Some of the weirdest things ever happened to you at Paceline...
 

If you hang around these parts long enough, you are sure to see some weird things and meet some interesting people :D

I will just mention one of my own.

It's been so long that I even forgot what the screen name is but this person contacted me out of the blue using PM and asked if I would be willing to help faciliate a transaction. Basically the person is asking that I receive a shipment at my house and then forward it to them. My memory is faint, I think it has something to do with the sender would only ship within US and not abroad, something like that. I said, "Sure, no problem."

Within a week's time, the package came in. It was a USPS priority flat rate box.
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Part of the instructions given to me was to open the box and verify its contents as soon as I received it. So I opened it, verified everything is in good order/quantity.

I promptly PM'ed that person and said, "It's here! Where would you like me to forward it to?"

No reply.

I sent another message.

Still no reply.

I made several more attempts, still no reply.

Weeks turned to months and months turned to years. And this box of stuff just kinda sit in my garage.

This morning, I finally went ahead and tried to figure out how to make use of the stuff. When I first started building wheels, I was using a 25$ plastic jig that I got off Amazon, it was so flimsy that it started to break apart after a few months and I taped it up to keep it going for a few more years. Finally, one day I was shopping around at my local coop and some bike shop had just donated like 3 or 4 of these expensive Park TS2 truing stands. They don't normally sell or give away tools but because I know everyone at a first name basis and I have been supporting the place for many years, I just politely popped the question, "Would you spare one for me to bring home?" And to my surprise, they said yes! And so, it's like all the stars had to align for this to work. I have to have a TS2 in order to match up with these precision add-ons. To be honest, it's really an overkill for what I do. I am just a hacker wheel builder. I build my own wheels and only to a certain standard that won't get myself killed. I would never sell or offer someone else to ride or buy my wheels. No f'uc'kin' way, too much liability.

Anyway, I think this kind benefactor just want to help elevate my wheel building skills to the next level like someone leaving behind a secret manual in the cave so I can reach Buddha Palm Technique Level 10. Unfortunately I am gonna disappoint him or her. I am lazy and a lousy student, I am quite happy staying at level 1. :D

P.S. If you see this ad, and these stuff belong to you, please contact me PRONTO! :p

What is your weirdest experience here at Paceline? ;)

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so the box was full of fancy wheelbuilding stuff?

Yup, I think so, it might have come with a box of chocolates but I already ate them long time ago....

The mail package had dial indicators and brackets?

yup, are they yours? :p

Finding a post on Paceline about a bank robber who used a rare orange Steelman road race bike in his heist getaways, only to find out that I not only knew the exact bike, but test rode it with the previous owner many years before.

Considering the bikes I was riding at that time, it was amazing to even have a chance to throw a leg over a bike like that, let alone have it eventually be the getaway vehicle in future bank robberies.

Hopefully that PL'er is still with us and hasn't shuffled off this mortal coil....it happens.

Weirdest/nicest thing? I had a PL'er take delivery of a bike for me in Berlin (Cipollini's team bike) fly it to San Fran with him while he was on a business trip, and then help me organize a Bike Flights pick up to be shipped to me. Incredibly helpful and out of his way, but still did it!

Love it.

My hat is off to you, weisan! If everyone was like you this world would be a much better place.

:beer:

Orange Steelman Bicycle Thief story
 

For anyone who's missed this:

https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-m...r-tom-justice/

Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20231026...r-tom-justice/

Wow. That’s a hell of a story.

The “origin story” of my friendship with Paceliner Waldo62 always brings a smile to my face: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...ne+coincidence

Reminds me of a story at the bike shop that sponsored my collegiate team in the early 2000s. They were mostly a mountain bike shop but had some relationship with a custom steel builder. Someone paid for a tiny frame to be made, and it was built up with campy per spec, but they never showed up. They tried for years to find the person but they had vanished, so the bike hung in the shop for 6 or 7 years before they moved locations. They tried to sell it for a while but it was smaller than a 44cm I believe. My partner at the time was 5'1 or so and it was too small for her.

I put a beautiful Serotta Ottrott in a box and shipped it to Europe to a guy I had never met before, trusting that he would send me his Parlee in return.
He did.

Thats an amazing story. Send them my way next time they need something shipped :)

Definitely not "weird" but since others have posted about great experiences on Paceline, you can read mine here. Peter is among my favorite people on PL even though we've never had the chance to meet in person. I hope that changes one day.