Folding Bikes - Ultimate Folder Stolen!!!

On Sunday May 16, what is billed as the "Ultimate Folder" was stolen here in Portland, OR.

http://www.ufbusa.com/

It's a titanium Brompton being developed by a local gentleman and is shown in detail here:

http://homepage.mac.com/lenrubin/PhotoAlbum1.html

Should be fairly easy to spot online, or on the street.

Lou

I think there's a bike security lesson here somewhere, and it's not about bringing your folder in with you wherever you go...

http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/16/one-of-a-kind-folding-bike-stolen-in-sellwood/

it either shows up in the first month or it won't show up for a long time, since it would be sitting in someone's garage or bike chop shop.

I think there's a bike security lesson here somewhere, and it's not about bringing your folder in with you wherever you go...

http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/16/one-of-a-kind-folding-bike-stolen-in-sellwood/

What lesson are you learning from this? I assume robberies from yards are not unheard of in Portland. Was there an open gate, did they carry it over a fence, or were there bolt cutters involved?

If it was behind a high fence with reasonable security, then the lesson is "you can only do so much to secure anything from theft"

Personally, I don't leave my £500 bike outside, but I'm in London - theft and rain are both pretty common.

"It's like someone stole the Mona Lisa."

Mrs Rubin writes:

"Our house burned down and we lost everything (right after this titanium prototype was made) then - a few years later - our children were poisoned by the work of a painting contractor. I have spent the last four years trying to get the laws changed so other children are not poisoned as ours were. The new law was passed last month. We still have poisoned children and very few possessions and no money as a result of the costs of our fire loss and our children's poisoning. That bike - the key to our future - was our only thing of value."

News flash: "We just got word from two separate people who think they saw a homeless person on the SpringWater trail with it earlier today.... if you are headed down there please keep your eyes open - it was possibly sighted by the Ross Island Bridge. We're heading down on bikes right now."

mr. rubin reminds me the very important things in life

On Sunday May 16, what is billed as the "Ultimate Folder" was stolen here in Portland, OR.

http://www.ufbusa.com/

It's a titanium Brompton being developed by a local gentleman and is shown in detail here:

http://homepage.mac.com/lenrubin/PhotoAlbum1.html

Should be fairly easy to spot online, or on the street.

Lou

At the risk of sounding like an a$$, why would something so important be left unlocked outside in the backyard?

As a cynic and overall negative person, it seems to me like someone might have been seeking free publicity they knew they'd get - like how we are writing about it in this forum - by letting a "one-of-a-kind" titanium bike that this person has painstakingly worked on for years - if it got stolen...something smells fishy here...

I am in the bike industry and I know Mr Rubin or at least I think I know him .... he is somewhat quirky and doesnt fit in any mold.
I would certainly agree with above poster if this story came from me or Yan ... lol,
but I am pretty sure that this is truly a page out of Len Rubins life and he doesnt need this kind of advertising ...

( Now if he would built me a MU frame out of titanium ...... we could do some biz )
Thor

Even I don't leave my 20" folder in the yard although I lock it outside away from home. What's the point of the UFB if it's still not "ultimate" enough to keep inside your home?

I think the lesson here is that in order to be completely theft-proof a folding bike has to be easier to fold up and take inside than it is to leave unfolded. Obviously neither the tikit nor the Brompton nor even the UFB are compact and convenient enough. I think George Lin got it right with the Carry-me.

I am in the bike industry and I know Mr Rubin or at least I think I know him .... he is somewhat quirky and doesnt fit in any mold.
I would certainly agree with above poster if this story came from me or Yan ... lol,
but I am pretty sure that this is truly a page out of Len Rubins life and he doesnt need this kind of advertising ...

( Now if he would built me a MU frame out of titanium ...... we could do some biz )
Thor

Hey Thor. It just seems rather strange to begin with since as i understand it, titanium is an extremely difficult metal to work with even for factories, as it hardens quickly and once it does, cannot be bent/shaped. This makes me wonder how someone working in their house could be able to actually work with this substance.

I've read about this bike in the past. Sounds like too expensive a design for daily commuting. Might work for someone having to give up their Mercedes 500 sedan, or something like that, but not for the average Joe.

If a homeless type is out riding it on the Springwater Corridor (per the Bike Portland.org site), it won't stay missing for very long.

