Toronto Fixed
Don't smoke, Mike.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,295
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Bikes: Devinci Tosca, IRO Rob Roy
H3LLS NO!
Okay maybe on your bike that you keep nice-nice.
But for the majority of bicycles that go to people who ride and just leave their bike in rain for 10 years then come to the store and say there is a problem with their BB..
Operator knows all about that old Peugot at UT it took me 2 days, oil, a hammer and all my strength to get the thing out.
One would never know how thankful I was to find grease in the BB of a 20+ year old bike.
keep the peace and GREASE-GREASE.
Okay maybe on your bike that you keep nice-nice.
But for the majority of bicycles that go to people who ride and just leave their bike in rain for 10 years then come to the store and say there is a problem with their BB..
Operator knows all about that old Peugot at UT it took me 2 days, oil, a hammer and all my strength to get the thing out.
One would never know how thankful I was to find grease in the BB of a 20+ year old bike.
keep the peace and GREASE-GREASE.
Shiftless bum

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Bikes: Apollo fixed winter bike, Gazelle Cross, Baboe Cargo bike, Linskey Rouleur Road, Bridgestone Picnica, Tern C7, 2nd gen Strida
I remember hearing rumours about this "underground railroad" of bikes between the two cities and I was reminded of it again today because there were some very high-end bikes at the viewing. There is just no way these bikes would have been stolen and not tracked down or reported to the police unless they came from another city. A Giant OCR with Ksyriums is at least $2500 and the very definition of "hot" so it gets packed up into a van and driven to Toronto----it still had the front wheel locked to the frame with a kryptonite. Crazy.
https://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/751547549.html
So ... in the original context (Wes learning bike mechanics) I'm going to stick with what I said. If we're talking neglected beaters where the only priority is being able to rip the things apart after 20 years then **** it - different set of tactics (and more broken vices).
Some guy on CL had an OCR1 stolen
https://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/751547549.html
https://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/751547549.html
cab horn

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 28,353
Likes: 30
From: Toronto
Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione
I disagree. Our shop has been using grease for body and cup (regular shimano cartridge square tapers are 99.9% of the bb jobs we do) and no bike has ever come back because of a cup backing out or the unit coming out.
None of the shimano bb's or even low end campy square tapers come with threadlocker preinstalled.
None of the shimano bb's or even low end campy square tapers come with threadlocker preinstalled.
Last edited by operator; 07-21-08 at 06:02 PM.
I disagree. Our shop has been using grease for body and cup (regular shimano cartridge square tapers are 99.9% of the bb jobs we do) and no bike has ever come back because of a cup backing out or the unit coming out.
None of the shimano bb's or even low end campy square tapers come with threadlocker preinstalled.
None of the shimano bb's or even low end campy square tapers come with threadlocker preinstalled.
In Velo Veritas
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,013
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Bikes: Menonite black urbanite, probably enough spare parts to make anther one.
anyone see the news story tonight on cbc tv about igor's?
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
https://youtube.com/profile_videos?p=...Fiedler&page=1
Found the mother load of old as well as new track match sprint videos. Theres a Curt Harnett match in theres somewhere if you go digging. Also, check out the one with an Australian by the name of Casey Hall, the guy looks like a retired line backer.
Found the mother load of old as well as new track match sprint videos. Theres a Curt Harnett match in theres somewhere if you go digging. Also, check out the one with an Australian by the name of Casey Hall, the guy looks like a retired line backer.
oOooo, five bucks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, On
Bikes: Giant OCR touring(06), Norco Storm (05)
i went looking for white ourys, but due to me waking up late and watching batman (which rocks) so i only went to urbane.. no luck
anyone work somewhere where they are in stock? my mountain bike is too matching right now, i need some missmatchedness to make it better.
anyone work somewhere where they are in stock? my mountain bike is too matching right now, i need some missmatchedness to make it better.
oOooo, five bucks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, On
Bikes: Giant OCR touring(06), Norco Storm (05)
i hate my dog!
she ate MY OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYS!
gah, now i have to buy another set of blacks
she ate MY OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYS!
gah, now i have to buy another set of blacks
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
pretty sure ive seen white in both curbside and bikes on wheels recently
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
my ****ing neighbours have decided tonight is the night to have a party.
are blaring the WORST english/french dancehall trash (i mean it sounds like the **** from the ali g show, not even good dancehall) at 4am.
every time we knock on the door, they just pause the music for 10 minutes like ****ing 15 year olds.
i know for a fact that they are at least double that.
are blaring the WORST english/french dancehall trash (i mean it sounds like the **** from the ali g show, not even good dancehall) at 4am.
every time we knock on the door, they just pause the music for 10 minutes like ****ing 15 year olds.
i know for a fact that they are at least double that.
Don't smoke, Mike.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,295
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Bikes: Devinci Tosca, IRO Rob Roy
Cavernmech, man of the people:
https://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/464768
"It's nice that he's finally shut down, but it should have happened years ago," said Keith MacDonald, 42, a mechanic at Cycle Solutions on Parliament St.
MacDonald said the value of modern bicycles qualifies the loss of one as a major theft, but several people he knows have only been frustrated when reporting the crime.
"To the police, a bike is a toy," he complained, "and regardless of the fact it's $7,000, it's not worth their time."
MacDonald said the value of modern bicycles qualifies the loss of one as a major theft, but several people he knows have only been frustrated when reporting the crime.
"To the police, a bike is a toy," he complained, "and regardless of the fact it's $7,000, it's not worth their time."
Last edited by shapelike; 07-22-08 at 07:28 AM.
Best part of the article:
"Over a period of five days, police recovered between 1,200 and 1,500 bicycles, as well as about 1.5 kilos of marijuana and several ounces of crack cocaine" 1.5 kilos of weed? That's got to get Igor off the street for a while
"Over a period of five days, police recovered between 1,200 and 1,500 bicycles, as well as about 1.5 kilos of marijuana and several ounces of crack cocaine" 1.5 kilos of weed? That's got to get Igor off the street for a while
Not Superstitious
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 578
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Bikes: IRO Mark V Pro, IRO Mark V, Rocky Mountain Fusion
Right on, Keith!
This **** is pretty monumental - I am under no illusions that this is going to put a stop to bike theft in this city but the amount of exposure this is getting, at least for the time being, is incredible.
This **** is pretty monumental - I am under no illusions that this is going to put a stop to bike theft in this city but the amount of exposure this is getting, at least for the time being, is incredible.
I don't think bike theft will go to zero, but I suspect it will drop. If I could know that I'd get $40 from Igor for any bike I stole, it's easy money. Now it will likely be harder.
I know other people could come in to fill the void, but the pure math of Igor's operation doesn't make sense. Assuming he paid $20 per bike on average, that's $30,000 spent and sitting around as inventory in his store or garage. Obviously the weed and crack helped pay the bills, but I wouldn't think starting a business like this (even if it were legal) would make much sense financially.
I know other people could come in to fill the void, but the pure math of Igor's operation doesn't make sense. Assuming he paid $20 per bike on average, that's $30,000 spent and sitting around as inventory in his store or garage. Obviously the weed and crack helped pay the bills, but I wouldn't think starting a business like this (even if it were legal) would make much sense financially.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
but don't forget that the cops "accidentally" caught Igor stealing someone else bike, not even the real bait bike. And they basically had to trip over him to see it happening.... it's not a like a crack squad team and months of undercover investigation lead to all this. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad at least some people will get their bikes back, but I don't share the same warm fuzzies as a lot of other people because the police are 'sort of' doing their job....
Don't smoke, Mike.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,295
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Bikes: Devinci Tosca, IRO Rob Roy
For what it's worth, this is a quote from the above article I linked to:
</warm fuzzies>
Kenk, 49, was arrested by officers investigating the theft of more than 95 bikes in and around the Queen St. W. and Bathurst St. area over a six-week period.
Police were setting up a bait bike on Queen St. W. when they caught sight of a man directing someone to cut locks off two bikes at about 3 p.m., Roseto said.
Police were setting up a bait bike on Queen St. W. when they caught sight of a man directing someone to cut locks off two bikes at about 3 p.m., Roseto said.
freed psycho. RUN.
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 490
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Bikes: Ironhorse Maverick 2004, 1970's handbuilt Raleigh fixed conversion
This is becoming quite the epic. I got a link from a friend via the facebook too, more of the same, huge numbers, little bits and bobs of that squirrel-man Igor. Whatevs. I just want my bike back at this point, and hope deeply he had it hidden away somewhere. Though I have to say the coverage is nice, cyclists are people too, and Keith was right on the money with it.
Yeah, what Keith said is true, stolen bikes are barely on the cops' radar. The drugs though, that is another thing, he is going to be going away for at least a couple of years. I always thought he was on meth, now I know it was crack. Crazy.
In the future, I think that bike thefts will never go away but we might stop seeing Brooks getting stolen or front wheels, at least for a little bit. Or, even better, the cops will start to take bike theft more seriously. Or at least monitor Uncle Jacob and the pawn shops in a better fashion.
In the future, I think that bike thefts will never go away but we might stop seeing Brooks getting stolen or front wheels, at least for a little bit. Or, even better, the cops will start to take bike theft more seriously. Or at least monitor Uncle Jacob and the pawn shops in a better fashion.
Shiftless bum

