hotbike

About ten months ago, I found a BMX bike. It's a Raleigh Pro Reflex, model year 1987.
I cleaned it up a bit, using acetone to remove black spray paint. I found a Registration sticker from Chautaqua, New York, and emailed the Mayor's office to see if the bike had been stolen. I got an email back from the secretary, who said she checked with the chief of Police, and he said I was in the clear, and I could keep the bike.
Two months ago, I sold the bike for fifteen dollars, to an individual who needed a bicycle for his thirteen year old son.
Last night, I was coming in through the basement garage of my apartment building, and I saw the SAME EXACT BIKE, leaning against a steel column.
I tried to contact the man I had sold the bike to, but he is out of town. I talked to his friend who said I should lock the bike in my apartment, so it doesn't get stolen.
So that's what I did. I now have the bike back.
In the meantime, the rear tyre was flat due to dry rot. (1987 model is 22 years old, original tyres)
So I replaced the tyres today.
I am waiting for the man to return to town so I can ask him what happened. It's very odd that the bike found it's way back to me.
I put two new cyclepro "made in Japan" tires on the bike, that cost eight dollars each.(they look like "snake-bellys" tread pattern, if anyone remembers those). I have only recieved eight of the originally agreed upon fifteen dollars (installment plan).
The original tyres had terrible dry-rot, and I don't want anyone to get killed. The sidewall was gone, about one inch by three inches.

Should I make the guy pay for the new tires? Or should I tell him I reposessed the bike, on account he didn't pay?

Allen

Is it for his kid?
If the kid still wants it, what's a couple of bucks?
If the kid doesn't want it, find another to give it to.

phantyk

Installment for 15 bucks? I say give it to the kid, if he can't manage to pay 15$ he probably needs that bike.

brokenknee

I also say give it to the kid, after all he was nice enough to return it when he couldn't come up with the rest of the money. (Or maybe he changed his mind, who knows until you talk to him.)

kidonabike

I say give it to him. $15 probably isn't the end of the world to you but if he's paying installments on it it's probably a big deal for his kid.

xenologer

Why?? are you spending money fixing up bikes that are Not yours? Especially spending more than the value of the bike itself??
Seriously, when I see bikes in the racks with major safety issues like underinflated tires, no pads on front brake, etc I do not stop and fix them; they are not my problem.

You already sold the darn thing, its not yours anymore, don't mess with it.
The fact that he's still making payment installments(lol 15$) doesn't change this.

black_box 

i'd figure out why the bike was returned. for the flat tire, or he couldnt do more payments? if it was the kid actually making the payments, i'd try to work out another arrangement to cover the cost of the tires and the $7 he still owes you. have him wash your car, cut the grass, or clean something? maybe a partial refund if they just don't want it anymore and they're hard up for cash.

Retro Grouch 

That's what I suspect too. Anything else would be too much of a coincidence.

Unknown Cyclist

Maybe he got sick of only having one gear ?

Sirrus Rider

Damned Fixies!

hotbike

Thanks for the replies.

I know the people I sold the bike to, and I usually see him at least once a week. They are out of town for the time being, so this will all get straightened out when they get back.

Maybe the kid didn't like the bike. He has a weight issue, and wasn't really looking forward to doing any kind of exercise.

Anyway, the bike was only half paid for, so I feel it would be within reason to "repo" the bike. It could've/would've gotten stolen where it was.

The bike probably was "returned", and I must've missed a message, so I didn't know about it.

Unknown Cyclist

There's something strange about this....

Found ? I hope the original owner didn't come back to find it was missing.

It was ok to sell the bike with these tyres on initially, but you couldn't leave them on once you had 'found' it for a second time ? Why change them until you had ascertained whether you were keeping it or not ?

It was ok to sell a bike to a child with 'a weight issue' with 21 1/2 year old tyres, but not with 22 year old tyres ?

$15 ??

None of your actions make any sense at all.

hotbike

The rear tyre had blown out, through the sidewall. I decided to replace both tyres.

I should've known the dry rot would've led to a problem. Besides, the original tyres were white, and the replacements were black, and it looks better with matching tyres.

Nermal

So, you sold the bike to this guy. He sold it to someone else. Then you stole it from the second buyer. Maybe not, but you don't know.

Unknown Cyclist

+1 also you 'found' the bike originally.

How many times can you 'find' the same bike ?

