Adopt a Ghost Bike

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on May 10, 2011 at 2:18pm

I agree, Becca. I also hope whoever vandalizes these memorials get what is truly coming to them in the end. But I also think that we can play a part in keeping these memorials from being vandalized or at least fixing them up during the year when we see them start to get run down or parts being removed. Maybe superglue/Gorilla Glue the handlebars in place ?

 

I did find this nice article on how to erect & take care of a Ghost Bike: http://ghostbikes.org/howto

 

I think Holly said she was going to check out the bike on Lincon/Damen/IrvingPark- please let me know if you need any help/parts or whatever in repairing it. Last I saw of it, it still had wheels and could probably be fixed up and presentable by Sunday if someone hasn't already removed it.

Becca said:

It really saddens me that people won't even leave a memorial bike alone.  I hope karma catches up to whoever stole the handlebars off this bike.

Melanie said:

The bike at Irving Park and Lincoln is in pretty bad condition- looks like someone stole the handlebars and I think it has been vandalized in other ways as well-I pass it everyday on my commute but never realized what it was until I joined Chainlink.

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Permalink Reply by Holly on May 10, 2011 at 2:54pm

Hi...I'm taking care of Jepson's bike at Diversey and Avers--west Logan Square.

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on May 10, 2011 at 3:02pm

Thanks for clarifying- I just re-read the posts and noticed it was Neils who mentioned the one on Damen. I'll PM him and see if he is still doing that or if he needs help with it.

Holly said:

Hi...I'm taking care of Jepson's bike at Diversey and Avers--west Logan Square.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 10, 2011 at 6:14pm

Thanks for the report. I expect Clint's coworkers and family, who placed the bike, have been maintaining it.

Melanie said:

I just got back from my lunchtime walk- the Clint Miceli Ghostbike looks to be freshly painted and very well taken care of- there is even a nice flower box with some pretty flowers under it. Whoever took care of it, thank you, it looks wonderful and is a beautiful memorial.

Melanie said:

The bike at Irving Park and Lincoln is in pretty bad condition- looks like someone stole the handlebars and I think it has been vandalized in other ways as well-I pass it everyday on my commute but never realized what it was until I joined Chainlink. I have some spare handlebars to replace the ones that were stolen if someone wants to fix that one up before the 15th.

 

I can pass by the Clint Miceli- 900 block of La Salle bike and see what condition it is in. I work only a few blocks from that area.  I'll check it out on my lunch hour today, especially since it is a beautiful day to take a walk. I'll let everyone know what it may need and if possible, I can try to fix it up after work tomorrow or Friday.  Not sure if I can procure spraypaint in time if that is what it needs, but I can try.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 10, 2011 at 6:19pm

Here's the story of the bike at Lincoln/Damen/Irving.

The victim's family wanted the sign removed so that his spirit can "go free" (possibly paraphrasing since this is second hand.) Once the sign was gone it became just another abandoned bike to most.  The reason it's still there at all is that the city bike folks and the locals/neighbors know that it was a ghost bike.

Ideally someone would remove the frame as there really is no memorial remaining at this point.

I set up a Google alert on Ghost Bike years ago and have read many many accounts of ghost bikes being removed or vandalized around the world; comparatively they have been treated with respect and deference by Chicagoans.

Becca said:

It really saddens me that people won't even leave a memorial bike alone.  I hope karma catches up to whoever stole the handlebars off this bike.

Melanie said:

The bike at Irving Park and Lincoln is in pretty bad condition- looks like someone stole the handlebars and I think it has been vandalized in other ways as well-I pass it everyday on my commute but never realized what it was until I joined Chainlink.

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Permalink Reply by Neils on May 10, 2011 at 8:30pm

I swung by the bike on 3000 N. Damen tonight to take a closer look to figure out what supplies to bring this weekend. It must be said that whoever is maintaining this bike is doing one heck of a job! There is mulch with flower planted underneath the bike, candles and many other goodies that really show people care. The sign could you a bit of touching up as the last painting covered some of it but otherwise it's almost in better shape than I keep my bikes.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 10, 2011 at 8:42pm

Thanks Neils! It sounds like we just may not want to touch it then . . .?

Other bikes in need of attention are:

Tyler's- Western/Logan

Blanca's- Kedzie/Armitage

Mandy's- Kedzie/Armitage

Isai's- Western/Armitage*

Alicia's- Division/Kennedy*


*not included on next week's route but in need of TLC

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Permalink Reply by Holly on May 12, 2011 at 5:08pm

Howard--I went to the Ghost Bike @ Avers and Diversey today and did some spray paint touchups. Jepson's Ghost Bike is in good repair, but the sign is kind of grubby looking. It's legible, but dirty and scratched. I brought some all-purpose cleaning spray, but that didn't help much.

It's been visited as recently as Valentine's Day. There was some garland on it with a Val's Day theme.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 12, 2011 at 11:28pm

Thanks, Holly. The sign should be fine for now.

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Permalink Reply by Chicago Ride of Silence on May 13, 2011 at 1:10pm

Per the request of the family, the bike at Irving Park and Lincoln no longer has a sign on it. The bike can stay or go at this point... I know there are just parts left of it.

Melanie said:

The bike at Irving Park and Lincoln is in pretty bad condition- looks like someone stole the handlebars and I think it has been vandalized in other ways as well-I pass it everyday on my commute but never realized what it was until I joined Chainlink. I have some spare handlebars to replace the ones that were stolen if someone wants to fix that one up before the 15th.

 

I can pass by the Clint Miceli- 900 block of La Salle bike and see what condition it is in. I work only a few blocks from that area.  I'll check it out on my lunch hour today, especially since it is a beautiful day to take a walk. I'll let everyone know what it may need and if possible, I can try to fix it up after work tomorrow or Friday.  Not sure if I can procure spraypaint in time if that is what it needs, but I can try.

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Permalink Reply by Chicago Ride of Silence on May 13, 2011 at 1:16pm

The ROS route is currently set to pass by the following ghost bikes - in this order:

 

Clint's - 933 N. LaSalle

Blanca's- Kedzie/Armitage

Mandy's- Kedzie/Armitage

Jepson's - Diversey/Avers

Tyler's- Western/Logan
Liza's - Damen/Wellington

 

Due to time/getting dark - we may or may not change the route to pass the newest crash site near Grand/Kolmar.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on May 13, 2011 at 4:46pm

I get a photo of Irving/Lincoln every few days.  Most noteworthy current aspect is that it and the rack were pulled out of the ground maybe a year ago and leaned on a tree during construction, where it still is. We added a sign to whom concerned about returning it when construction done, that was still on it just a few weeks ago (NSCM passed it and paused).  Handlebars have come and gone more than once, last I saw they were replaced with flowers.  Not that it's relevant to ROS.  That one's sort of a case study in ghostbike end-of-life...

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