Bikerider007

First, don’t get too disappointed, the bike is cool but it’s the story I hope you like. An adventure that many of us have enjoyed one way or another. So here goes….

Was doing a general peruse and came across a listing for a “Bike in a bag”. Hmmm….looks like a blue 90’s or maybe 2000’s MTB to me. Brand is “Henderson”, looks quite generic. So I open ad and scroll through pics, now it makes sense…









Kinda cool and interesting. I had been looking at carrier cases but not bags. And the bike is priced right, but includes the bag and pump. I think about for a minute……NO, I do not need a bike taking up room just to get a bag…. so I move on. But, per usual, the next day it called me back just to double check what it was (like many of you I am sure). I figure I’ll kill some time and download the photos for close ups to see if bag is older or newer. I also download the bike for a closer looks at parts, just because. Then get to searching…. bag looks somewhat older….ZERO matches for it or the “Henderson” mountain bike.










Well, as I was going through bike I see a name on the chainstay. “Stevens”. Also generic, but I do a search for Stevens and BAM, a German company that makes bikes. Some nice higher end carbon bikes pop up. But I am left wondering….why does this say “Henderson”. I figure oh well, maybe it’s a house brand. Research company and they have been around since the 90’s, so that fits. So I decide to dig more, and more…. finally! I find one in Germany listed a few years ago. Same blue bike, listed as “Special Edition”. OK, well I am smart enough to know you can list price for whatever you want. But at least know that it’s made by a good company. Of course, I then justify the buy.

Home - Stevens Bikes 2018

Plan in place. Temporary toy to play with, re-sell, free bag, maybe some profit. So I look at the CL ad again to contact and read through.Odd….near the end it says bike was given as a tip from a band. Hmmm…...Not high profile, or price, must be his buddy’s band. All good, I mostly want the bag, pump and color is kinda cool.









So I call the guy. He’s like yea I still have, I have to get from storage but can meet you at Star bucks parking lot. I get to Starbucks and he’s like, here it is, want me to put together? (it’s in the bag) blah, blah, bike stuff. He’s a Cool stoner looking dude, laid back. We chat a little and I bring up the “band tip” thing. He says, yea I was a tour bus driver for a band and she gave me her bike after we got back to LA.I just do a scan and am like cool, bike looks fine to me, Thanks. So I get in and first thing wife asks is, who is the band???? Me……. Uhhhhhh, I don’t know, I didn’t ask. Of course talks me into texting. And he responds.












So I call a friend(in his 30’s LOL, yea I’m out of the loop) and casually ask if he has heard of someone called Otep, to see if she is somewhat main stream…..yea I know that band, and my buddy likes her (his metal friend). I tell him a little, by the end he is telling me to sell the bike to him, he knows will buy it.
So I get home and do some searching and it’s actually pretty cool. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otep<a href="https:// She is friends with Ozzy’s wife, played Ozzfest, multiple albums etc. Sweet, I grew up with older brothers, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Metallica and all that were my teen concerts. Her influence was apparently Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and she is also dating a runway model, FROM GERMANY….. So I Google her girlfriend (DjoseflinMaurer) the model, but it seems in part also famous for this (don’t worry this is the blacked out version, although the other is available).
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/550386/runway-model-tries-keep-straight-face-boobs-escape-dress-Djosefin-Maurer

So I tell my wife, this might have been her bike not Otep’s. And of course she tells me to text him…. He says, no it’s hers’ and they used on tour and yea she is dating that girl.


Crazy story out of just wanting a bag. We rarely know who owned some of this stuff. So then I am like, I have his text…but that’s it. I should check that bag just in case, there could be something there showing it was their bike. I start to go through, but have to clean bike first! Good thing; they tried to maintain. Bad thing; they just kept piling grease on the chain. I thought the chain stay paint was all gone, but it was splattered black, front to back. Anyway, my wife sees a green plastic tag and she looks it up. It’s stamped Alitalia. She finds it is Alitalia Cargo from Italy. I don’t find anything, but there is a SKS Germany pump, German bike tool (Brennabor) and a brand new lock (dated 2004) still in the package.




I decide to email the Stevens company to see if they know anything of the bike model. The head/seat tube decals actually say “Henderson Classic" (I have no idea why).Well, a guy in Germany surprisingly had an answer to me by the next morning. The Henderson Series is produced in 97’ and 98’. And provides German contact info.

But I still thought, there must be more. So I go pull everything out of bag and dig again,nothing. I grab the green tag and…… there is a crease. It snaps together! I pull on it, and pop it open (I blacked all photo #'s etc out)….

















Kinda makes me wish I was a fan of them, but good fun anyway.

Classtime 

Neat story. AND your wife, I'm sure, will encourage your next adventure. Score!

