robatsu

A couple of thoughts:

1) Be glad you are getting off the hook for just a couple of bicycles.
2) If you kept them, what gives w/next girlfriend? She's gonna think it is pretty creepy riding around on previous wife/GF bike if you tell her. If you don't tell here, she'll figure it out eventually, pheromones or something, and then you'll be in even bigger trouble.

All the women I've ever been involved with didn't want much reminder of their predecessor (or worse, their current competitor...) around the house. Heck, were it me, even if she didn't want the things, they'd be on CL/Ebay in a second, new broom and all.

JReade

I bought and built up my exes bianchi, it's a great bike. We split, I knew it was going with her. It was a gift for her, and she loves it, so I'm not going to push to get it back, as it won't fit me anyway.

RobbieTunes

The cost of losing those bikes may end up being worth every penny.

FlatTop

I wouldn't kick about her taking the bikes, mainly because it would be a cleaner break, limiting contact, and (who knows?) chances for reconciliation in the future. Which I can only guess would be a bad thing.

Jake.

In Minneapolis that bar is right downtown. Been a good many years since I've been there, but I do know what you mean.

bigbossman 

This thread is tailor-made for Foo.

bikingshearer 

BBM doesn't have to "try" to create bad kharma - it just sort of happens. He's kind of like a force of nature that way.

As for OFG, he just had a gorgeous Primato ripped off. He still has some time left on his "Get Out of Jail Free" kharma card.

As for BBM's "Foo" crack - Duh!

As for the OP's question - Gifts should be given without strings. You gave 'em to her. Let 'em go. Of course, nothing says that you can't enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing that, because they are Peugeots, she'll have a bee-yotch of a time trying to find replacement parts when she needs to.

bigbossman 

I'm a specialist - it's what I do.

It runs in the family - Meet my Uncle Bambi. He's a fixer. He fixes things. You need something fixed? See Uncle Bambi. He'll fix it for you.

Doohickie

Really? You're worried about bikes? Really? You're ending a relationship, and the bikes are what you're worried about? You gotta re-assess your priorities. Bikes are, you know, things. Yes, there are nice bikes, but they are not worth the emotional attachment.

bikingshearer 

Except there's still a chance he might be able to ride the bikes . . . .

mapleleafs-13 

take the bikes and sell them, then get money for new bikes!!!!!

OR

Get a hotter gf, and get a hotter bike for the hotter gf.
go biking with the hotter gf with the hotter bike and make sure the both of you cross paths with the ex ..... dun dun dun.....

then go have sexy time..... (borat)



BTW, the peugeot is pretty nice.... it reminds me of this one that's been on our craigslist forever:



this is the link if someone wants to see it https://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/2489550087.html

i believe it's full dura ace

WNG

Sorry for the bad news. BTDT, except it was a whole lot messier and nastier. Luckily, no kids too.
Because of my experience, I understand BBM and OFG's train of thought. LOL!
Bad divorces leave long lasting scars. If you're fortunate to avoid one, by all means, especially if it's just 2 bikes that you can't even ride, and not yours. Spiteful spouses will take half of your possessions just to see you in pain.
Don't risk escalating to a state where she wants to retaliate. There is no reason left for her to hold back on you.

IMO, deal with the loss and pain, we're not belittling it. It's just that life will get better, and I find it to be a lot better.

snarkypup

In my experience, which I'll admit is very limited, it always takes two people to make a divorce or break-up a disaster. Either one becomes a monster and the other lets them do it, or both devolve into tit-for-tat crap over nothing. Be strong, be firm, be the sort of person you believe yourself to be in your heart. Don't be cruel, don't be petty, but don't let someone walk all over you.

As I tell my ex all the time: for god's sake, just be a man.

pastorbobnlnh 

Utttttttt-Ohhhhhh, BBM has relations in New England. We C&Vers in these parts better be on our best behavior. Or the next thing we know we'll find our spokes broken, our tires slashed, and our cables clipped!

The pastor's 2 cents on all this: The higher the road you take now, the sooner and more at peace you will be later. I speak from an outsider's experience who has had way too many ex's in my office unloading on me about how their ex is such a monster. Sometimes such behaviors go on for years. Trust me, it's not worth the pain and hardship.

bbattle

You bought the bikes for her, they are hers.

