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Hooker stolen bike story
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Thought i would finish a story i posted about a month ago, I collect old TT bikes and have been looking for a Hooker for a few years,two turned up on Ebay last month so i made a offer just to see where the seller was on the amount,minutes later i had bought it. I recieved the bike and at once knew i had seen the paint job before,A poster on Slowtwitch had even said they had never seen a black one,the photos on ebay did not look black but i could not tell what the paint was.
When i took the frame out of the box i told a friend i bet the bike was stolen,so a few days later i did a Google search and found posts on Slowtwitch about a fellow Slowtwitcher when he had bought the bike, then more posts about the paint job he had done, then posts asking folks to keep a eye open that the bike had been stolen, I found the owner and sent a message asking if he had ever found the bike, No but thanks for asking was his answer,at this point i sent him my phone number asking him to call me,i about a hour we were talking and i told him i had his bike that had been stolen fives years ago it had just arrived from Colorado not far from where it had been stolen. So tons of emails, fights with ebay, calls to police, the bike arrived back home last week almost five years to the day it was stolen.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Wow! Nice story, thank you for sharing

Formely stef32
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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You are a very good and honest person for alerting the original owner. I hope karma comes back your way. Good on you!!
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Not the direction I was hoping with this thread.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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toolguy wrote:
Thought i would finish a story i posted about a month ago, I collect old TT bikes and have been looking for a Hooker for a few years,two turned up on Ebay last month so i made a offer just to see where the seller was on the amount,minutes later i had bought it. I recieved the bike and at once knew i had seen the paint job before,A poster on Slowtwitch had even said they had never seen a black one,the photos on ebay did not look black but i could not tell what the paint was.
When i took the frame out of the box i told a friend i bet the bike was stolen,so a few days later i did a Google search and found posts on Slowtwitch about a fellow Slowtwitcher when he had bought the bike, then more posts about the paint job he had done, then posts asking folks to keep a eye open that the bike had been stolen, I found the owner and sent a message asking if he had ever found the bike, No but thanks for asking was his answer,at this point i sent him my phone number asking him to call me,i about a hour we were talking and i told him i had his bike that had been stolen fives years ago it had just arrived from Colorado not far from where it had been stolen. So tons of emails, fights with ebay, calls to police, the bike arrived back home last week almost five years to the day it was stolen.

Very cool. So did eBay reimburse you?
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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This thread needs pictures. And possibly even some links to the older slowtwitch threads.

Very cool story, good on you for doing the right thing.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Good for you, sir, the world needs more people like you.

-------------------------------
´Get the most aero and light bike you can get. With the aero advantage you can be saving minutes and with the weight advantage you can be saving seconds. In a race against the clock both matter.´

BMANX
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Nice story and good deed on your part!

I have to admit though, when I opened this thread I was hoping to hear a story that involved hookers and triathlon bikes. Complete with pictures would have been even better!
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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toolguy wrote:
Thought i would finish a story i posted about a month ago, I collect old TT bikes and have been looking for a Hooker for a few years,two turned up on Ebay last month so i made a offer just to see where the seller was on the amount,minutes later i had bought it. I recieved the bike and at once knew i had seen the paint job before,A poster on Slowtwitch had even said they had never seen a black one,the photos on ebay did not look black but i could not tell what the paint was.
When i took the frame out of the box i told a friend i bet the bike was stolen,so a few days later i did a Google search and found posts on Slowtwitch about a fellow Slowtwitcher when he had bought the bike, then more posts about the paint job he had done, then posts asking folks to keep a eye open that the bike had been stolen, I found the owner and sent a message asking if he had ever found the bike, No but thanks for asking was his answer,at this point i sent him my phone number asking him to call me,i about a hour we were talking and i told him i had his bike that had been stolen fives years ago it had just arrived from Colorado not far from where it had been stolen. So tons of emails, fights with ebay, calls to police, the bike arrived back home last week almost five years to the day it was stolen.

It is threads like this that restores my faith in the American people. You sir are a good man.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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I hope the eBay "seller" was also the thief, otherwise an innocent person just lost out on a ton of $. Yes I realize this person was in possession of stolen property but who knows how many hands the bike could have gone through in 5 years. Glad the frame got back to its rightful owner! And a HOOKER too. Love the bike.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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May the wishes of a thousand genies be granted to you sir.
Karma will indeed repay you. :0)

__________________________________________________
Official Polar Ambassador
http://www.google.com/...P7RiWyEVwpunlsc2JtQQ
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Good for you.

So what happened to money you paid to the seller? Did you get a refund from ebay?

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [DarkSpeedWorks] [ In reply to ]
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The seat was proably too high~!

Steve Q
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Needs pics and the result of battling over the money with Ebay. That being said, kudos for making an effort and doing the right thing.