Lou

It's quite remarkable to see how the online community is responding to this. Mr Rubin is widely castigated as a fool, but very few condemn the theft or the thief. We shrug and say, "well, that's how it is and Rubin is an idiot for not locking a bike up in the sanctity of his own property" A few on bikeportland . org threaten violence if the thief is caught with the bike. Nerds ignore the social injustice and immorality of the act, and talk about the metallurgy of the bike. Others ponder its suitability for commuting, or whether the Rubins are seeking self-publicity and stole it themselves. Mrs Rubin believes it's "the homeless" - a euphemism for something or other.

Consumerism is now more important a conversational topic than morality.

What a shallow, cyncical, self-obsessed and judgemental world we are creating.

well I know you are right Snafu
I dont think however its all THAT bad to question somebodies logic to have a very very expensive folding bike and than leave it outside.
My other point is ... as long as we are talking about it it will stay on top of the forum and more people will read it and maybe are helpful to retrieve it. So even a negative remark will maybe make a difference. And it might make us think how we act with our bikes the next time around...
I dont read it that folks are making fun or badmouthing Len
:-)
Thor

update:

http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/18/after-sightings-posse-will-roll-out-to-find-stolen-bike/

Interesting story and I don't have too much to add to the theft portion. Only thing I'll say is that such a public response with the bike theft hitting the media is that it'll likely get tossed in the water or something by the offender if they find out its such a hot item. But I hope the bike is recovered by the owners.

As to titanium.....I used to work on the F-14 Tomcat A to D modification program and did extensive work with Titanium and other high strength steels. Titanium is undoubtedly harder to work with but can be drilled and worked with some common shop processes such as by using cutting oils as a coolant.

Big problem with titanium and drilling is that it will absorb gases when it's heated which make it very brittle around the worked area. Consequently when this is done the titanium can fail catastrophically.

I personally would never own a titanium bike due to this and how much cracked titanium I've seen in my life (on aircraft). But that's just me and it shouldn't sway somebody from getting a titanium bike because some guy on the internet who used to drill titanium doesn't trust it.

John

I really hope they find the bike and it gets returned to the owner. I couldn't help but notice though, $200 reward for prototype bike? Seems a bit stingy. I wouldn't accept the reward myself, but if you want to appeal to somebody to give the bike up, you need to make an offer somewhat enticing, don't you think?

I really hope they find the bike and it gets returned to the owner. I couldn't help but notice though, $200 reward for prototype bike? Seems a bit stingy. I wouldn't accept the reward myself, but if you want to appeal to somebody to give the bike up, you need to make an offer somewhat enticing, don't you think?

I don't recall the details of the Rubin's life. But my memory is that they have had some hard luck along the way. And I think that their kids have suffered some sort of misfortune as well.

Well, I find the whole reward thing strange, every time I hear about it (not just in this case). Why should somebody get a reward for returning what's not theirs to keep? I can't imagine ever accepting that, but that's just me.
I really do hope they find the bike, and it will still be in good shape.

(Thank you Thor, points noted)

Lucille: "Why should somebody get a reward for returning what's not theirs to keep? " It stimulates others to seek the 'borrowed' item. The Bounty Hunter mentality. Of course, the finder doesn't have to accept the reward. I lost my wallet with £200 cash in it a few years ago, had four credit cards in there too. It was found by the local Scouts who called me and when I went along to collect it said that they could not accept a reward for honesty which should be part of the human condition.

So moved by this was I - I gave them the £200 cash as a formal donation towards repairs for the Scout hut. Everytime I drive past it I'm reminded of the glow that honesty brings.

The bike is obviously very important to the Rubins. After some years of misfortune they have pinned their hopes on it to secure their future So it has become an icon of Future Hope. Let us implore the "borrower", should they appear on here, to give the bike bike. AT ONCE! (wags finger)

I think the reward is geared to the usual meth user who steals bikes for 50 bucks or a bag ( bag ? what do I know ?) of poison. Those guys "trade in" any bike for 50 bucks flat rate .... therefore 200 is a very good deal for them to try to cash in the money for themselves. Every upstanding and mildly clear thinking individual would not accept the 200 bucks of course.

Lets hope that the bike is found.
Every police station, fire station ( they usually provide divers for rescue ) should have a pic of the bike, just in case the guys go in the water for a search ( or training ) they might find it in the process .... Do you have any scuba shops or clubs around ? They sometimes make a weekend to clean the streams and rivers ....
Fisherman come to mind as well.....

They should know about the missing bike. Just in case the thief found out that the bike is hot.. very hot ...

Thor

Wow, Portland is an interesting place. Lots of people seem to be concerned about the safety of a mysterious homeless person who allegedly stole the bike. They don't want the police involved for fear of violence.

