TiHabanero

In 1986 I bought new a Fuji Touring Series V. Used it for a few tours and 24 hour challenges over 10 years and stashed it in the collection for a year, then sold it to a kid named Jason at the shop where I worked who needed it for a tour. He promptly lost the Primus pump on that tour. He used it for a few years, put a dent in the top tube and sold it a kid named Mike at the shop. Mike used it for one tour and in 2011 gave it to Al, who in the past had managed the shop I was managing at the time, and was now working part time at the shop doing events on the weekends. Instantly Al recognized it, and confirmed it was my bike originally. A week later Al presented me with what was left of the original bike. Frame, fork, headset, wheels. Craziest way to get a bike!

It is fully restored except for the tires, tubes, handlebars and saddle, which are to my preference. I had kept the original water bottle cages and rack that it came with, so there was no struggle finding those. Also had the correct derailleurs in my stash along with the barcons. My friend Jim, who also worked at the shop at that time, had a fresh Sugino AT crank that came from a Touring Series V of the same year.

All in all, it is my favorite restoration.

SpeedofLite 

Wait a minute.....are you saying you found the Primus pump?!
Nobody knows where those things go.
It's like a sock in the dryer or a dying elephant.

francophile 

Closest I've got is this frame that's passed through @-holiday76's and @Spaghetti Legs's hands. I've been holding out for a specific panto'd seat post and stem for it, but I have all the other parts to build it up. I'm one of those OCD people who prefers to have all the parts in-hand before building. Things take up less space while they're in parts so you can maximize quantity of stuff.

May not end up being as circuitous as OP's but it's a start.

gugie 

Nice to see a frame kept "in the family."

BTW, it's not so OCD to wait till you've got all the parts before building. I try to do that, and get upset when there's a bit I forgot. The whole process grinds to a halt.

TiHabanero

Sorry about that poorly worded sentence. The Primus pump is somewhere it should not be. It should be with the bike. When I had the bike the Primus pump stayed at home and a Zefal took its place as it is a better pump. Intentionally saved that pump as it was color matched by Fuji to the frame's head tube and seat sticker, and I knew there was no way to ever find a replacement. So unfortunate I did my part, but the others did not do theirs to save that thing. Oh well, at least the bike is once again being properly cared for. I toured on it once since getting it back, and it reminded me of why the Miyata 1000, which I also have, was the preferred off the shelf touring rig.

thinktubes 

Who's on first?

RobbieTunes

Of course it involves BF members. Namely @riva76 (or @riva, I honestly get them mixed up) and @gmouchawar.

Gabriel and I had been corresponding re Ironman bikes. (Did you really think I wouldn't have an Ironman story?) Anyway, he wanted my 59cm Carbon. In typical selfish fashion, I said "if you find me a 56cm..."

Darned if he didn't. In L.A. On CL. Out goes a call gor help. Trust enters the equation. Seller is a firefighter in NE L.A. and sort of skeptical.

@riva(76) answers my call for help. He considers the request to pick ot up and ship. Figured we'd cross each bridge one at a time. I pay the firefighter for the complete bike. Step 1.

@riva drives nearly 2 hours each way to get it, after giving the seller the code word. (RobbieTunes). Then he expains the size of L.A. Step 2.

Compensation time. @riva(76) is building a Miyata 1200 and needs a group. We trade his incredible service for whatever he needs from the Carbon. I get my desired F,F,HS, to my door. Step 3.

I ship my 59cm to Ganriel. Step 4.

But wait, there's more.

I build it for roading. I build a Miami Vice for tri's. I sell the Carbon to an Apple exec tri guy for "training." I drive two hours to meet him, he test rides and likes it. Days later, he says its too flexible. I agree. He doesnt want a refund. He wants the Vice. We trade by shipping.

So I get the Carbon back. Step 5.

Trust. Everybody happy.

gmouchawar

Thank you Robbie,

I still ride bike although slowed down on collecting due to space limitations. I ran out of space to stash bikes.
I believe I ended up with 2 Carbon frames from Robbie. I have one build and another in storage in the garage.

thumpism 

Not craziest, but how about disappointingest?

I bought a used Raleigh Sports 3-speed many years ago and was riding it in the alley behind the house when my neighbor spotted me and the bike and said she'd like to have a ladies' frame 3-speed to ride for exercise, so I told her I'd be on the lookout for one. Shortly after I found one at a yard sale, a beautiful PERFECT dark blue Sports which at that time was about 20 years old. Still had the nubs on the tires, not a scratch, shiny paint and chrome; freakin' pristine with a price tag of $25. I asked the lady, "Will you take twenty for it?" and she replied, "Yeah, I'll take twenty-four." Very clever of her, I thought, and who was I to argue so I went home and got the $24 and my truck. Popped the bike in the stand and checked it out, all the while regretting that I'd promised to find a bike for Cathy since this one was soooo nice and I really wanted to keep it, but...

I delivered the little Raleigh to her and got paid back and wished her well. Never saw her ride it but maybe it was my schedule. They later moved. Fast forward twenty years, by which time we'd also moved. Saw those folks occasionally but never asked about the bike and one day the husband asked me if I'd like to have it. Cathy never rode it and it was just taking up space. I went over to pick it up and was directed to a corner of the back yard where, in a snowdrift, the poor little Raleigh was leaning up against the fence. Looked like it had been outside for two decades, which it probably had been.

Fixed it up and had it here for a couple of years, then my wife gave it to her niece.

Broke my heart how that bike got treated.

gugie 

I'm still not quite sure what happened at the 2018 Seattle Bike Swap. @Andy_K and @Andy Antipas were involved. There was a frame to be named later, I think.



Pic shamelessly stolen from @Dfrost