S6VwfHwpI

Take it to poleeeeeees station. If no-one claims it within a month you can come and take it back again.

Although last time I tried it with an old Bianchi frame I found, they claimed no knowledge of it when I returned. So they'd either kept it and taken it home (possible) or skipped it (likely, since it looked a bit scruffy). I was gonna do it up.Bah

They also had a reynolds 853 racer in there. I wanted it. Lots. Should've have gone and claimed that instead. Steel is reel after all.

I found a bike once (knackered rear wheel but otherwise ok and unlocked).

Called my local police station. They said Just keep it. Offered my details. No interest.

I kept it for a month or two then stripped off what usable parts I could and dumped the rest in the bin (some jalopy hybrid).

Dark red Elswick Hopper with 'Safeway' written on the downtube was seen in Wilberforce road two days ago and is now outside 74 Mountgrove rd, N5. The bike is believed to be stolen and then dumped in the rd. If you know the owner please contact Rob Sargent of Sargent and Co bike shop on 075two7 43zero 659 as he has put a lock on it to save it be taken again.

a 1978Claud Butler... which had been chucked out (the blue one)

and a 1935 New Hudson.. which i saw on a building site and the site agent let me have it once the purchace of the site was completed (the back one).

Dear God... what are you doing with the Hudson? Looks like a great bike... rather jealous... :P

Dark red Elswick Hopper with 'Safeway' written on the downtube was seen in Wilberforce road two days ago and is now outside 74 Mountgrove rd, N5. The bike is believed to be stolen and then dumped in the rd. If you know the owner please contact Rob Sargent of Sargent and Co bike shop on 075two7 43zero 659 as he has put a lock on it to save it be taken again.

Dear God... what are you doing with the Hudson? Looks like a great bike... rather jealous... :P

aparently its in the national cycle museam in mid wales... i love the handle bars.