Hi,
Finally getting around to post this.
Sadly, two polo bikes got stolen in Neukölln, Berlin (Kirchhofstraße 4), on the night of Thursday 11/07/2024 just before the Berlin Mixed tournament.
My bike is a custom geometry steel frame for 26in wheels made by Marino.
It is black although very scratched, only a few stickers on the seat tube and down tube, the wheels are quite flashy with big easton logos on the rims, and it has a unique dual brake setup.
If you spot it online or on the streets, please contact me here or @fraxise on instagram, thank you !
Photos:
| FRAME | |
|---|---|
| Frame manufacturer | Marino |
| Frame colour | Matt Black |
| Frame number | No number |
| Frame tubing | Steel 4130 Chromoly |
| Frame year | Made in 07/2013 |
| Frame details | Head badge is just a black “M” sticker under the black paintjob Approx 49cm seat tube (bb centre to top of collar) Horizontal dropouts with adjustable screws to support rear axle, spacing for 135mm Rear brake bosses on upper side of seat stays tubes, no disc tab on the rear No Front brake bosses on fork legs, only disc brake possible on the front Reinforcements around head tube connections No bottle mounts or cable management Top tube protector, black, white carrot logo (Mrkev) |
| Forks | Custom made by my friend Colin in 2020 Black Reynolds 853 Steel fork legs 31.75mmØ Straight 1 1/8in steerer (not tapered) Disc only Hooded dropouts for quick release axle |
| PARTS | BRAND / MODEL / DETAILS / COLOUR |
| WHEELS | |
| Front wheel Rim/Hub/Spokes |
Easton Haven wheelset, 26 in., 24 spokes, black with large white logo letters on the rim Hub is glossy bronze colour, 15mm but with axle adaptor for QR with 5mm hex key Black straight spokes, some silver Nipples mostly black, but some red diy polycarbonate polo wheel covers on both sides, white painted markings and some clear tape for cracks |
| Rear wheel Rim/Hub/Spokes |
Easton Haven wheelset, 26 in., 24 spokes, gold with large black and white logo letters Hub is glossy bronze colour, 135mm, QR with 5mm hex key Black straight spokes, some silver Nipples mostly black, but some red diy polycarbonate polo wheel covers on both sides, white painted markings and some clear tape for cracks |
| Tires | Maxxis Detonator 26x1.35 in. |
| Tubes | Continental Race 26 |
| DRIVETRAIN | |
| Freewheel | 18T, single speed cog on freehub, (not a separate freewheel), with Gusset spacers for single speed setup |
| Cranks | SRAM X0, 170mm, carbon, Black, with green end protection |
| Chainring | SRAM, 32T, Steel, direct mount onto crank arm, black |
| Bottom bracket | Max1, GXP 68/73mm, Black |
| Chain | KMC, Z1eHX narrow, silver |
| Pedals | Race Face Chester, Purple, Plastic platform, metal screw pins |
| SEATING | |
| Seat post | Thomson Elite, straight, 27.2mm, black |
| Seat clamp | Separate, not Integrated to frame Model unknown, black with a Titanium screw. |
| Saddle | Fizik, Tundra, black |
| STEERING | |
| Stem | Easton Haven, 85mm for oversized bars 31.8mm, black Top cap: Superstar black black carbon spacers |
| Bars | Truvativ Noir, Carbon, low rise oversized 31.8mm, black and gold dots quite visually damaged |
| Grips | ODI Rogue, lock-on, black |
| Headset | Cane Creek Forty, 1 1/8", external, black |
| BRAKING | |
| Brake | Front: Shimano Saint BR-M810 calliper (4 piston) disc 160mm SRAM Centerline Brake Lever: modified Shimano LX BL ST-M585 dual control to activate the front hydraulic brake and the rear V-brake independently, silver Rear: V-brake Shimano XTR |
| Disc guard | Fazan, black |
| Other bike details | There is a plastic brake lever body on the handlebars (right side) for stopping the bars to fully rotate and damage the brake lines. Obviously the brake setup is very peculiar, if not unique, two brakes in one, front is hydraulic disc and rear is mech v-brake. |
Short story:
Two of us arrived at our apartment (from booking .com) late around 23:30, we attached our polo bikes to our friend’s polo bike already there (that one had a D-lock between the back wheel and frame), but we did not have strong locks, only a coil cable type lock and a small chain which went through the wheels and frames and the fence. There were other city bikes from the residents in this location of the courtyard. It was very dark, we used our lights and we took everything off the bikes (no mallet or light left).
There was a gate (for cars to enter the courtyard) in direct sight but from the street side, the courtyard and especially the bikes were in total darkness, there was no way to see any of the bikes from walking pass in front of the gate on the street.
On Friday morning, we left the building just after 08:00 and our two bikes were gone.
The chain lock was cut and left hanging on the third polo bike with the D-lock. The cable lock was found in the yellow plastic recycling bin 10m away. Both presumed to be cut with a wireless angle grinder.
Our hypothesis is that two ppl stole two bikes because they could ride away on the bikes easily. But the possibility that thieves randomly walked pass the gate and saw the bikes across in the courtyard is low because this area would have been in the dark until sunrise around 05:00 in the morning.
IMO someone living in an apartment looking down to the courtyard saw us locking the bikes and could have tipped off this information to someone else who would have come during the night to steal the bikes, either let in or the 2m tall gate can be easily climbed.
This theft was reported to the Berlin Police, via the online bike theft report form.