I tend to agree; if the donut munchers decide to sling lead they might hit the bike. Stop violence against bikes now!

Wasn't so long ago they hung horse theives out west.

Portland's fixations with nudity and biking make it an attractive place. Unfortunately it seems to be attracting the wrong crowd: bums and theives.

Wow, Portland is an interesting place...Portland's fixations with nudity and biking make it an attractive place. Unfortunately it seems to be attracting the wrong crowd: bums and theives.

I guess the nudists there have stiffened their resolve and publicly taken a stand to deal with clothing thieves...

Lucille:
I do understand the concept, believe it or not, but thanks for the explanation. And the touching story.

i think its pretty cool that people are banding together to find the bike. obviously it's only something material and can be replaced, but it has greater value to the owner in more ways that material

Incredible... It seems like Len's life has one tragedy after another. If the bike is never found, I think it's time for Len to close this chapter in his life and start something new. One thing is to go after your dreams but there comes a time when you just have to walk away.

Incredible... It seems like Len's life has one tragedy after another. If the bike is never found, I think it's time for Len to close this chapter in his life and start something new. One thing is to go after your dreams but there comes a time when you just have to walk away.

Not to beat a dead horse, but if it was so important, why wouldn't the bike have been secured somewhere safe?

I think its a little over the top as well if somebody says he worked on this project for 30 years and its worth 500 000 grand .....and than leaves it un attended... that indeed doesnt reim .....

Its a different Brommy clone after all... maybe a little better... maybe not enough .... the material is cool .. but I would never built a test mule out of titanium cause its difficult to change things around... for a test bike a good set of steel tubes is just fine . When you get it done you can built in titanium.

The market for a 5000 dlr folding bike is very very very small. Even at 2000 dlr the air gets real thin in a hurry....the folding bike also misses a lot of details which in my understanding would make such an expensive bike viable ....
( like disc brakes, a better ( higher) position for the derrailleur, or the powssibility to use it as a single speed, or internal speed driven bike ) As it is..... its pretty much a modded Brommy for one purpose only ....

I might be a little pushy here, but the comments about half a million bucks and 30 years of life work and such got me a little miffed. After 30 years and that much cash I am expecting something more. HAving set that and surely put my foot in my mouth again I surely hope they get the bike back ....

Thor

It's quite remarkable to see how the online community is responding to this. Mr Rubin is widely castigated as a fool, but very few condemn the theft or the thief.
I think it's pretty clear that no one approves of property theft. We also realize the thief is not going to feel much guilt, no matter now many people on the Internets decry the foul deed. There's really almost no point in stating the obvious here.

While I can't speak for others, and I do not know all of the details: I concur that it is patently absurd to leave an irreplaceable, unique, one-of-a-kind, prototype for your "future business" sitting unattended, unsecured and uninsured in your backyard. Don't own a bike you can't afford to lose, especially in a town where bike theft is downright rampant.

I.e. I for one don't have much sympathy for this individual, and this should be a reminder/warning to people to have a little bit of common sense with a highly portable, expensive and frequently stolen class of object.



What a shallow, cyncical, self-obsessed and judgemental world we are creating.
What are you, new? :D

We've been living in a "shallow, cynical, self-obsessed and judgmental world" for thousands of years. Go read some of Juvenal's Satire VI if you don't believe me. ;)

"We've been living in a "shallow, cynical, self-obsessed and judgmental world" for thousands of years. Go read some of Juvenal's Satire VI if you don't believe me"

Indeed, but we don't have to condone it, nor add to it with decrying personal sarcasm garnished by smilies if we disagree with someone. A cynical and juveniile peculiarity displayed by your post, I believe, to again state the obvious. Much of European society has levered itself above cynical peer-group judgement since the 1st century AD. Things may be different in Oregon.

"There's really almost no point in stating the obvious here."

"Almost no point?"

So you agree that there is some? Alas, Judging the Rubins for somehow 'attracting' misfortune is not the work of intellect.

The Rubin's case has become an international cause célebre. It made Google news in Europe yesterday, the Quest for the World's Most Expensive Bicycle. It will be at the bottom of the river by now, perhaps. Theives don't always have a conscience. But that is also to pre-judge. We have to wonder if it was insured, and hope for its return. Its value to the Rubins is obviously greater than the value 'of a bicycle'.

Most of us do not live in Portland. I'm not going to rend my clothing, and rub ashes into my skin because someone I don't know a long way away from me had a poorly secured bicycle stolen. If I'm going to get upset about the fates of strangers, I will worry about political prisoners, or the on going tragedy in Darfur or whatever the hell is going on in Bangkok.

