A linguistic question: is the Serbo-Croatian word for bicycle masculine, and is that the reason for naming the bike with a masculine form of the word cat? Or do you just think of Machak that way? I'm tempted to ask because someone earlier in the thread mentioned anthropomorphizing the bike instead of assuming it was just gender naturally assigned by your native language.

Another way to ID is with a driver's license number. Years ago a builder recommend that when you are working on your bike, find a location that suits you (say seat tube is best or perhaps BB or head tube) and take a piece of plastic and engrave/emboss/write (magic marker) your contact info and drivers license number, roll it into a tube and stuff it in. I really agree on the pics though because bikes are so (eventually) peculiar to the owner.

I am anthropomorphising the bicycle ... the first time I rode my brand new custom Marinoni Ciclo back in 2003, I decided that it was a "he", and named him "Machak".


(My native language is English ... I just know a few words of my grandfather's language.)

Fair enough. Thanks.

Ain't it the truth? So many of us in that situation.

Congratulations!

Name and shame the e-bayer.I,for one,would not want to buy stolen goods from him.Make him accountable.

I just have to repeat that the eBayer was not the thief, nor did he commit a criminal offence. He says he bought the bike innocently from a salvage sale. No charges will be laid against him, and that is the correct course of action. The purchaser of the saddle is in the same situation, but nevertheless he does not have title to the saddle, because that continues to rest with the owner, who is Machka. Technically, his beef is with the eBay seller and in an ideal world, he would hand the saddle back to me, and pursue recovery of his cost from the eBayer.

Yesterday and this morning, Rowan worked hard to get Machak operational again. He'll still need a few tweaks because a few of the fixes are temporary until we acquire a few more parts.

Some odd things were changed or missing ... like the shifter covers, and one rear brake bolt was exchanged for a regular bolt, and a spring in the front brakes was missing. So there are a few bits and pieces that will need to be fixed up.

He needs new cables, which he probably would have needed after 3 years anyway.

And someone rode him (or rolled him) without a rear tire so the rear wheel isn't in great shape. Fortunately we had another wheel, but it had issues too, from some time ago ... so that will have to be sorted.


But nevertheless, Machak was ready to ride this afternoon, and I had one of the most wonderful and amazing rides I've had in years!! Machak rides beautifully, just like he always did. He was so comfortable and it felt so right to ride him again.

Machak, shortly after he returned home ...


Machak, after Rowan fixed him up to a rideable condition ...


Machak and Rowan's Fuji ... old friends ...


Machak and me ...


Me ... riding Machak again!!

machak is a he?

Post #31 ...

Machka, Rowan, considering your strong feelings regarding Machak as an irreplaceable treasure, I hesitate to suggest you may ever want to have it repainted. If you ever did, however, that ding could easily be filled and covered. You may be surprised how many small dings and dents are hidden under paint on even brand new steel frames. Until they are stripped for rework and/or repainting, no one ever knows (except the builder). I understand your rationale for substituting the steel fork for the original carbon one. I am a little surprised, however, that you didn't go with a lugged steel fork with an elegant crown. Of if you didn't think that would have been aesthetically compatible, perhaps a fully sloping Cinelli style crown without external lugs to match your lugless frame better. Although the choice was, of course, yours, I personally find those much more attractive than unicrowns. Any thoughts on that you would care to share with us?

I got Machak in 2003 ... custom-built, and painted in the colours I specifically chose. And he came with a carbon-fibre fork. I took him to Europe and did the 2003 PBP and a short tour of Wales.

In about January 2004, the friend I toured Wales with proposed the idea of spending 3 months touring Australia. For that tour, I thought I needed a front rack and I couldn't put a front rack on the carbon fork. So I returned to the shop where I had ordered Machak and asked them to contact Marinoni and find out if I could get a steel fork to replace the carbon fork. And that was the fork I was given ... nicely painted the same dark blue as on other parts of Machak.

And yes, we are talking about contacting Marinoni to get information regarding the colours of paint I chose so that we might be able to do some touch-ups.


Just to round out the story a little bit ... turned out I was wrong about needed a front rack. You can do a 3-month tour just fine without one.

And I met Rowan for the first time, briefly, on the 2003 PBP.

i like the fuji. just saying.

wow, good to hear a happy story instead of the usual hit buy cars or blah blah blah sotrys.

I still can't believe it and only read the thread (original one) this evening, and am shocked , can't imagine how u felt when you found it after three years!

So, whilst we wait for my original Brooks saddle to be returned ...


Today we picked up a new blue Brooks and matching leather handlebar tape!


[HR][/HR]

I had such an overwhelming mix of emotions when we found him, and after he was returned. I still have trouble believing he's back. Every morning, I get up and check to see he's still there.

That is a great looking bike and I am sure it is great to be back in the saddle. I just read a story much like yours, I guy had a really nice old hot rod stolen 13 years ago and it was returned to him recently in almost the same condition as when it was stolen. Glad you got your bike back and can enjoy it, not so for most of us that had a bike stolen.

New blue Brooks and matching leather handlebar tape ...