Thursday, June 3, 2010

A little bit ago outside Bikes by George




A reader sends along the above shots while walking past Bikes by George on Fourth Street near Avenue A... "Pickup truck pulls up loaded with 'used' bikes. Two guys driving look like they haven't ridden a bike in 30 years. Short conversation ... bikes get unloaded. Hmmm."

11 comments:

Richard D James said...

This spot has always been rumored to sell Stolen Bikes...

elkue said...

It's not totally unusual for shops that sell used bikes to get a bulk of them, but usually the folks selling gather them upstate and are at least somewhat reputable.

I don't think this is quite the same situation as you have at Busy Bee Bikes but still looks a little bit suspicious.

Anonymous said...

HEY COCKSUCKER
First you're always talking about wanting local businesses, etc. and then you're online accusing a cool small gritty shop of stealing bikes.
Fuck outta here.

elkue said...

Anonymous : you're a dumbass. Please show me where a business is accused of selling stolen bikes in the original post. Try again without a penis in your mouth and you won't misread it.

Anonymous said...

Wow, quite the spirited debate. Me thinks anonymous doth protest too much. The shop is not cool nor gritty. This is not a hipster shop selling custom fixies.
They sell the crappiest bikes and sit in front and spray paint them.
The post did not accuse anyone of anything. If the cameraman had been quicker the shots of the whole episode would have given you more to see.
Actually, I saw it all happen and it looked damn shady throughout.
So have your debate but I think the argument "fuck outta here" doesn't hold water. No bully points in intellectual debate. So STFU.

Anonymous said...

Well, hmmmm, a while back, I visited another bike shop, NOT George's, but one in the 'hood and asked for a specific used bike. They said "If you can a wait a day or two, I think we can get one of those for you." Then, the person I was talking to winked and said "If you know what I mean. We can get one. For you." It took me a minute to figure out what he meant but after I got it, I let my "order" drop and shopped elsewhere. I was kinda suspicious in the first place since the first time I visited the store I saw a scene very similar to one described above. I don't think, in this case, the guys were selling bikes stolen from the 'hood, but I did suspect they were selling stolen bikes. They guys doing the selling were from the Bronx and they took, oh, $200 for the truck full of bikes and the bikes all looked like nice, well-maintained bikes, not grimy bikes found in a basement.

So, point being, someone buys all those bikes that get stolen from the fence in front of my building. And, doh, when the bikes in front of my building get stolen, they all go at once. So, it takes more than one person to steal them and, I suspect, they are stolen to sell, not to ride.

And all that said, I like the guys at George's and while I wouldn't be surprised if they have sold a stolen bike or two--surely by mistake--I'd hate to think they do it knowingly.

Anonymous said...

Well said Anon.
Funny thing. When my new used bike was stolen after only 3 weeks last summer the first place I went to ask was the place on 6th between 1st & A.
Of course they said they would never deal in stolen bikes. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and asked them to watch for it.
Then, lo and behold, the shop gets raided by the fighting 9th for being a bastion of stolen bike fencing.
shame.

Anonymous said...

Bike's By George?

Stolen???

Try AUCTIONS!!

Don't know why I am even bothering

Anonymous said...

Maybe those were stolen bikes...

http://www.doobybrain.com/2011/05/23/chris-hansen-confronts-bike-theft-at-bikes-by-george/

Anonymous said...

Hmmn, Chris Hansen seems to have ruffled a few feathers at Bikes By George. Caught red-handed.

Hard-working my ass. Watch the video.

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/05/accused-of-fencing-stolen-bike-shop-dude-loses-it/

Anonymous said...

George is as honest as the day is long. Anyone who says different is most likely a competitor or a bike thief who he wouldn't buy from.