So, I walked into the bike shed as usual today to discover my bike looked a bit odd. On closer examination, someone has made off with the front forks – which is a bit inconvenient as I’m rubbish at wheelies.

The bike is/was a Cube LTD from 2013 and in the process of removing my entirely non-exotic and boring Rockshox Recon Silver solo air (100mm), they have also liberated me of:
Front brake calipers – Formula RX hydraulics
Handlebars – Easton EA30
Stem – Easton EA30 oversized
ODI Rogue lock-ons
Front and brake levers – Formula RX
Front and rear gear shifters – Deore M591 10 speed

To get hold of all of that, they have of course cut all the cables, so I’ll need a new set of gear cables, and hydraulic brake cables. Oddly, they didn’t take the front wheel. They had a go at the back, but didn’t make it through the D-lock. Small mercies.

Given I currently have about half a bike, with fairly limited mechanical knowledge I could just go out and buy a new bike and flog the rest for parts, but I’d like to think I’m more enterprising than that.

However, I’d love some advice on what I should do. So, over to anyone who’s interested in helping with ideas on what I should replace the parts with cheaply and easily!

****.

Straight or tapered is my first question

Indeed. Good question. I don’t know! It’s an FSA No.10 integrated headset if that narrows it down? My assumption was always that it was straight, but I’d never checked. Presumably I have the flexibility to change this if I want at this point?

That’s proper rubbish.

I’m assuming it’s a straight steerer and the headtube diameter would not fit a tapered steerer.

You could get some rigid forks and a single speed kit, probably need a tensioner too. Then pick up some second hand suspension forks and shifters before the summer.

They must have needed the bits more than me, and that’ll teach me for not securing the front wheel with a D Lock to the frame in addition to the rear.

Luckily I was thinking that I wanted to replace the forks and brakes anyway, but i’d rather do it on my timeline. Steeling the seat clamp was just petty though!

The bars and stem shouldn’t be too bad to replace with EA30 stuff again. It was fine.

Brakes wise I believe I may as well get a set of Deore/SLX front and back – will I need new rotors, or can I use the existing Formula ones?

Forks and shifters, a stop-gap may be required, although the Deore shifters don’t seem too badly priced either. (£25 for pair)

that’ll teach me for not securing the front wheel with a D Lock to the frame in addition to the rear.

they’d have left the wheel and still nicked the fork.

I tend to run a lock through the stanchions between the brace if I’m riding a bike with suspension forks.

Before you go too far down the ‘replace the nicked bits’ route I’d look at the bike as a whole – woudl you be better takign this as an opportunity to buy a new bike if the drive train etc is gettign worn. I see Pauls cycles are sellign Cube LTD’s for just over £500 – it may not be that much more than replacing what you’ve lost and sortign out a worn drivetrain?

You may be right, I need to have a closer look to see if I could have done more to prevent it. I think I probably could have done.

I did see that Paul’s are doing that, but my size is a 20″ which they’ve sold out of. The drivetrain has recently been upgraded, but you’re right in principle, that I could just replace the whole bike if I can find something nice for around £500-600. If the new bike was also 3 x 10, I’d just have spares available.