Or mega litres of oil pouring into the gulf.

Or bankers pocketing billions while collapsing the world economy and perhaps destroying the euro.

Or a women killed (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23826930-artist-with-world-at-her-feet-killed-on-bike-hit-by-oxford-street-bus.do) by an apparently aggressive or incompetent bus driver on a stretch of road that is sometimes part of my commute.

If I wanted to work my self into a paroxysm of grief out the world falling apart around me, I'd read the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/).

You can certainly use this theft to bemoan the state of the world. I'll use it to teach me lessons about keeping my bicycle safe.

... and ponder how someone can spend 30 years and hundreds of thousands to come up with a ... Brompton. Hasn't someone else already invented that?

joan

Most of us do not live in Portland.

... and ponder how someone can spend 30 years and hundreds of thousands to come up with a ... Brompton. Hasn't someone else already invented that?

joan

To quote a bumper and bike sticker seen quite often around here:

KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD!


Lou

it either shows up in the first month or it won't show up for a long time, since it would be sitting in someone's garage or bike chop shop.

Sad, but true. That is the fate of stolen bikes everywhere.


What lesson are you learning from this? I assume robberies from yards are not unheard of in Portland. Was there an open gate, did they carry it over a fence, or were there bolt cutters involved?

If it was behind a high fence with reasonable security, then the lesson is "you can only do so much to secure anything from theft"

Personally, I don't leave my £500 bike outside, but I'm in London - theft and rain are both pretty common.

Sounds like drifting on into the "nice neighborhood" belief that many people still believe in. Fences slow down people, but not necessary will stop them from hopping over. Ask any high school kid who climbs over a very high fence and goes wandering about in the surrounding neighborhood.


"It's like someone stole the Mona Lisa."

Mrs Rubin writes:

"Our house burned down and we lost everything (right after this titanium prototype was made) then - a few years later - our children were poisoned by the work of a painting contractor. I have spent the last four years trying to get the laws changed so other children are not poisoned as ours were. The new law was passed last month. We still have poisoned children and very few possessions and no money as a result of the costs of our fire loss and our children's poisoning. That bike - the key to our future - was our only thing of value."

News flash: "We just got word from two separate people who think they saw a homeless person on the SpringWater trail with it earlier today.... if you are headed down there please keep your eyes open - it was possibly sighted by the Ross Island Bridge. We're heading down on bikes right now."

Here is another "blame the homeless or transient" bashing I have seen on the media. Why not just blame a "sacred cow" group that is not included on the list on the Bike Portland.Org Blog too? Because it is considered to be "politically incorrect" and not nice? Or their numbers and their organizing creates a shield even against the laws on the book?


Incredible... It seems like Len's life has one tragedy after another. If the bike is never found, I think it's time for Len to close this chapter in his life and start something new. One thing is to go after your dreams but there comes a time when you just have to walk away.

If he is what he claims is in financially, he might join the same Portland based homeless and transient population soon that is alleged bike thief (remember quickly accused of but not proven to be responsible of this particular theft) is supposed to be a member of. Where do you think many of these people came from? Many people are one personal disaster, one paycheck away, one mental/physical illness away from being out in the street. So just "walking away" is not a real option for these same people.

"....The bike was seen being ridden by what people reported as "transients/homeless people" on the Springwater Corridor Trail in the Johnson Creek area between Sellwood and outer Southeast Portland.

Tamara says they plan to roll out with as many volunteer posse members as they can round up to patrol the Springwater from 3 to 6pm this afternoon. "We'll plan on spreading out along the corridor and staying in touch via cell phones."

Pizza, beer, and hopefully a recovery celebration will follow...."-http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/18/after-sightings-posse-will-roll-out-to-find-stolen-bikehttp://bikeportland.org/2010/05/18/after-sightings-posse-will-roll-out-to-find-stolen-bike/ (http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/18/after-sightings-posse-will-roll-out-to-find-stolen-bike/)

And what is this nice Middle Class Posse supposed to do once they find the bike? Hit the thief over the head with their cell phones? Tackle the thief and dogpile on top of him/her? Give a group hug? Either way have a party afterward? I think something very important is missing here and it is not just the bike.

I am sometimes a little skeptic about FF posts ... but she is right on with this one ....
I hated to see that "people" said it was a homeless.... geez if they saw him why not call the police I wonder ...cannot be THAT difficult to follow somebody on a bike...

and who is "people".... if whats wrong to say that Mr Jones or Mrs Smith have allegedly seen ...

