I must be an idiot. (Hold down the rousing "Here! Here!"s) There's something that has always confused me. Left me perplexed. Both sides of the equation. So, I'm hoping that a smart group of folks like all-ya'll can provide me insight and vision.
I don't bet this:
Is this vandalism? Is this a property crime? Is there really a secondary market for bike tires and seats? Unscrupulous bikeshop owners? Flea markets? Scrap dealers? I mean, this isn't Lance's bike with $,$$$ cutting edge wheels. Is the risk / reward on this all that high? How much do you get for a seat, back wheel, and parts of the pedals? Seriously?
But I also don't get this:
Didn't you pay cash money for this bike? I see that it's been somewhat stripped, but is the replacement cost of a missing back wheel, seats, and parts of a pedal more than the bike is worth? If you're going to leave it sitting there for 2 month (First picture: 2009-04-14 Second picture: 2009-06-07) then maybe you should at least retrieve your lock, because that bastard OBVIOUSLY worked like a champion, and let the scavengers have the rest of the carcass.
Can any of you out there explain this to me, because I don't get it. And this is not the first time I have run across this phenomena. 
7 comments:
It's kinda fun seeing you blog these things that I've seen with my own eyes, Scope!
Somewhere in WA (not sure exactly where) we have our own bizarre bike phenomenon. Can you explain this:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DtShVO1MsR8/STNfS-gxxxI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/RgXtibk9Ais/s400/Vashon+044.jpg
Last I heard it was destroyed by vandals, but if they restore it, maybe we should go looking for it sometime when you're here. What do you think?
A-ha, looks like it's on Vashon Island:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1412
Is there a black market for banana seats too?
I better go tell my kids.
A buddy of mine is one of those guys who goes through and sells shit on eBay to make money. He pulls in about $25,000 a year, which lets him live comfortably with his cat.
He bought a dirt bike from some guy and chopped it for parts and made a 500% profit on the bike. That's probably what you're seeing here is someone who has chopped these bikes and are selling the parts either to a used bike store or through eBay or the like. They just have less scruples than my friend Craig.
...and I can't believe I just typed that last sentence...
So that's where my bike is dammit.
Just read mjenk's comment - what a great idea.
Anyway, gotta go, off to rip off some bike wheels and flog 'em.
How weird! The kids in my town tie their bikes to the stop signs during the day, but they don't strip them down.
hmm, interesting. Whenever I go to the city and see that, I wonder about it too. What is exactly the point? I think it is just to piss someone off.
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