---------------

"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Amazing story!
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [MadTownTri74] [ In reply to ]
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Wow, great awareness and effort!
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Well the ebay thing went like this,they did not care it was stolen,to get my money back i was told to return the bike to the seller, i was not going to do this the orginal owner wanted the bike back and had a reward for its return,he told me i would not be out any money,, What i wanted was to return the bike to the owner,even if i never saw any money, Sending the bike to someone who may have been a part in its theft was never going to happen,,,, It was my bike i could always keep it, At this point the police were not going to look into the case any more,
The owner and i talked about me keeping the bike but in the end he wanted it back, last Wednesday it arrived back to him and he said it only had a few more scratches but looked the same as five years ago. I belive the bike was never more then twenty miles from him for five years,,it was sold at a flee market in Denver to the person who ebayed it, after contacting the seller and telling him it was stolen and had a police report he went to the police thinking i was trying to scam him somehow, if he knows who stole the bike he is one cool guy,i told him i was going to give him negitive feedback and he seemed fine with it,
Every year i buy myself a birthday or Christmas present, well i am out my birthday present and out a Hooker bike. The owner said he would tell his side of the story, To me its just cool that this has roots around Slowtwitch, with out his posts about the bike i never would have known it was stolen, I do hope the owner will post his story, What are the odds that a bike stolen five years ago comes from Colorado to Florida back to Colorado and arrives almost to the day five years later.
Last edited by: toolguy: Oct 24, 12 9:15
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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toolguy wrote:
Well the ebay thing went like this,they did not care it was stolen.

That's troubling.

But, somehow, not at all surprising. Ebay corporate is all about the benjamins ...

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook

--
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Great story, sorry about the ending though.

As it turns out, I found a Hooker Elite earlier this year which had a bad second paint job, though brakes, fork and seatpost are all fine. I had the frame restored by a professional frame painter with original down tube decals and raced it this year at Charlotte Motor Speedway TT series. Problem is, it is a 56 cm which is a too tall for me. I rode it anyway 'cause it is so cool. Thinking of putting it up for sale next spring. I will be sure to send you a message if I do.

Rich G in NC



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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [MattAune] [ In reply to ]
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MattAune wrote:
This thread needs pictures. And possibly even some links to the older slowtwitch threads.

Just a guess, but it may be this thread from almost exactly 5 years ago:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...en%20hooker;#1534821

One of the pics is still working.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [E-Bell] [ In reply to ]
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That would be the one
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [E-Bell] [ In reply to ]
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Good find.

That is a rather unique paint job.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [baudyboy] [ In reply to ]
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That is a sweet looking rig, i am tall i looked at a 57cm but never got any info back from the seller the hooker i did buy was a 59 and wouls have needed a longer seat post, I am 6' 4" so may need a 60=63 cm not sure if Hooker ever made any that large, i really would love one with a 650c front wheel as i collect funny bikes (tt bikes)
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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great story

____________________________________________________
I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it--
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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No problem toolguy. By the way, mine is a Hooker Elite "Cat.1", which was built and advertised as a road bike that could also double as a TT bike (just no cowl over the stem). Wheels are 700c. The pic shows an Ouzo Aero fork that I put on because I thought I was going to be doing more road courses, but I have since gone back to the chromed, heavy, (but beautiful) stiletto forks. I'll probably sell it and then kick myself for the rest of my life for doing so, just like I did with a Zipp 2001 I had a few years back. Good luck in your search, that's part of the romance of the whole thing, right?

Rich G
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Man, stealing from bikes from hookers, what's next? Burning down orphanages? This country is going down the tubes.


-Andrew Saar
It is better to do the right thing and be paid poorly,
than to do the wrong thing and be rewarded richly.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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ToolGuy

First I want to thank you very much for all your effort to get this bike back to its owner - ME !!!

And thanks for getting this thread posted, Since I've recieved the bike back from you, I have not been able to get this done.

It is a rather unbelievable story. As you mentioned, the bike was returned almost 5 years to the day it was stolen right out of my office warehouse here in Englewood, Co. I had put alot into the bike, and it is ironic that you said it was to have been a birthday present to yourself. At the time it was stolen, I had a birthday 50th BIrthday event also planned - doing an Ironman. I found this bike originally on ebay, and it had been in rough shape. I had the bike completely stripped and repainted with the true-fire style of graphics that have the flames 'illuminate' in the sun. From pictures it does in fact look black.

That year had been a rough one for me - although I had the bike completely re-built - in the build up to the Ironman, I was treated with Bladder Cancer. I was able to get through it, but pushed too hard trying to get ready for the event and got sick again. After that race was off the table I was able to get into another race - but then two weeks befor the race - The bike was stolen !

Fast forward 5 years... I had been keeping track of ebay for the bike, but had been out of town for about 6 weeks, and was not able to follow it. When you called - I thought it was a prank !

I still had the original stem, and the matching rear wheel, because there was a PT wheel on the bike when it was stolen - as well as a Polar Power system that I was comparing numbers to.

But thank you. And thank you for letting me buy it back from you to get it back home.

