Passing a second hand shop in the centre of Manchester this weekend (something similar to a CEX/Cash Converters) and noticed a brand spanking Zesty 314/6.

Question is, why is it in a second hand shop? It was literally BRAND new, still had labels on handlebars, all reflectors, no pedals and protective cellophane over cranks etc.

Got me thinking where they have got it from (it’s not the kind of shop that sells decent bikes normally) and if someone had bought it in error they could have returned it to Evans/wherever they had bought it from, rather than selling it to this shop where they probably got less than it’s RRP.

Any other avenues they could have got it from (other than the back of a lorry) or you think it’s probably hotter than the sun?

Find out who imports Lapierre and let them know. Would be great if you can find out the frame number

http://www.bristolmountainbikeclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=536

Doesn’t Hora live in Manchester?

Will give hotlines a call on my lunch, seems a bit fishy to me

This on Oldham Street by any chance? Like Cash Converters, but independent?

They had a couple of really high end Specialized’s in when I went past last. As dodgy as ****!

The shop opposite the Arndale market?

They have had some great bikes in their that makes you think HTF did that end up in there. How does a £2k + bike end up going from the first owner to a dodgy pawn shop within 12 months without some shenanigans in the middle?

Binners: no mate, not on Oldham Street. I’ll call Hotlines and see what they say, but I reckon I may call the cops anyway, seriously dodgy to have the bike in an independent shop like that

uwe-r: That’s the one mate, Entertainment Trader… seriously grotty little shop!

I couldn’t believe it when I saw it, they had a Giant Anthem and a nice Scott hardtail, which did look second hand and half believable, but this thing still has the plastic covers on the cranks, literally never been touched!

Im just out to get my lunch so i will go and have a look!

probably stolen stock

uwe-r let me know if it’s still there, as I’ll call Hotlines on my lunch, see what they say…

Possible (but probably highly unlikely) explanation is someone, in need of cash has bought a bike on interest free credit and has pawned it to get the cash?

Just a possible ‘legit’ alternative…

Incidentally – how much was it going for?

wiz74: That’s the only possible explanation I can think of too, but a long shot. Didn’t have a price on it (none of the bikes did)

Just one of them shops you go in and immediately feel the warmth being emitted from all the HOT goods on display

I would go with wiz74 answer, based on how our local Pawn shop had 3 iPad’s in over Christmas.

I bought a brand new pda in cash converters yonks ago, aswell as pawned stuff they also get bankrupt stock too. Just saying it could be legit.

In the past, there’s been plenty of brand new bikes posted for sale here
for all sorts of reasons………..

new baby
no job
angry wife
divorce
TT 2.2mm too long

etc
etc

uplink: this is true I suppose, just one of those where you get a bad gut feeling about the place, stuck out like a sore thumb!

In the past, there’s been plenty of brand new bikes posted for sale here

You’ve got a point uplink. But if you needed some quick cash and had a couple of grands worth of bike that hadn’t been used, would you seriously head to the local pawn shop to get the best return on your money

Maybe only if you wanted no questions asked. I know the shop he means and its pretty iffy

It is still there. It’s a Zesty 514 and as above it has no pedals and the tape still wrapped around the cranks, tyres are clean.

No price on it.

It was busy in there so I didn’t hang around to ask how much and where from etc. Might do that tomorrow.

Very dodgy shop but business is going strong today.

uwe-r: DOH, new it was a Zesty somethingorother! They still have the Giant and the Scott too?

I’ll give hotlines a quick tinkle anyway, just to rule out if they’ve had any stolen in transit or whatever.

You’ve got a point uplink. But if you needed some quick cash and had a couple of grands worth of bike that hadn’t been used, would you seriously head to the local pawn shop to get the best return on your money

Hell no but ……………..

If I wanted to make some extra cash for the weekend, I wouldn’t blow my wages in the bookies either – but some do, I see them on a regular basis

Not saying it’s not hot, just that there’s plenty on innocent scenarios too

Another option, someione has a bike stolen, gets a new one in the mean time.
Insurance pays out with replacement bike, owner then pawns it to get access to easy cash?

The three bikes are behind a counter where you can’t get to them which gives it that extra dodgy vibe. (its worth a call dave)

I would have though if you are going to get something on credit and then pawn it you wouldn’t go for a French brand mountain bike but then at £2.5K that is above a lot of consumer electricals etc so it might make sense.

Just made a call to a helpful gentleman at Hotlines who has not had any reports of bikes stolen from his distributors, but he is looking into it anyway.

It may well be all above board, but worth a quick check, if it is hot hopefully the thieves can be traced and the poor bugger who’s had it nicked can get the bike back!

I’m no great criminal and/or owner of a pawn shop in Manchester city centre but if I was, I wouldn’t have a brand new nicked expensive bike on show for all to see.
I must be a better criminal than the shop owner though. I can’t see him having the bike or shop for much longer if he’s knocking nicked stuff out in this fashion.
The man must be an idiot….or he’s not an idiot and the bike isn’t nicked?
It’s a tough one to call

I used to pop my head into those pawn shops in town when my bike went missing in the city centre, as they looked like pretty likely candidates. Never turned up though 🙁

A mate of mine used to run a second hand shop. he would buy in bikes off people who walked in off the street but would insist on ID for the person selling it. that way he was covered as if there was any comeback he had bought in good faith and had details of the person who sold it to him.

we should burn the shop down straight away, just to be sure 😀

A friend of mine had an Orange Patriot stolen a few years ago and it appeared a few weeks later in Cash Convertors in Dundee.

It was found by a local Policeman who was an MTB’er and he traced the bike back to my friend.

Got the back back in the end!

DF or UWE

why didn’t you just go in and ask the price ?

Going back a while….

Didn’t think it was July 2009, crazy how time flies, but my LBS had some Lapeirre pinched (just reread got my Zesty & Spicys mixed up!)

I must be a better criminal than the shop owner though. I can’t see him having the bike or shop for much longer if he’s knocking nicked stuff out in this fashion.

You’ve assumed there that;
A) He knows what he’s got in the window (ie knows a “premium” bike from an apollo),

and

B) he really cares/knows if it’s stolen or not, normally the shop is covered, as mentioned above, they take a name and ask questions and “Buy in good faith” how do you think Cash converters has kept going?

They’re not exactly known for looking too closely at the provenance of the goods they handle, they simply ask enough questions to ensure their arses are covered, essentially if the person that brought the item in lied about its origins, it’s not the shop keepers fault, “Who’d have thought in this day and age people would bring stolen goods into a pawn shop, I’m as shocked as you officer”…

A crude but effective defence.

I was on the way to get my lunch!!! nothing gets in the way of my lunch.

I will go in tomorrow and get all Jack Bauer on the guy.

I will go in tomorrow and get all Jack Bauer on the guy.

I suggest you go all “Minder” on him instead…

I have never seen “minder” what’s his MO.

Write the theme tune, sing the theme tune.

He writes the theme tune, sings the theme tune…

ebay

more dodgy ones? Selling for a mate? Collection only?

I have never seen “minder” what’s his MO.

He’s a bit like Jack Bauer only shiftier, more likely to be handling stolen goods than fighting terrorists, and probably not so handy with a gun…

Could he take two years of torture in a Chinese prison?