This posse is WAY out of my range as well.... thats what the police is for.

I dont get the party either. if they have a tuff time, its time to look for a job ( or better job) instead of throwing a party. I know that it is not easy but in the time you do that party somewhere out there is somebody who steps into "his" new job.

Thor


p.s.
Besides its not anybodies "right" to live in Portland, ( its a choice ) which is super super expensive .
..oohhh soo trendy ..... but very very expensive.
You can rent a house for 300 bucks around here.
Not a nice house, but a good place to live and work try that on the left coast.

I got into folders when my bike was stolen at work. It was chained and under the lens of a video camera.
I think it is wrong to place the blame on the victims of a crime. If someone's determined to get your property, they'll find a way. I know Portland's a special place; I saw a post where someone said not to call the police b/c they didn't want the thief to be treated like a criminal... they rather suggested gently confronting him and exchanging the stolen bike for some food or perhaps another bike...

I find that sort of compassion to be unbelievable. Anyway, on that site, it looks like they have a lead so perhaps this will have a good ending after all.

Trust me, Portland's not that special, it's really quite provincial and it gets tiresome after awhile

I quite enjoy the spread of opinion this thread has generated. On national radio (UK) last week was a piece about a guy who found a pair of tickets for the soccer world cup some years ago on a hotel foyer desk. He appropriated them, and enjoyed the game. The show had two emails this week, one castigated the thief for moral turpitude, the other praising him for his quick thinking.

I know Portland's a special place; I saw a post where someone said not to call the police b/c they didn't want the thief to be treated like a criminal... they rather suggested gently confronting him and exchanging the stolen bike for some food or perhaps another bike...
Thank you! I've got a wonderful image in my head. The "posse" are carrying water bottles and yoga mats, and approaching the transient (who looks like Nick Nolte) with pieces of food, trying to coax him away from the bike like luring a kitten out of a tree. Or holding an alternative bike, saying "it's much nicer. Look, it's red!"

Portland is special.

Does anyone have Len's email address? I will like to add $200 to the reward and I encourage others to do the same.

Thanks,
Yan

Does anyone have Len's email address? I will like to add $200 to the reward and I encourage others to do the same.

Thanks,
Yan

It's here:
http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/16/titanium-ufb-one-off-handmade-titanium-prototype-ufb-looks-like-a-brompton-na/

NEWSFLASH, Selwood, (http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/16/one-of-a-kind-folding-bike-stolen-in-sellwood/)Portland - today

"we got a call at 11:17 pm and a call back at 11:19 both calls are from a blocked number and the gentleman left a voicemail (which I just got this morning) He said he has the bike and he will call back (it was a gruff voice - seemed like an older man in his 60s or 70s)"

yikes.

Found!

http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/25/after-dogged-search-sellwood-couple-gets-stolen-bike-back/

Lots of lessons to be learned from this, I'm sure Rubin has jotted down a few. I'm happy he had his bike returned, and it was mostly intact. Lot's of spot on comments in this thread about having your eggs in one basket, failure to document your ideas, and securing your most valuable things, you are a wise bunch. Seems like the true hero was the guy who returned the bike and his friend who pointed out that the bike was the one from the news coverage. The news media in Portland also deserves credit for their service in covering the story, that wouldn't happen in every city.

These kind of happy endings don't happen everyday, that's kind of sad, but we have to take them when we can!

that is indeed great ..

Now Len if you read this
get this monster built and I will sell them for you ...( besides others of course I hope )
( no Moratti cranks or stuff like that of course ..lol )

Thor

And I would probably seriously consider buying one. But at the rate Len Rubin is moving on this, it might be another decade or so...

FYI: 82nd crosses the Springwater Corridor bike path. We drove past there today on our way back from Clackamas Town Center.

Note to self: Begin frequenting the Pawn Shops on 82nd - a titanium Brompton for the price of my Dahon S1 would be a great deal!!!

Glad he got his bike back and it seems he couldn't have paid for more media attention for his product...:thumb:....now he just needs to get something ready for sale.

Found!

I am so happy to read such a reunion story is still possible in this new world. It is far better way of bike recovery than I expected in this case. I hope the bike is now treated more like a valued possession it truly is and this unfortunate family's luck finally is turning around for the better.

Hurrah. Every cloud has a titanium lining.

Seconded!
I need a few years though to save up before I can buy one of his bikes!

Found!

http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/25/after-dogged-search-sellwood-couple-gets-stolen-bike-back/

Thanks for sharing.

Congratulations to Len Rubin!