SpiderMike

So my fiance decided she was going to rearrange the apartment. Since then I have been looking for stuff. I finally asked her if she has seen (insert part name here). I had to describe some of the items. She had put some here, some there. SOME WENT INTO THE TRASH. When I found out that she had thrown away the handlebar mount for my cygo lite, and my bottom bracket tool (the one for the 1-pc cranks) I just want to ARRRRGHHH. I didn't I just aske her that next time to just pile up what she isn't sure about for me to look through.

I am just wondering if any has had bike parts find their way to the landfill due to a loved one or roommate?
If so what is the worst thing you have lost?

hi565

Its more of I hide it not intentially, and i cant find it and i yell at my self because i am so stupid nto to make a pile so i can go through it and decide what i should throw away. I have to start taking those pills again.

tulip

ouch, yeah. they don't understand what things are, so if it looks useless to them, out it goes. Luckily I have recently moved into a house, and I have my own bike and garden workshop. Nothing gets touched in there except by me. It's a tougher situation in a smaller space.

I also reorganize things when I get restless. But I've learned the hard way which things are hands-off (not bikes, but books, CDs, and guitar thingies--they look useless to me, but I leave them alone).

DanO220

Man, I pity you. As frustrated as my wife might get with my growing debris field of bikes, tools, components and related stuff, she definately knows better than to ever throw anything away. Can you imagine if the tables were turned and you pitched the 'triple one-pearl-two-pearl head to her automatic knitting machine or the extra sent pods to the aromatherapy module?! I dare say the neighbors would be able to hear her protestations.

One sure-fire way to correct this situation is to make certain that special someone realizes just how much anything cycling related costs. My baby does, so she settles for pestering me to tidy up myself when the debris field starts to creep out of bounds.

DanO

pedal

My ex-room-mate once threw out all of the nuts and bolts hardware for my rear shock on my downhill bike. He pooped his pants when he got the bill I gave him after I had the LBS order me new ones.

SpiderMike

When I tried to explain to her that the "little yellow tool"(aka Pin Spanner SPA-4)was for the overhaul/restore of her bike... I just kept repeating "This is not a guilt trip"

Sebach

My girlfriend "rearranged" my bike gear and moved my gear from its normal shelf, and put it down within reach of my 4 month old puppy. So I lost my gloves, helmet, some cabling and other things to my puppy's compulsive chewing (which she has since grown out of). I'm not sure but apparently it was my fault for "not putting my **** away and out of sight where it wouldn't be cleaned up" or something like that. Nevermind that I used my helmet/gloves daily for my commute (hence the convenient location) and the decorative porcelain junk that took its place serves NO function at all. Now my "do-not touch list" (which includes computers, books, wires, tech-looking stuff - which is why she moved everything except my wireless bike computer, lol) has expanded to include bike-related stuff. However, I'm still working on getting "anything you don't own by yourself" added to that list though

spinhappy

OHMYGOD!!! You have got to have a talk with that girl. Next time she gets in a cleaning mode, if she doesn't know what to do with a gizmo, it needs to go in a box for YOU to sort out, not in the trash.

You must love her.

roadfix

Nothing serious, but my wife has thrown out grundgy looking water bottles. Among them were two sets of brand new Campy aero water bottle/cages.... nothing serious...

Portis

One problem might be that you are in an apartment. More space might help. I have my own area for my bike stuff out in the garage and nobody is to touch it. Trust me, once you are married, your wife will be more careful what she throws out.

Once she realizes that you are going to go out and buy new to replace whatever she throws out, she will be damn certain she doesn't touch a thing.

55/Rad

My wife tossed a brand new computer a year ago last Christmas. It was a gift and was in a brown bag with some other papers. Never saw it again.

The good news was that it wasn't a model I really wanted but I still could have exchanged it, sold it or traded it for whatever Carole Merrill had to offer.

55/Rad

EnigManiac

To those of you who have had girlfriends or wives discard your bike components, etc., I am sorry to advise but you must leave them/divorce them. I realize this may impact your sex life and might even affect you emotionally, but console yourself with the righteous justification that SHE TOUCHED YOUR BIKE STUFF! AND THREW SOME OF IT AWAY! No self-respecting, left-wing, eco-minded, fitness-obsessed judge, male or felamle, will fault you in divorce court either.

