Welcome home old friend!

[Look585]

This custom Mikkelsen was stolen out of my apartment in the summer of 2007. The frame and fork turned up on the local Craigslist and I bought it back at a fairly reasonable price. It is much the same shape as I remember (less many nice parts including a set of polished record 10s hubs, grrr).

Lots of clearance for big tires even under the short reach brakes; 28s with ease and likely 30s. Will build it up from parts bin stocks and keep it around SF for headlands runs and Marin gravel roads.

Welcome home, glad to have you back.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7548/15950564976_fff1364e2d_z_d.jpg

[callt5]

Wow! How cool is that. Good for you. I am sure I would have had mixed emotions. Anger and grateful. Hopefully it had a good life while away :hello:

[gasman]

Remarkable you found it 7 years later !!

[Fishbike]

Great homecoming. Please fill in the details. Did you tell the seller about the bike's history? Do you think he /she knew about or had any involvement in the bike's sordid past?

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Great story and sweet frameset.

[Look585]

I didn't let on to the story during email communication for fear of scaring the guy away! As to anger, 7 years was more than enough time for me to diffuse. Mostly I'm happy to have the frame back; some good memories on this one. Solo unsupported SF>LA, 1st Death Ride, many fun times.

[Keith A]

Thanks for sharing and it is amazing that you were able to find this bike after all these years.

[foo_fighter]

Wow! Did you have an IFTTT search?(Did they even have IFTTT 7 years ago?) Or was it serendipity? A friend of mine had his Klein stolen out of his apt in the city and found it a month later on the Santa Cruz CL. I'm still searching for my CX bike that was stolen 2 months ago at the ferry building...Hopefully it won't take 7 years.

[ultraman6970]

What did the guy said when you told him the bike was yours and stolen like 7 years ago?? Where did the guy get the bike??

[tumbler]

Very cool. Hopefully the CL seller had nothing to do with and no knowledge of the earlier theft.

[jghall]

Serendipity. Cool story, cool bike.

[gngroup]

Congrats! Enjoy!

[moose8]

I keep looking for a bike I had stolen like six years ago, so maybe I'm just a year away from finding it!

Congrats and post pictures of it built up!

[Muffin Man]

I had a walmart mongoose stolen from the bike racks in my condo complex when I was young, and I was heartbroken. Can't imagine what loosing a bike I have now would feel like.

[weisan]

Congratulations Look pal on the long waited reunion!

So, are you going to lock it up in a high security containment room now?

Or alternatively, you can put the Look 585 in the front as a decoy, use it as the bait and switch :eek:

[Look585]

Made significant progress last night...

Mounting up cranks, pedals, chain and a RD cable today. Should be ready for a ride this evening!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7488/15984046392_74820d7193_z_d.jpg

Clearance!!! That's a 27.5mm tire (labeled 25mm...). I'm thinking I should be able to stuff a 27mm Paris-Roubaix and maybe even a 30mm Strada Bianca in there.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7535/15798702229_3fee4d46cf_z_d.jpg

[Look585]

Done. It rides well, though different than I remember. In fairness I'm a notably lighter and fitter than when we last spent time together. The handling is rather different than what I've been spending most of my time on lately (track bike).

Soonish a 6800 group will dress this up. Further down the road, a custom steel fork, respray, and perhaps S&S retrofit.

[happycampyer]

That road has some serious maintenance issues.

Congrats on being reunited with your bike. As others asked, did you mention to the seller that the bike had been stolen from you years ago and, if so, what was his reaction?

Legally, if you could prove that the bike was yours and was stolen from you, you would not have had to pay for the bike. It was probably easier to just buy it back, though.

[cash05458]

lovely looking bike...glad you found her...!

[fogrider]

Done. It rides well, though different than I remember. In fairness I'm a notably lighter and fitter than when we last spent time together. The handling is rather different than what I've been spending most of my time on lately (track bike).

Soonish a 6800 group will dress this up. Further down the road, a custom steel fork, respray, and perhaps S&S retrofit.

is that the fork that was on the frame before?

[Hat]

Nice, I had a Mikkelsen for a short while until the frame cracked. I'm 90% sure your frame was listed on ebay a couple times in the last month or two and didn't sell. Can't find the auction now...

[josephr]

Made significant progress last night...

Mounting up cranks, pedals, chain and a RD cable today. Should be ready for a ride this evening!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7488/15984046392_74820d7193_z_d.jpg

Clearance!!! That's a 27.5mm tire (labeled 25mm...). I'm thinking I should be able to stuff a 27mm Paris-Roubaix and maybe even a 30mm Strada Bianca in there.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7535/15798702229_3fee4d46cf_z_d.jpg

you could probably fit 32s....got a lot of room there!

nice bike and great story...a bike like that must've been like the Ring -- always wanting to return from where it came.

[Look585]

Thanks for all the comments guys! Definitely glad to have it back.

-Stolen: Didn't bother with telling the seller it was stolen. There is a police report on file from 2007, but being a custom this had/has no serial number. BernieM probably has a drawing somewhere in his shop and there are enough customizations to make the frame unique. Mostly I didn't want to scare the guy away and the hassle of getting to SFPD and pulling the report and then getting to Bernie's shop and finding a 13 year old frame drawing was too much. Water under the bridge.

-Fork: The fork is what was on there when it was stolen. 1" Alu steerer so it moves around, particularly under heavy braking, much more so than my other bikes. A custom steel fork could tune the ride, stiffen up the front end, and maximize tire clearance to match the rear. 30s or 32s would be really nice on Marin's fire roads.

-Respray/S&S: This is surely investing way too much $$$ in an old frame, but I still might do it. Been thinking of a "boomerang" theme. Dusty colors and Australian outback motif. Fitting for an adventure bike that spent some time on "walkabout".