Story with happy ending

It is so surreal writing about my stolen bikes. When they got lost, I gave up hope on retrieving them but thanks to my condo management staffs especially the manager, Mr. Gunabalan, helped towards the recovery of both bikes.

Let me share the story.

Saturday (22/8) around 12.00 noon, my wife, who was at home, called me and said about a former night guard with information about my bicycle. I quickly took my motorbike and rushed home. Upon reaching my unit, I saw our current night guard, Jamal and he introduced Saiful, a former night guard. Jamal said Saiful came to the guard house for chitchat on Friday and Jamal mentioned to him about stolen bicycles from the condo. Jamal then showed him the picture of the bicycle that has been put up on the notice board offering reward of RM100.00 for information to the recovery of the bicycles. (Jamal did most of the talking and telling the story). When Saiful saw the photo, he said he bought a bicycle that looked like that about 2 weeks ago.

I asked Saiful if he remembered the seller and he replied he doesn't know who that person was but can recognise if he ever saw the seller again. Saiful said he bought it for RM500.00. Jamal told Saiful to get his wife to bring the bike to Selat for confirmation. Saiful then left leaving Jamal to continue talking to me. Jamal said Saiful was at a warong when he heard about someone selling a bicycle and since he needed some sort of transport as he didn't have any, the bicycle seemed handy. The negotiation started with the seller saying he knows the value of the bicycle is RM2000.00 and is offering RM1000.00. Saiful offered RM300.00 and they settled at RM500.00.

About 20 minutes later, Saiful and his wife came pushing the bike. A quick check on the bike revealed is was my bike minus the reflective stickers, the saddle bag and metal stand. At that moment, I was happy just to get my hands back on the bike and feeling compassionate for Saiful who told me he bought it for RM500.00, I paid Saiful RM500.00. I asked Saiful if he had any information on the other bike, a Schwinn model size 14.5" (suitable for smaller size people) but he said no.

I conveyed my thanks to Jamal and told him I will settle with him later about the reward money. Jamal asked if I had the picture of the Schwinn bicycle and he will help keep a lookout.

- End
A few days later I started to rethink of the event and some things did not make sense.

For instance, how does a guard who earns RM400.00 (basic) buy a RM500.00 bicycle when he is not a mountain bike rider or enthusiast. And if Saiful needed some form of transport, why buy a RM500.00 bicycle when you can easily get a RM150.00+ China made bicycle.

Footprints.
The last time I used the unit was on Sunday 9th August in the evening. I know it rained early in the morning because I sent my children to school on Monday morning and found the grounds wet. I did not open the unit as I did not cycle the whole of Monday. On Tuesday morning after sending my children to school, I decided to move my things out and that was when I found the bikes missing. There was footprint marks on the floor coming from the glass balcony entrance and exiting on the main door (I found it unlock). Boot size 10.

A friend gave his view that a thief will not use boots to commit a crime especially when you have to climb over the balcony. A slipper or rubber shoe would be better. This points to someone on duty or was still in uniform when the crime was committed.
I know many of you will say that I shouldn't have paid any money. Yes, I went through that flaming session when I shared this story with the local riders and friends. What can I say? I am a sucker if you put on a puppy face and tell a sad story.

This transaction was almost 3 weeks ago and the initial hope of recovering the 2nd bike was slowly diminishing as time passed.

My condo manager had spoken to Jamal after I got my Specialized and put it to him that he is to do whatever it takes to recover the 2nd bike. A mind game was set on Jamal and it paid off today.

At 8.30 am today (10/9), one of the day guard came to my unit and said there is a bicycle outside the fence that looked like my bike as he was patrolling the area. I followed him and saw the sight below.

It was an unbelievable sight. My 2nd bike lying at the shrubs waiting to be claimed. I was happy yet wanted to laugh. It just suddenly appeared from nowhere.

Strangely, the front tires and tubes were out of the rim. Did the thief go on a mtb ride before abandoning it there?

Anyway, I am happy to recover both bikes and thanks to all who helped, shared ideas and well wishes.

To the thief, my hope for your "blessings" still stands.

Tribute to an old friend called Specialized

When you have a outdoor hobby like mountain biking, living in a condo with a family with only 987 square feet to move around, it is almost impossible to store the bike with all the accessories.

Unfortunately for me, that is my scenario. Fortunately for me, there is an empty unit in front of my unit that was vacant since the condo was built and is now under bank receivership. Why, fortunately, well, that is where I kept my bicycles. Did I mention "kept" and "bicycles"? We'll start with bicycles.

When my wife and I just got married in 1989, we bought 2 Lerun bicycles to cycle around in the evenings which we are still keeping. When the kids came, we bought 2 children bicycles of different sizes. Then there was another bicycle that was left behind by a tenant that I refurbish to make it ride able.

I got involved with mountain biking in the year 2000 when I took part in the Malacca Mountain Bike Hash and bought my first "high end" Specialized. Cost me RM1,700.00 and I thought it was a bomb. Never thought bicycles cost more than 1K at that time and since then, have upgraded the rims to Mavic, the gears to XT, fork to lockable Rox Shox, pedals to Shimano clipless, crank to Truvative and most recently, change the seat to Fizik.

I bought another bike, this time a full suspension IBIS Mojo SL last year and alternate the usage of both bikes. Bike components are not cheap and I have installed almost all the top range components for the IBIS and would like to minimize the usage and prolong it as much as I can thus will use more of the Specialized. Specialized will see action on every Wednesday and Friday night rides and IBIS will spring to action on weekends and mtb jamborees (ECC members call it the Jamboree bike).