Maybe you should just stop taking bicycles home with you, unless you own them ?

hotbike

The bike was retrieved from a dumpster. I advertised it for fifteen dollars, then I sold it to someone I know, who is away on vacation at this time.
When I found the bike a second time, I talked to a mutual friend, who said "Is it locked?", I said "No", and he said "you'd better take it up to your apartment with you so it doesn't get stolen, and you can ask R____ when he gets back from his vacation."

It was when I rolled the bike that I discovered the rear tyre had blown thru the sidewall due to dry rot. The fibers were coming apart, and the tread had separated from the casing (about three inches long and an inch wide of shredded tyre.)

I might be able to find R____ tonight, and I will ask him IF he returned the bike and wants his money back, or if he sold it to a third party, OR if it was stolen.

I did not intend to "steal" the bike, I am holding it until the rightful owner comes back from his holiday.

BTW, when I first found the bike, I noticed it had a registration sticker on the frame from Chautaqua, New York. I emailed the Mayor's office, and the secretary replied with an email saying she checked with the chief or Police, and I was in the clear to keep the bike.

I will find out what happened soon. It could be that R____ was mad at his Son for some reason, and took the bike away as punishment. R____ also has a drinking problem, and some of us suspect he is "off the wagon".

Unknown Cyclist

He already has put new tyres on it.

See first post.

Unknown Cyclist

Seems strange to put new tyres on a bike you are simply 'holding' ??

hotbike

The old tyre was destroyed, and couldn't be patched. I was able to locate some good "made in Japan" tyres for only eight dollars each. I didn't want the other tyre to blow from the dry-rot.

I will probably find the customer, R____, tonight, and find out what the bike was doing back at my building. The thing is, if he wanted to return it, he should have knocked on my door, and not just have left the bike unlocked in the basement parking garage.

When R___ gets back from his holiday, then I will inform you of the bikes disposition.

no1mad 

Here's my take on all of this:

1. The OP is acting as the LBS, and the tires could be considered a warranty issue. If the *buyer* on the installment plan still wants the bike, then I think the OP should eat the cost of the tires for selling the bike in the first place with dry rotted tires.

2. Should the *buyer* no longer need/wants the bike, then the OP is free to sell the bike again at a slightly higher price point to recoup the price of the tires. Whether he gives a refund or keeps what $ has been exchanged as a 'rental' fee is between the OP and the *buyer*.

Alpha52

Have you ever read the Steven King book "Cristine"? It will explain everything clearly regarding this creepy bike. Oh, btw. Don't try and sell it again.

Andy_K 

I don't think there is any kind of warranty implied on a $15 bike. That said, given that the OP voluntarily put the tires on a bike that is no longer his without any discussion with the owner, I don't think he can ask for or expect any compensation.

I kind of sympathize about putting tires on the bike, though. There's just something about a broken bikes that makes me want to fix them. It's like when you see a picture hanging crooked and you feel like you have to straighten it.

Please let us know how this turns out. The drama has sucked me in.

hotbike

Well, no1mad, you got it exactly right.

I can sense the suspense hanging over this thread. I am waiting for the buyer to return and tell me whether he still wants the bike or not. Or 3, the third possibility, that the bike had been stolen, and the thief was dumb enough to park the bike in the basement parking garage of the guy who sold the bike...

I agree with your statement #1, that I should eat the cost of the tires, since it could have resulted in death or serious injury. This was no slow leak, the hole in the tube is about a half inch diameter star pattern (like an asterisk-"*"). I was expecting a snake-bite, but the hole was big enough to stick my finger through.

Hopefully, I will see R___ tonight.

Right now, I am going to plunk my behind into a chair and watch the NASA launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. (that's a head's up for you).

Nermal

Say, I hope you didn't really think I thought you stole the bike. Just kidding, but it does kind of play into your screen name.

hotbike

Ha ha. Funny.

I originally intended to have the email address "coolbike at hotmail dot com" , but that was already taken, and instead of simply putting a numerical suffix on "coolbike", I chose "hotbike at hotmail.com"

But seriously, my regular screen name is "AviationMetalSmith" (all one word).

Do a web search for AviationMetalSmith and you will find many of my posts, on many different sites.

Some sites do not allow screen names longer than sixteen characters, so I also use "AviationMetal", or "hotbike"

The name AviationMetalSmith is based on my Navy rating (MOS) which is AMS, which stands for "Aircraft Mechanical Structures". That means I was a green shirt on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

And I'm glad you asked this question today, for I am right now wearing my Green Shirt in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

I obtained an Airframers License from the US Navy, which means I am legally able to build, fly, and teach flight instruction on my own aircraft ( a cropduster).