To liberate or not to liberate?

Liberate,

I just did sort of. On the way back through town i found a ladies bike missing it's wheels. Thought about it on the way home, turned around and went to get it.
It's going to be a late valentines present for my lady.

It needs mucho work but at least she'll know how much i appreciate her (she already knows how much i love collecting and building the damn things.)

LIBERATE.

There's a few bikes on Uxbridge road out west.. been locked to railings for ever. Missing wheels, etc. One under the rail bridge in Acton and one or two on Ux west of Askew Rd

One persons 'Abandoned' is another's 'Parked'
Don't go stripping my bike while I'm in the cinema please!

I think you're only at risk if the movie last 12 months..

On the Strand right near the courts there's a Peugeout that's been chilling for a good 7 months untouched and it's getting a bad shape. Bars are twisted, wheels are jacked but the frames top nick.

I kind of like it just sitting there..

I've been trawling eBay for a smaller frame for ages now, as some of you will know...

This morning I walked into the office and noticed a blue frame with a distinctive band on the seat-tube, and made a mental note to take a look later on. On my way out of the office about half an hour ago, I saw it out of the corner of my eye and so decided to take a look. Walking towards it I saw it was missing the seat and front wheel, and so simply thought the diligent owner had taken these parts off and taken them into the office with them. Lo and behold, when I got closer I saw the rear wheel was rusted, the tyre flat and the rear brake cable missing.

The kicker is the fact it was locked up... with a length of telephone cable.

Cue comedy moment where I walked away then came back, turning to go then coming back, umming and ahhing about what I should do. It's an unlocked frame in east London - I'm surprised it had lasted as long as a day.

Went inside again and asked reception if they knew anything about it. They say it's been there a month or more. Offered to keep it in my office for a week or so, and gave them my details if they needed to get in touch with me or the owner turned up. I've just printed off a message too asking them to contact me if it's theirs.

It's a heavy bugger, doesn't seem to be Reynolds or otherwise and has seen better days. At a guess of 50-52cm it's probably a little too small for me as well, but I like smaller frames and it can always be used as a beater or for tricky stuff.

I'm trying to work out if I should feel guilty though... Any ideas?

sounds well abondon.

sounds well abondon.

Now that's what I wanted to hear! Trying not to get ahead of myself, but I spent most of the journey home thinking about how I was going to build it up and spray it. I'm thinking risers and either a lime green or pink paint job, no brakes and maybe I'll see what I can do with the existing crank (some single ring cottered job) and try and source a rear wheel. Spacing looks like 120mm.

The funny thing is that it looks like it's been set up as a singlespeed already - there's a cassette on the back, but there's no rear mech (or hanger), and the chain's been shortened so it's on tight around one of the sprockets. I suppose I could always run it like that for a while, until I can get hold of a dirt cheap wheel. Then all I'd have to do is find out what the seatpost size is, and find a seat.

Anyone got any of the above going spare?

don't stick with the cottered crank.

There is a bike locked up bizarrely on my road about 20 meters from my house - it's stood vertically on its back wheel with the top of the frame locked to the lampost. Has now been there for almost a week & the back wheel is bend to f**k.

It's a pretty shitty Dawes racer & I think it's been abandoned but I can't work out why someone would go to the trouble of locking it - Arbus D-lock - if they are going to abandon it.

Am thinking of knocking on the doors around it/sticking some notes through doors to see if it belongs to anyone I then trying to free it. Anyone have any advice? I don't want to look like a bike thief (that sounds so dodgy even typing it) but if it has been abandoned am presuming if I phone the council they will just cut it free & bin it? Would make a good beater.

If it's got a bent rear wheel it could have been involved in an accident and the owner hasn't come back to claim it yet.

Or the wheel could have been smashed up by drunkards.

Probably the second one.

My own feeling is take it, but watch it for a couple of weeks more - I cycle through Richmond, and recently a load of bike have had labels stuck on them by the council saying they're going to be removed. Rather you have one of them than some council twat cut through the frame and bin them.

Scissor jack inside the D. have it off in minutes. Do it at night so none of your neighbours sees you/reports you.

So how do you go about libertating an abandoned bike? Will a hack saw get through a D-lock? There is bike down Mare street that has been there for about 3 months gathering rust and I thought I could fix it up for my sister=and=law.

Could I hacksaw through this?

look like it.

best thing is to go to the police FIRST, explain what you're doing and all that codswallop, that'll increase your chance of not getting arrested and convicted wrongly (especially since it's not your bike).

I've gone to them and they have given me conflicting respnses. One said that it is illegal and I could be arrested for handling stolen goods. Another time the PC ok'd it? I've left a note on in for about 3 weeks and have yet to here anything.

Friend of mine lost his key. Went down next day with a Fireman friend of his (in civvies). Fireman had big hammer and cold chisel and knew exactly where to hit the (top quality) D-lock.

Notes...

1. It flew apart first hit.
   
2. No-one paid any attention in busy town centre location.
   

Might take forever with a hacksaw.

Powertools FTW

just rescued this old step through pug. its been sat in the bike shed by my flats for 3years never moved just slowly rotting. liberated.

bike build for the missis

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Liberate! Liberate! Liberate! (If you get nicked you can just blame peer pressure)

Leave it.

Less than a week? Rider could be in hospital / broken leg etc after an accident. Might be away on holiday - anything really.

left a note by the bike rack with my name and flat number.so if they want it they can find me also was talking to someone who has lived in the block for 10 years she also had never seen it move.

Leave it.

Less than a week? Rider could be in hospital / broken leg etc after an accident. Might be away on holiday - anything really.

its not moved in 3 years, not 3 days. I would not just take it if it aint moved in 3 days thats theft not liberation.

iv had my eye on a bike for 2 years now (talked to some people and they think its been there longer)... its pretty rusty now few bits have been nicked..

I left a note on it about 6 months ago now, but I got nothing back.

I think I might take it next week. Does anybody have a good to go through 2cms of cable?