6 bikes of different sizes in the store room.

Penang Kayuh Lasak 2005

This schedule was working out well until yesterday.

The management office had informed us that there were queries on the vacant unit that will be up for auction so I thought we better start clearing our stuffs. Yesterday morning after sending the children to school, I went to the unit and found it unlock. Hemmm..... maybe I forgot to lock it on Sunday after washing the bike that came straight after a hash ride.

I noticed something different, where were was my Specialized? For a moment I thought I might have brought it back to the office. Then I realised my daughter's Schwin is not where it should be. The only bikes left behind are the Lerun and children's bikes.

Then it hit me that someone has stolen the Specialized and Schwinn bikes.

Thank God I decided to keep the IBIS in my own unit after washing it.

On the way to Sagil, Johor for the Gunung Ledang ride

After 9 years of confidently keeping my precious in this vacant unit, never did I imagine losing it this way. A most likely suspect would be someone staying in the same property that has been eyeing my movements whenever I ride the bike out and when and where I keep them. Or else how would the thieve know exactly which unit to break into?

I have since informed the management but I know it is a long shot of getting it back.

Today's posting will be on the mountain bike that has gone many places and brought good memories of rides around Malaysia.

May the thief receive the same "blessings" he gave me in 10 folds.

Here's to my Specialized Rockhopper.

2006 Damai Laut holiday with the family

2008 The Malacca Water Wheel

2007 KLMBH Epic Ride

The safest place, my work room

Gunung Ledang ride with Lee CH

By the Malacca river

2008 Boat ride to Pulau Besar

The cockpit when fully loaded

~ Farewell old friend ~

Seat Post

I have been thinking about this problem whenever I ride off road.

You set your seat height at a comfortable height and when after you reach the peak, you know it's downhill after that. What you do you? You dismount down from the bicycle and lower the seat. Sometimes I do it, sometimes I just try to ride it through with the seat at the current height. If the seat is lowered, somehow you will stop to increase the height again when you reach level ground or else you just cannot get the power to ride effectively.

I don't know about the other riders, but I find this troublesome. More so if you need the Allen key to release the seat post.

When I first saw Crankbrother's adjustable seat post that let you change the height without getting off the saddle, I thought, "wow, this is cool!"

The convenience of not getting off the saddle will cost about RM1,100.00 for the one with remote control on the handle bar which weighs 534g.

Or a cheaper one that cost about RM950.00 with a lever under the saddle that weighs 461g.

More details are available here

I am excited when I saw Specialize coming up with the same idea. Just hoping the price will be more reasonable

Developed by the Suspension Technology Group at Specialized in Morgan Hill, California, the Command Post provides three saddle height options, so serious riders can change their stance mid-ride depending on the terrain and conditions—all with the flick of a switch. Its 100mm of adjustable range is denoted by three saddle positions—Power (when the saddle is at full height); Cruiser (35mm below the Power position); and Descender (100mm below the Power position).

No price yet from the manufacturers.

More information available here.

1/9/08 - Wow, this must be a hot item coz this is the 3rd write up that I have come across.

This time by a manufacturer called Superstar Components

More details available here

Bike Tree

Today was a tension day for my family.

It all started when we discovered the 2 aluminum ladders put against the outer wall of our house disappeared. We had earlier commissioned a man to repair our leaking roof. He did some repairs and then stopped for a few days when the rain came. This morning when my wife sent the kids to school, she happened to glance at where we left the ladders and it was there. That was about 7.10 am. By 9.30 am when the roofman came, the ladders were no where to be seen. Someone was already eyeing the ladders as aluminum fetches a good price in the scrap metal buyer or someone just needed a ladder and had the good fortune to see 2 free ladders leaning against the wall. It was as if calling “Steal me, steal me”.

Anyway, tension is when the elders started to question Why. “Why didn’t you bring in when you saw it?” For heavens sake, it was about 15 feet from the main gate to the side of the house, who would have thought some opportunitist to be brave enough to walk in bright daylight into the compound and cart them away? Lesson learnt; always keep stealable items out of sight.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bike tree
Vashon Island

If you are ever in Seattle, take a ferry to Vashon Island to see this unique view of a bike embedded in a tree.
I got this story from this blog.
http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2007/09/vashon-island-bike-tree.html

The Wisecracker

A friend told me a story some time ago about his adventures to Gunung Ledang.

One upon a time, there was these 4 guys who climbed up the mystical mountain in search of Mt Ledang princess. Sounds more interesting this way right?

Well, being young and full of guts, these 4 guys just decided to do something adventurous and they made plans to to climb Gunung Ledang the next morning. No need planning, just go. They met up at the Malacca bus station with back packs on their backs and took the bus to Tangkak, changed bus that heads to Segamat and hop off at Sagil which is along the way. It took them a few hours of climbing and they finally reached the peak. Feeling hungry, they took out what was in their back pack. All 4 then realised that each had brought cans of beer but no food. If only they has consulted each other.

Back to bike stuff. A must have for hash members, especially drinkers. You brought beers bottles to the site but not cap opener...... Presto! No problem when you have the Wisecracker
For more information of this product. This is their website.
http://www.ahrensbicycles.com/Bottle-Opener.htm

Want to buy a camera and take great smiling pictures of your friends and family?

A new Sony camera that automatically takes a photo when it detects a smile.

Looks like those with sour faces will never get their photos taken.