Do you know someone whose bike was stolen, or perhaps you have been the victim of such a theft? It is incredibly frustrating when someone steals from outside your home.
The same happened to Amanda Needham, a writer, and producer from Brooklyn. Someone stole her bike in one day, but that wasn’t the end of it.
Because Amanda couldn’t let it be, and rightfully so, she made a giant cardboard sign and addressed the person who stole her bike. The creative sign led to small acts of kindness in New York City. Keep reading how one lost bicycle uncovered humanity in the city that never sleeps.
Amanda first shared the story on her personal blog Real Tiny Trumpet.
“My bike was stolen a week ago Saturday,” begins Needham, adding, “It was half my fault, half my husband’s fault, and 100 percent the fault of the person who stole it.” The bike was locked in front of Amanda’s home, and the thief left a lock and a front wheel.
We can all imagine Amanda’s disappointment and frustration. Suddenly, she had an idea to make sure that her case doesn’t go unnoticed.
With her landlord’s permission, Amanda hung a huge cardboard sign across the entire front of her proprietor’s brownstone.
The sign was quite big, bold, and noticeable. Amanda took yellow paint and crafted an 8-by-3 foot message that said:
“To the person who stole my bicycle,
I hope you need it more than I do.
It was $200 used, and I need it o get to work. I can’t afford another one.
Next time, steal a hipster’s Peugeot.
Or not steal! PS: Bring it back.”
If you aren’t familiar with bikes, Amanda’s referring to a Peugeot bike that can cost up to a couple of thousands of dollars.
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A couple of days later, two younger men brought a blue mountain bike, fit for a teenager. They were moved by what happened to Needham and wanted to help.
After introducing himself as Michael, the man said that someone stole his bike a couple of years earlier, and that’s why he could identify with Amanda so well. “I had this bike lying around, so I figured you might be able to use it,” said Michael. The offer touched Needham. She accepted it, thinking that it wasn’t about the bike anymore.
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It was about the people’s willingness to help. Later that week, another woman buzzed on Amanda’s door and offered help. It was clear that Amanda’s sign became famous in the neighborhood.
Eventually, an art dealer saw the sign and told Amanda that he wanted to buy it, offering $200.
Steve Powers, an art dealer, told Amanda that there was some craftsmanship in her sign, so he wanted to buy it. They agreed, and Amanda told him he could auction it for $40,000 for all she cared, as long as she would be invited to the auction party. Powers also told Needham that there was an Instagram conversation going on and that an antique dealer from Britain was interested in the sign as well.
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It was official. Amanda’s bike had gone viral under the name KarmaCycle.
Because she didn’t want that wave of goodness to end any time soon, Amanda decided to donate the bike Michael gave her. Now, she could afford to buy a new bike, and she didn’t need the small one anymore.
JoAnne Nicolosi, a mechanic and the owner of a local bicycle store, Court Cycles, offered Amanda to fix up the kid’s bike that Michael gave her.
They planned to give it to some kid later. After numerous adventures, the bicycle ended in the hands of an 18-year-old who couldn’t afford to buy one.
Moreover, New York City’s largest bike-share company CitiBike suggested making a video about Amanda’s KarmaCycle. The film didn’t happen after all, but Amanda continues to look for ways to help people in her community.
Watch the video to see one bike’s incredible story that prompted several people into action.
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