2cam16

Cool story to go with your bike!

Lascauxcaveman 

That was kinda fun.

I buy a lot used bikes. I'm pretty sure, one of these days, rolled up in the seat tube of some old beater I just picked up, I'm going to find that missing original issue US Constitution they're looking for.

Spaghetti Legs 

I LOVE the “story behind the bike” so thanks for posting. I think that bike looks cool, any idea what tubing?

cycleheimer

....

Bikerider007

Haha, never know where someone might store or hide something.

The frame is has a forward facing seat clamp and the color is cool. Its 4130 double butted cro-mo per a decal on seat tube.

Djosefin

Hello Bikerrider007,

I am Djosefin Maurer & the owner of the bike. I have just come across your post and are amazed to hear about the bike adventure.

Would you be so kind as to find me on Instagram (djosefinmaurer) and send me a PM since I am not able to PM you here?

I want to share more about this bike and its adventure with you.

I hope to hear from you.

Djosefin.

RobbieTunes

I saw a Stevens bike at Billygoat Bike Shop in St Louis. Looked like a Carbon rocket, but could be aluminum.

clubman 

And the story continues

brian3069

calling Bikerider007

2cam16

This could get juicy.

seedsbelize 

I tried to sign up to Instagram today. I was unsuccessful.

stardognine

Extra cool thread, already. 😎 I'll stay tuned.👍

Wildwood 

Does this bike qualify as C&V?
Threadless setup?


Story is - and could be classic.

Bike gets lost, moves on - but sticks to its' security bag. Bag gets bought, but (due to unflagging dedication from human) bike finds home, happiness and ... stardom?

Karma (+++) for human = C&V cyclist.

stardognine

Ozzy was mentioned, so it's Classic AND Vintage. 😎😁😎

madpogue 

.... and just plain old.....

Djosefin

Hello @Bikerider007

Since I haven't heard from you, I will share my story here.

I bought this bike with my grandma at 13 years old at a bike shop in a small town in Germany called Calw, after saving up for a long time, washing cars/cleaning rooms at my mom's BnB.
That is 21 years ago now. I use to take this bike with me everywhere. When I started modeling and asked to move to NYC. I bought the bike bag to take it on the airplane with me.
So we off we went to New York City.

Then years later, in 2006, I moved to Los Angeles. Where in 2010, I met Shanelle Baty, also knowen as Otep. Three years later, we ended our relationship badly.
And when I try to get back my bike, among other things, she refused to retund them to me. Till only recently, when we began to speak again, she gave me back a few things, and when I asked about the bike, she told me someone broke into her garage and stole everything, including the bike.

Now a year later, I find my bike turn up on this website. Which got me extremely excited because there seems to be a chance I might be able to get it back. Because why would I come across this?
I do believe in the universe and karma. And every lie will be revealed at some point. And here is hers.

I ask you Bikerider007 could you please return my bike to me? It means a lot to me. It was one of the first things I bought as a child with my grandma, who is no longer with us.
It has a lot of sentimental value to me. Wouldnt you want something that belongs to you, be returned.

I hope you find it in your heart to contact me and help me get it back.

Thank you.

Djosefin

madpogue 

@Djosefin, is that the same bag, from your NYC trip?

Djosefin

@madpogue Yes it is.

Drillium Dude 

I think the latest addition to story is cool because the first thing I ever bought with my own money - after saving for months - was a bike (mid-level Schwinn Traveler III). I mowed lawns and washed my fair share of cars, too, to earn that money. I even opened my first savings account with the express purpose of putting my "bike money" in there. I think most people recall with fondness that first big purchase in life, so I understand the sentimentality @Djosefin feels for this bike.

I hope she and the OP might get in contact, discuss and maybe work out a deal. Of course, the original post was nearly 2 years ago, so the bike may have moved along since then...

DD

cudak888 

This. I'm a bit concerned as it sounds as if the OP is being asked to eat the cost of purchase and shipping in all of this.

-Kurt

unworthy1

seems like @Bikerider007 was all set to sell that bike to his 30-something buddy who knew of the band, back in march of 2018, so that may be the path the original owner has to pick up (and it could be it has long gone cold).
But...maybe something miraculous could someday happen, it's a long shot, but....

Drillium Dude 

It did read that way, huh? The more I think, though, the more I believe what she wrote might be a difference in expression. She's 30+, so I assume she has her own money, knows how life works and what getting the bike back would require. I think she is trying to convince the OP to allow her to get it back, not necessarily send it back free of charge.

Even if it had to go back to Germany, I can't see it costing over $300; what do you think? I haven't ever shipped a bike across the pond. That would be peanuts to someone who appeared on the cover of Elle

DD

cudak888 

Certainly hope so

Best wishes to both of them.

-Kurt