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Bikes: Apollo fixed winter bike, Gazelle Cross, Baboe Cargo bike, Linskey Rouleur Road, Bridgestone Picnica, Tern C7, 2nd gen Strida
The Nazi post says he's up for possession for purposes of trafficking marijuana and cocaine.
I took my biggest spill a week ago, over my handlebars, probably looked a little bit like this. I am recovering nicely though (thanks for asking), but now my front wheel (which hit the curb when I went over) is making a "whoompf" sound while spinning. I'm thinking it's my hub, because it's still spinning true. I was planning on getting a new wheelset soon anyways and had a few questions.
I'm running a no-name set up currently, with a QR skewer that is a major pain in the ass because I use a Kryptonite Mini-U Lock that barely makes it through my frame, the quickly-released front wheel, and the bike lock post. So I'm thinking of ditching the QR for a normal skewer. Any thoughts? How likely is wheel theft and what can I do to prevent it? I'm thinking about getting a longer cable lock and using that to thread both my wheels into the U-lock and around the post as well.
As for proposed set-up I'm thinking of duplicating my back wheel: Miche hub, Alex DA28 rim. Suggestions?
Shiftless bum

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Bikes: Apollo fixed winter bike, Gazelle Cross, Baboe Cargo bike, Linskey Rouleur Road, Bridgestone Picnica, Tern C7, 2nd gen Strida
I use an Axiom allen key skewer which is far from theft proof but avoids the casual snatch and grab. Similar a solid axle with nuts but again, if the thief has the tool handy off it goes. You can buy more advance skewers from PinHead or Peter White's pitlock skewers. There was a brief commentary in the thread a few pages back, particularly about the unsuitability for rear fixed wheels. Unfortunately they often seem to be sold as sets although I think you can buy individual pitlock skewers. On my porteur I just put a hoseclamp over the QR but I don't care about the paint job. Changing flats is a pain, though.
Any cable can be cut through relatively quickly so it's a delaying action rather than anything.
Any cable can be cut through relatively quickly so it's a delaying action rather than anything.




