Close to Home

East 4th street and Caton Avenue. A little too close to home. Zombies everywhere! While not fully a zombie, on its way. Soon the cables will be gone, shifters will be missing, stripped of all that once made it a bike. Probably be gone within the week. I think its a nice shot. Soon bikes left out too long begin to decay on the cold. They will rust and lose parts. The cold and wet will bring the zombies.

Perfect ZOMBIE

I couldn't have picked a better Zombie for the day. Its a brand I never heard of, missing all of its parts, chain totally rusted and laying spread out behind it, locked up pretty well though. Found on Ditmas Avenue between Ocean Parkway and E. 7th street. I have a feeling its going to be a nice Zombie winter.

Cleaning Out Old Memory

I took these photos a while ago. Some in Brooklyn, some in the city. They are no longer there, having been clipped and removed. Many of the bikes from the city were Specialized Hardrocks- I'm sure once used as a glorious mountain bike, no degraded to delivery and abandoned to the streets.

The Most F***ed Bike EVER!

I was shocked when I saw this bike. It is so F***ED! The rear wheel is smashed, one arm of the front suspension fork is bent and of course no cables or seat. The positive is that the lock is pretty weak so it will be gone soon. Nothing to salvage, miserable bike from Mongoose, a decent brand at higher price points. This one was all aluminum. It was so bad, I had to take two photos.

I found this miserable specimen on 54th street and 16th avenue.

Winter time= Zombie Time

As the weather turns cold, I believe that more Zombie bikes will appear. The bikes will become deserted, rusted carcasses that clog up light posts and become buried in the snow. Wheels become flat, cables rot, rubber will disintegrate, bikes become cold zombies. More opportunities for me. This specimen was found at 51st street and 17th Avenue in Brooklyn. The owner at one time cared enough to remove the wheels and lock them together. Now, it sits rotting behind newspaper boxes. No cables, poor shape. I know after the first snow, this one will be beyond zombie- to dead. I personally like the leaves turning under the bike. A sure sign of things to come.

School Zombie

Saw this one outside of a school on 19th street between 6 & 7 acenue. Lots of political stickers on it. I likes the one about being free on a bike. This bike hasnt been free for a while. The chain is rusted out real bad. Its got a good kyrpto lock so we'll see how long this one stays.

Crap- part II

I thought the last post was a real piece of junk. This one is even worse. It was on Bay 17th Street and Bath Ave. in Bensonhurst. I dont know why someone would even buy this bike new. it is complete crap. Luckily, the lock is also junk so I am sure it can be removed real easy and.. I dont know not even recycled. The frame should be discarded into the bowels of bike hell.

Real piece of Crap

This bike was found on Bay Ridge Parkway (75th) Street and 16th Avenue in Bensonhurst. It was right near a bus station and is a Kent. A brand Ive never really heard of and looks to be a real piece of crap. Completely "zombified" I wouldnt ride this even if it was in good condition. Now, no seat, no wheels, the parts arent even good.

Brooklyn Zombies

Although nobody comments, I believe people must be reading this blog because it seems like every time I post about a bike, within 2-3 days, its gone.

This bike seems really nasty.

Its a pretty good brand- Diamondback and has pretty intense locks- a major kryptonite and even a seat lock-

Although the seat is COVERED in bird crap.

Found on 4th Avenue between Prospeect Avenue and 17th street.

Prospect Park Zombie

This one is at a heavy traffic corner so I dont know how it could have happened. Chained up by the park, seeing all those other bikes go by, this on is definately neglected to the point of being zombie.

Another Brooklyn Zombie

This one was overly upsetting. I had seen this bike numerous times before in different locations around my block. UNfortunately, the Zombies got it and left it like this, to rot along the highway, where it can only look on as the traffic moves by and it cannot.

It was recognizable by the really strange pedals- very flat and solid white. Now, no chain, seat or cables.

Zombies in Kensington!

It took a while but I found that the Zombies are in Kensington as well! Hide your healthy bikes as once a zombie gets a hold of your bike, its tires go flat, loses tension in the chain and goes nowhere. This one was found dead on McDonald Ave and Church by the bank. Its in real poor shape. The tires are gone and notice the rear derailleur splayed out like a small intestine. Its guts are all over the floor. Poor bike. It once was a way to work or even hit the trails, reduced to this. Weep.

Park Slope Zombies

Found these in the slope last week. I am surprised that bikes are abandoned like this. It seems so senseless (chime Mrs. Lovejoy "Wont someone think of the children). It would make sense to donate them to be rehabilitated but the work involved in some of them is so intense.

The pink one was on Union Street and 5th Avenue. No rear wheel, no cables, poor shape. The blue one was on President and 5th Avenue. I dont think it was even locked up to the post. Not much you can do with tires but no hub. It also might be tough to ride with no handlebars, the seat is optional though, as is the chain.

Nice Lock! Too bad it was only for the front tire. There seems to be no way to remove the tire. The rest of the bike gone, the tire-badly warped and damaged must remain behind as a testament to the bike that one was.

Can only a tire be considered a Zombie Bike?
Found on Thompson Street.

Lock worth more than Bike

Here are two photos where the lock probably cost more than the bike.

The purple bike seems to be lock with a Kryptonite lock. notice the seat is also lock onto the bike. Good thing or else that might get stolen!

The brown bike is in sorry shape. The front forks are badly bent, no seat post, no bars, no pedals but a nice fender to protect you during the rain. Even when alive, the lock cost more than the bike. WHy would someone spend more on the lock and then leave the bike to rot?

Reasons:

1) Owner lost key.

2) Owner fogot where bike was.

3) Owner on looong vacation.

4) Neglect

Any other ideas?

Alive or Zombie?

This bike on Berry and North 9 looks fine. Looks can deceive. Upon closer inspection

1) No pedals

2) No seat

3) No handlebars

At least it has TWO locks so nobody can steal it... Although with the chain dangling like that, you probably wouldn't get far.

Verdict: ZOMBIE

Resting Rhino

This Rhino was found on Ocean Parkway and Kings Highway.

Obviously the beast could not keep up with the herd and had to rest under the tree.

With grass growing over its frame, stripped of all of its parts one has to wonder how long it will suffer

Zombie Bikes of NYC

Welcome to my first blog.

I love bikes. I love to ride. I also appreciate the beauty of bikes and the skill of the design of most bikes.

The memories of bikes is always positive for me and for most evokes a smile.

Bikes are both for utility and pleasure. People spend their hard earned money to buy these bikes.

Along the way, something happens to some bikes which turns them into ZOMBIE BIKES., the have had the life sucked out of them.

They are no longer useful. Not quite dead but not among the living.

What happened to these bikes? Why were they deserted and forced into this state? Can they be saved?

Some ideas on how they became ZOMBIE BIKES later.

I plan to post ZOMBIE BIKE photos from around Brooklyn and Manhattan.

I hope you enjoy.