How Fast Eddie got his bike back
Tue, May 12, 2015 
Last November I had the pleasure of meeting “Fast Eddie” Williams when I made a brief visit to New York. (Picture above.) Eddie is something of a legend as a bike messenger in New York City.
Eddie has been a bike messenger since 1983. It was a handful of New York bike messengers, the likes of Fast Eddie that started the whole fixed wheel craze that has spread worldwide.
Eddie’s bike was a ‘dave moulton’ custom track frame that I had built in 1983. He bought it in 1998 from the original owner who had raced the bike on the velodrome at Trexlertown, Pennsylvania.
That evening in November when I met Eddie and some of his friends, in Brooklyn where he lives. He proudly showed me his bike, and I realized this was a different kind of relationship between a bike and its owner.
All bike enthusiasts are passionate about their machines, but for Eddie this bright red bike was an extension of the man himself.
This was his working bike, his means to make a living.
Still with the original paint that I personally applied in 1983, now chipped and battered from its hard working life.
But that was fine with me, the bike had character, like the man who rode it.
Then right after Christmas last year, I got the news Eddie’s bike had been stolen. Eddie was devastated. He had left it un-attended for a brief moment and it was gone.
This was almost akin to someone stealing Willie Nelson’s guitar. He had lost his means to make a living.
On my bike registry next to the listing of Eddie’s bike #2833, I put the words “Stolen, contact Dave.” In red type. I thought the bike might be found quite quickly as it was such a unique bicycle and a very large frame that few could ride.
But it wasn’t found, and the weeks, then months rolled by.
Then out of the blue last Saturday, May 9th. I got an email from a Joe Jameson.
He had seen this red ‘dave moulton’ frame with a $200 price tag in his local bike shop in Queens, NY.
He noted the serial number and went online to my bike registry to check on it.
He saw the “Stolen” tag, and immediately contacted me.
I contacted Eddie and on Sunday he went to the bike shop armed with a copy of the police report that had the serial number on it. I spoke with Eddie Sunday evening, and he was one happy man, he had got the frame back. It had been stripped and the parts gone. However, Eddie had parts and had already built the bike back up again.
I asked him if he found out who stole it, and all he would say is “Some young kids took it.” I didn’t push the issue, all I cared about is that the bike, or at least the frame was back where it belonged. I am glad it was found before some other innocent person shelled out money for it.
I’m glad the “Stolen” tag on my bike registry had worked, thanks to Joe Jameson. Most of all I’m just pleased that Eddie got his bike back.
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Reader Comments (11)
Fantastic! I like happy endings.
Great News ! thanks for the update
Wow, great that someone spotted it in Queens, AND found out it was stolen thanks to your Blog!
How Eddie can ride with such drop, and NO tape?? Another blog entry, I hope!
Good on ya, Dave!
Super cool!
Sometimes good things DO happen to good people. Congratulations Eddie.
Louis
Simply Awesome ! It is through the priceless efforts of individuals such as Mr. Jameson and others that we are reading this Happy ending !
Great news; great story.
Looking at that great bike, Pure track that, very upright angles. Makes me wonder how that tall chap with big feet, turns corners with the toe clip clearance! Maybe he only goes in a straigth line in N/Y
R.I.P. EDDIE
big gulp of tears reading this npw that Fast Eddie is RIP, love how much you love being part of the Fast Eddie legacy, he couldn't have meant so much to so many without that bike you made it seems now especially for him ;-)