Get over it.

One way to get over it is to buy two more.

Bicycles, that is.

Kobe 

Some body's been watching too many Lil' Rascals episodes.

Getting off with 2 bikes is way cheap, and besides it gives you a reason to buy 2 other bikes.

Muttleyone

Can't imagine why that didn't work out. Just say'n.

Mutt

KonAaron Snake 

zandoval 

Its a simple matter most divorcées have learned - Liquidate all your assets before the break - Its the best way to loose less of what you are going to eventually loose...

bigbossman 

Revere Beach and The North End, to be specific.

bigbossman 

I've been biting my tongue on this one.... Thanks for giving me a good chuckle 1st thing in the morning.

pastorbobnlnh 

C&V New Englanders, let's stay clear of those areas, unless of course, BBM comes to town.

cs1

Looks like you got screwed!

snarkypup

No, actually, you can't imagine. I don't talk about it much, because it's hard to make clear to other people, and generally they don't like it if I spell it out, because then it is very hard to crack jokes about it.

Asking him to stand up and be a man now comes from living for years with someone whose definition of manhood included breaking things (and me) when he didn't get what he wanted. That said, I let him do it, didn't I? That's what I meant about these things having two sides. I could have walked away before we got married, and I didn't.

When I finally left him, it was very hard to do so without rancor, without bitterness, and without vindictive behavior. You gentlemen laugh about "mean" wives who take you for everything, but I'll bet not one of you stuck out 12 years of being shoved to the ground, spat at, kicked, pinched, yelled at... He ripped the visor off the passenger seat in my car and put his foot through the glove compartment a week after we were married. He twisted my skin on my thigh until I cried when I told him to turn on the wrong street. He shoved me down two flights of stairs. He made me feel terrible about myself for years, and when I finally found a way to dig myself out and see myself as valuable, he made me feel guilty when I asked him to stop. I don't care how awful your divorces were, I can guarantee I had more reason to go for his throat than any of you tough guys ever did. At one point, my lawyer advised me to "take him for 65%, as you can do that legally." But I didn't. We split everything 50/50, because that was the right thing to do in the long term, for our child. I behaved with dignity, with kindness, and with compassion, because I needed him to be there for our boy. Sometime, I have to remind him that he needs to stop throwing tantrums, screaming at me and calling me horrible names, because he's modelling how to be a man for our son. So when I say: "just be a man," I'm talking about something that I hope isn't funny, or unreasonable to expect.

I wonder if you'd find it funny yourself, watching a man hit his wife? I'm guessing you wouldn't. When I tell the OP to chill, act with dignity and rise above, I'm talking about something very few of you understand.

There. Bet that's not going to make any of you LOL today, but that's the truth.

DavidW56

[QUOTE=Old Fat Guy;12923816]David, My ex-wife from over a couple decades ago wanted my Cinelli out of spite, because she knew I got enjoyment out of it.

If I had a GF/fiance that was sleeping around, a ball bearing in the top tube would be the nicest thing I would do.

I am from DTW, grew up on the East side - Alter and Mack... Even at 60+, I could cut you and gut you before your head head hit the ground.

<snip>

QUOTE]

John, while I didn't live in Detroit, I was born there and went to high school, college and law school there. You want to try to cut and gut me? Step away from the Geritol, old man, your blood pressure is too high. I won't be standing still for you.

I admit that I have had the good fortune to be married happily to the same woman for the last twenty-nine years, so I have no experience at all with separation or divorce, and have had only one breakup of a serious relationship with a different woman prior to that. Fortunately, I kept my head; and when we met again about fifteen years later, we were able to resolve our differences and part again on friendly terms.

I stand by what I said -- the bikes are not the OP's to begin with. Let them go, be a class guy, and move on.

To the OP: If virtue isn't its own reward for you, then consider this -- women talk. You mess with her bikes, she'll tell everyone she knows, and everyone you know. Your prospects at meeting another better girlfriend will diminish accordingly.

Also, your path and that of your ex-girlfriend may cross again in the future. Do you want to be remembered at that time as the generous and fair guy, or the vengeful and spiteful guy? The choice is yours. But as others have pointed out already, there's always another bike. And bikes are just things.