ethical dilemma

doctorlalloo

I have noticed an old abandoned bike with it's wheels removed yet still locked to a bike stand in SG. I was considering liberating it using methods I learned as a teenager. I could 'recycle' it as my next single speed/fixie project.

I'm pretty sure it's owner will not be back for it as I've seen it there every day for the past 2 months.

So is it wrong for me to remove the lock so I can get myself a free frame?

NoOne

do it. we wont tell.

Mike from London

I will.

I'll bet it's the one outside Jack's.

Liz

I think it's positively a good thing - you would be removing abandoned rubbish and reusing/recycling/etc at the same time.

matt

I see your dilemma. Put a note on it stating your intention? I'd bet the owner still walks past it?

nick_m

I'd say go for it. Someone will have to remove it eventually anyway and deal with it. You're doing everyone a favour. I have an old Raleigh in the shed that I was going to renovate, but I can't get the pedals off. Is their a special tool I need?

poxy

No special tool but you are aware that the thread of the left (kerbside) pedal is reversed, aren't you? All to do with precession, innit?

doctorlalloo

Tried to liberate the old bike using the car jack yesterday morning - bloody lock broke the jack!

@ Nick_M - most bike shops will tell you that you need a pedal spanner, which is basically a spanner with a longer handle so you have better leverage.

As poxy said the thread on the left pedal is backwards - as a rule, to loosen pedals always turn the spanner towards the back of the bike.

Also be careful trying to loosen a stiff pedal, I managed to chip my tooth last year when the spanner slipped and smacked me in the face.

Alex

Precession - great word. Learn something new every day...

andy

David and I have always loved precession. It get us talking about honeybees and unintended consequences and Buckminster Fuller. Like a couple of hippies.

David

Let's just hope the bees survive their current crisis. Who else will save us from our ways?

jo

as long as its not mine! mine still has wheels so its probably not..

injoke

i'm sick of these bedwetting wuss-ass bees, genetically modify the lot to be a bit less wet and bob's your uncle.

David

So to preserve our precession and keep us all alive, we just need to teach the bees to be 'ard like Liam and less wet like dem southern wussies.