Some light-fingered git stole my mate's Pace RC200 from a South West bound train on Sunday evening. This is the email he's sent round. Keep your eyes peeled, it might turn up underneath someone who doesn't know what the hell they're riding!

Stolen- PACE RC200. It went missing from a train on the night of Sunday 11th October at either Cheltenham Spa or Bristol Parkway stations, so I expect it's still within a couple of miles of either.

The spec is…..

Pace RC200 Gunmetal, Size 18" C-C, (Distinctive square-tubed frame from about 1998)
Pace RC36 forks with gold Ti-nitride stanchions
All 8-speed grey XTR transmission and V-brakes apart from Middleburn Cranks (with Gold Spider)
Black Sycros Post, Grey Syncros Stem, Specialized 'Wideboy' flat bar, WTB saddle. silver WTB headset
Mavic 217 SUP CD rims with Black Hope Ti-Glide rear hub and very oversized Pace Carbon front hub
Shimano LX SPD pedals (black). IRC Mythos tyres with distinctive red/brown side walls.

Arrrg! It was perfect! A couple of snaps attached. One has the spec as I got it with horrible gripshift, but it looks about right.

Reward for info leading to re-capture of the square tubed beauty. Call or txt Rich (Nouveau) on 07980313641

that's the second mention of a bike stolen from a train I've seen recently.

how the hell are we supposed to decide to use the trains more if this is what happens.

good luck finding it.

Have to admit that on the rare occasions I take my bike on the train I tend to lock it up, even though they tell you not to.

Couple of pics, one of it in its original guise with grip shifters:

And one with its new shifters, covered in filth after 60-odd miles round Exmoor:

Will keep 'em peeled. Have you put this on Stolen Bristol Bikes or Retrobike?

yeah what is with those instructions on the trains telling you not to lock your bike?

for short journeys I stand there with my bike, but on a long journey If i can't get seat where I can see my bike like hell am I going to leave it unlocked for some scrote to nick!

DR, I actually run the Stolen Bristol Bikes blog so I've posted it up there. If there's anyone reading this with a Retrobike login then that would also be a logical place to put the word out. I bet those guys can smell a Pace from 500 yards!

@Mr Agreeable – Of course you do, I forgot!

Cheers for the cross-post!

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=75118

Hey Mr A

A few years ago a mate of mine had a seatpost and saddle stolen of his bike on a train. He pursued it with British Rail (as it was then) and wouldn't let go 'til they paid up.
It wouldn't get your mate's lovely Pace back (coincidentally my mate had a gunmetal RC200 recently nicked in Sheffield) but he may get some money and hopefully encourage the train companies to tighten their security.

Tim

And set up a daily Ebay Auto-Search in case it pops up on there…

Regretfully it will probably end up a dole office / Iceland commuter for some runt. 🙁

Underthewood, I guess that was an ex gratia* payment of some kind? Or did he take them to court?

* i.e. a no liability admitted, "shut up and go away" kind of deal – no disrespect to your mate. 🙂

Takisawa, good suggestion.

Mr A

None taken 🙂
Quite right, just the threat of legal action made them pay up, so it's probably worth threatening them.

Thanks guys! It was my bike- any info please try me e-mail address too richardDOTsandersATsustransDOTorgDOTuk

The Pace is bloody ace- not just cos it's all square and English, it actually rides really nicely too. Don't let people tell you they're too bashy for a day in the Peak District

By now it'll be wearing “camouflage”, normally a mixture of green and red paint applied liberally all over the fully assembled bike, that’s assuming it’s not on fleabay in bits… Shit bags!!!! 👿

Never…EVER leave my bike anywhere, even on the train – if it can't be locked up I'll be stood next to it. Feel for you.

I've always stood / sat by the bike whenever i've taken it on a train. it seems silly not to.

20/20 hindsight there chaps! 🙂

20/20 hindsight there chaps!

Think you'll find it was foresight actually 😉

if it can't be locked up I'll be stood next to it

Taking this a step further, (In usual STW fashion)…
If you were to sit on the bike. facing to the rear of the train, would you immediately accelerate through the train ?

🙂

If you were to sit on the bike. facing to the rear of the train, would you immediately accelerate through the train ?

When it starts off, yes 🙂

Sitting next to the bike isn't so easy if they have to go in the guards carriage though, is it (although I don't know if this is the case here or not of course)?

Nah, it was on one of the new trains where you have to keep it in the centre. I've spent 15 years being worried shitless about my bikes on trains and nothing has ever happened. I guess I was a bit guilty of letting my guard down, but I'd been riding for 10 hours that day, it was almost midnight and I was pretty whacked. There's no way you can sit near the bike on the new style trains and usually I'd go check on it at stations…. I thought I checked at Cheltenham.. but… [sigh]…

I guess I could try to take it up with the train operator. Do you think there's any chance of comeback?

I always used to think that within 20 minutes of bikes being stolen, they'd be shipped across the country and respayed, but it's often not the case. Fingers crossed it turns up on e-bay and I can set john law on 'em…

Tony,

Has this been reported to BTP?

Parkway falls under 'D' district (Staple Hill Police Station). Do you want me to send the details to them for their info? It's more likely to be recovered by A&S than BTP, for example when conducting a search of some scrotes house for unrelated matters.

Has he put it on Immobilse?

All the best.

Larry, if you could pass the details on to your Staple Hill chaps it'd be much appreciated. I don't know who the theft was reported to.

Nouveau, if you're reading this and have the serial number, register it on http://www.immobilise.com so the police can trace the bike to you if they retrieve it from some crackhead's basement.

🙁
That's a lovely bike, what a bummer.

I'm always really anal about checking my bike at every station. I've used the train several times up to my girlfriends and often end up sitting 2 or 3 carriages down from the bike just due to my reserved seating. Every station, I'll stand by the door watching or sometimes walk up the train to check on it. God knows what all the other passengers think of me jumping up and down like that but I don't care!

Best of luck in getting it back.

Sitting next to the bike isn't so easy if they have to go in the guards carriage though, is it (although I don't know if this is the case here or not of course)?

Haven't been on a train with a "guards carriage" since I was 5. If it did, I'd insist it were locked up or that they accepted full responsibility for it. But that'd get you refused entry to the train I suspect!

Sorry to hear the news, Nouveau. 👿 Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
Hey, it might cheer you up to have a quick look at my "Bracknell Cycles" Flickr page……….there's a pic of you being rogered senseless – happy days!

Send me a link to yer Flicker thing Giler!

I didn't have the frame number… Never get around to it, stupid 🙁

Eye's peeled here (North Bristol) too, I'll put the word out on the UWE and MoD BUGs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43121659@N06/

See if that helps, Nouveau. Good luck mate with the Pace hunt.

I'm chuffed to announce that the bike has now been reunited with its owner! Apparently the transport police apprehended someone who was thieving bits off bikes at Parkway station. As he had some stolen goods on him they were able to search his house, and the lovely Toblerone bike was found. Thanks to everyone who kept an eye out!

hurray!

Excellent.

Good work BTP.

Re-fu**ingsult!! Chop the baarstads hands off! That's a seriously nice retro-ish bike. Pleased it's back to it's rightful owner.

Great stuff!

Lovely news, great result all round.

GUtted then happy for you Rich! Good work anthony and bristol bike theft watch alert people!

IanC in Finland