My wife hates it when I bring my bikes in the house and doesn't seem to understand that they get cold in -22c temperatrures in an uninsulated garage and are safer and happier in the basement near the fireplace and the tv. And I do keep them all together so they aren't lonely. I may have to divorce her, considering I spend more time with them than I do her. She already suspects I like their company better. And, she even caught me on the computer drooling over a new model I've been admiring and considering adding to my little bike harem.

Cyclist0383

I had a bunch of stuff in storage in my Father's place. I live overseas and was shipping it as money allowed. My Father was visiting me, and thank God he brought my Torelli cyclocross with him. A buddy of mine calls and tells me that there is a DUMPSTER outside my Father's place with a bunch of my stuff is in it. My Father's girlfriend is "cleaning up" while he is on the other side of the world! My buddy fishes out a bunch of my stuff for me, but lost was a Murray Cosmic Flyer, with original paint. I bought it off a drunk for $10.

Also lost was a Brooks saddle, several beaters, and God knows what else. I haven't been back to the States to see all the carnage...

CAAD5AL

Not for nuthin, but I think you were too kind! Throwing out your stuff was a power trip of sorts, whether you recognize it yet or not. . .

Portis

Yeah, i kinda got that out of the thread too. I think you have a problem with the pants. Your fiancee seems to be wearing them. You may want to correct that or prepare for a life of hell.

EventServices

This thread might transmogrify into a therapy session.

I've seen seemingly normal people do some strange things to gain control.

I would never ever consider throwing anything away that didn't belong to me, but that might all change if I were made to feel threatened by some outside source (such as cycling).

And then again, some people have no qualms about throwing other people's stuff away.

CAAD5AL

I had the same fear as soon as I posted! I didn't mean to point fingers or anything, just stuff like that can be a bit more passive-aggressive than just absent minded, from personal experience! Should have bitten my tongue . . . (or fingers, as it were)

Swiss Hoser

Funny you should ask, Spider Mike.
I bought a second wheelset for my MTB, and I didn't see the need for my wife to discover this sporadic purchase just yet. I therefore hid the wheels somewhere in my workshop.
Soon after, my wife came into the shop and saw me removing knobbies and installing slicks. She said" You know, if you had a second wheelset, you wouldn't have to be changing tires all the time"
I sat bolt-upright and stared straight ahead. How could I argue with such wisdom? What a sweetheart she is.
One week later, the new wheels came out of hiding.

CAAD5AL

Haha - think maybe she found them already, and was letting you off the hook? That's the kind of "noncycling loved one" we ALL need to find!

Swiss Hoser

Actually, I was quite proud of how well I hid those wheels.
If, as you speculate, my wife had actually found them, then I am truly a lucky man.

Mr.Endo, Esq.

No big deal, just start over. Supermarkets are a great place to meet chicks.

clausen

I have to say I got a good one . Never tossed anything out and actually has incouraged me to buy new bikes two years in a row . I'm sure the bill is eventually going to be served but in the meantime I'm just ejoying it.

Evil_Gilligan

Clearly you need to twist the knife with each and every thing you discover missing ... Such as "That's fine honey, it was a $35 tool ... guess we're eating in tonight!" or "I'd love to go to a movie, are you paying? I've got to replace X part that you tossed." Since the bike is one of a few things that stands between our lean, olympic bodies we have and getting beer guts then our better halves had damn well remember to maintain the investment.

BTW, to all of you whose spouse / GF said "well, its your fault for leaving it where it needed to be picked up!" I genuinely feel sorry for you and am here when you get your divorce - that ***** can't last long. First your bike stuff, then everything else that is NOT important to her goes. Hope you like floral everything ...

Trust me, second wives are MUCH more understanding. (grin!)

twisteroo

A couple of weeks ago I bought a brand new mavic wheelset at a local thrift store for $10.00, thank you someone's wife.

2manybikes

What landfill did they go to?