Examentrainers

And here’s one that was stolen earlier

You can pick up real bargains at police auctions, but only if you have a careful look before you start buying,
says Portia Colwell



More than 130,000 bikes are stolen every year in Britain and a fair proportion end up at police auctions

		“What’s wrong with this bike?” asked Anthony				With help from Anthony Green I managed
		Green, the porter at General Auctions in		30		to find five bikes to bid1) for that were
		London, patiently holding a green mountain				roadworthy and worth less than £50. But it was
		bike while I studied it. “I don’t know,” I				a different story when the bidding began. Some
5		answered. To me it looked a bargain, especially				of the children’s bikes went for as little as £2
		for £20. “Well, it doesn’t have any gears,” came				"[id:27671] every bike I had selected sold for double
		the reply. “So you wouldn’t get very far, love.”		35		the amount I intended to pay.
		Clearly, it wouldn’t be easy to cycle away				Then a red mountain bike which I hadn’t
		with a bargain. But with more than 131,250				spotted previously was held up and for some
10		bicycles a year stolen nationwide, it seemed				inexplicable reason I stuck my hand up, only for
		futile to buy a brand-new bike for £100 only for				the auctioneer to turn to me seconds later while
		it to be taken within the first week.		40		banging his gavel, shouting: “Lot 49 is yours for
		I had come to the police auction in the hope				£45.”
		of cycling away on something that wouldn’t				A sinking feeling swept over me at the
15		shout “take me!” every time I left it tied up in				thought that I could have bought a useless
		the street. Funny, really, since nearly all the				metal frame. But it could have been worse.
		bikes I was viewing were probably stolen		45		While the frame was heavy and cumbersome,
		machines which the police had been unable to				the back wheel slightly buckled and the brakes
		give back to their owners.				not brilliant, the gears, chains and wheels were
20		After an hour of sorting through the frames,				intact and it was rideable.
		some of which were missing chains, seats,				However, my hopes for a fit future, cycling
		gears or, in one case, wheels, it was clear that		50		daily to work, were short-lived. Two weeks after
		some of my choices were duds. “The problem,”				I bought it, my bike was stolen outside a tube
		said Green, who has been holding up bikes at				station, still bearing its lot number and tag.
25		auctions for ten years, “is that you have to get				Nicked, sold and nicked again. The eternal
		the bicycles out and view them properly				wheel of life in the big city.
		otherwise you could end up buying a bike which
		costs more to repair than to buy brand new.”				The Times

to bid = een bod uitbrengen (op een veiling)