As it stands now, I have recieved some emails from the Ebay Seller, but when I had replied, there has not been any answer. The police were notified by that seller, because HE thought a scam was being pulled on him! Some how, I don't think this is his first Rodeo. I can't say too much about me trying to get my money back from him, but I'm not encouraged!

Dave Beitel

I'll get some pictures taken and posted.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [baudyboy] [ In reply to ]
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It was had sending it back,I have photos from Hooker while they were still building bikes,did the Nat TT champs in 1990 and saw Bostic and Frey of Hookers and have wanted one since.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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nice job!!

Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [Dbeitel] [ In reply to ]
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Dave get well,stay well,ride the crap out of that bike,So glad to be able to return her to her rightfull owner, we need before and after pics, Next time i am in Colorado maybe we can go for a ride,
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Can you post any pictures of the other bikes in your TT collection? It would be interesting to see what you have.
Thanks in advance
Simon

-------------------------------
´Get the most aero and light bike you can get. With the aero advantage you can be saving minutes and with the weight advantage you can be saving seconds. In a race against the clock both matter.´

BMANX
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [Barchettaman] [ In reply to ]
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Simon i will get some piccs posted, As far as Funny bikes i have My mane brand bike i made 1987 (i used to build frames still will build a custom stem sometimes)
A GT Yamaguchi built 650c/700c
a Rossin with a wild paint job that needs a down and top tube 650c/700c 1988 ish
2 Tiemeyers 700c tt bikes 2001-2009
1 my brand road 1996
1 Tiemeyer road made from his aero tubing 2011
1 Cannondale road 1996
1 Clark-Kent ax-1 like Greywal used to win mt evans 78 degree bent seat tube road 1993 ish
1 Gt superbike i bought from Superdave still being restored 1997 ish
1 Yamaguchi tt 700c built for mavics electronic shifting ?
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Oh my Lord.
Several Grail bikes there!!

-------------------------------
´Get the most aero and light bike you can get. With the aero advantage you can be saving minutes and with the weight advantage you can be saving seconds. In a race against the clock both matter.´

BMANX
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [Barchettaman] [ In reply to ]
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of course missing the hooker,i found one in asheville but it was to small,just found a fir 650c front disc local guy i know $5.00
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Madness. Utter madness.

-------------------------------
´Get the most aero and light bike you can get. With the aero advantage you can be saving minutes and with the weight advantage you can be saving seconds. In a race against the clock both matter.´

BMANX
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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toolguy wrote:
Thought i would finish a story i posted about a month ago, I collect old TT bikes and have been looking for a Hooker for a few years,two turned up on Ebay last month so i made a offer just to see where the seller was on the amount,minutes later i had bought it. I recieved the bike and at once knew i had seen the paint job before,A poster on Slowtwitch had even said they had never seen a black one,the photos on ebay did not look black but i could not tell what the paint was.
When i took the frame out of the box i told a friend i bet the bike was stolen,so a few days later i did a Google search and found posts on Slowtwitch about a fellow Slowtwitcher when he had bought the bike, then more posts about the paint job he had done, then posts asking folks to keep a eye open that the bike had been stolen, I found the owner and sent a message asking if he had ever found the bike, No but thanks for asking was his answer,at this point i sent him my phone number asking him to call me,i about a hour we were talking and i told him i had his bike that had been stolen fives years ago it had just arrived from Colorado not far from where it had been stolen. So tons of emails, fights with ebay, calls to police, the bike arrived back home last week almost five years to the day it was stolen.

Great story. Speaking of that Superbike, I have a Hooker fork (1" 700c) that I bought to use with it eons ago. I've held onto it thinking one day I'd use it again but I am convinced now I won't.

If you are interested in it, I'd be happy to offer it to you.

-SD

https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [SuperDave] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Superdave yes i would be interested in the fork, pm me a price and how much steerer is on the fork the bars i have might need a longer steerer tube
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [Dbeitel] [ In reply to ]
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If you think getting Denver-area press involved would help, shoot me a PM.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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toolguy wrote:
Hi Superdave yes i would be interested in the fork, pm me a price and how much steerer is on the fork the bars i have might need a longer steerer tube

Your story has compelled me to give you the forks for free.
Please email me your ship-to address; I didn't save it.
If the fork is too short for you to use, I'm sure you can find a good home for it.

-SD

https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [SuperDave] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks Superdave now i have to find a Hooker frame to use with the fork.
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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Ha! Your story is even better. 2 tri guys working together. Mine was dumb luck and persistence

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http://www.myracerecap.com
http://www.anthonybagnettofitness.com
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [toolguy] [ In reply to ]
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WTF??? I thought this was a story about hot hookers on stolen bikes...


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Hooker stolen bike story [MattAune] [ In reply to ]
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MattAune wrote:
This thread needs pictures.

I thought the same thing when I first read it, but now I suspect the thread title is misleading and all we would get are pictures of bikes.
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