Renowned wine writer Michael Broadbent has had his bicycle and Decanter safety helmet stolen.
The legendary Decanter columnist went to his garage early one morning and discovered it was missing.
The exact make is not known but Broadbent described it as, 'a very old, white Dutch ladies' bike with a basket on the front and back.'
Broadbent has had the bike, which dates back to the 1950s, for ten years.
'I wouldn't have thought anyone would want to pinch it, it's so distinctly old,' Broadbent told decanter.com.
'I miss it enormously,' he added.
The bike became world famous after a photo of Broadbent riding it became the regular image to appear alongside his monthly column in Decanter.
'It was recognized all over the world because of that shot in Decanter,' said Broadbent.
'I recall walking into a winery in New Zealand that I had never been to before and the girl behind the reception asked me if I had brought the bike with me.'
His Decanter-branded helmet – which Decanter's Publishing Director Sarah Kemp gave to both him and fellow cyclist Steven Spurrier after Spurrier was knocked off his bike by a delivery van outside the Victoria & Albert museum in September 2007 – was also stolen.
Here at decanter.com we are offering a bottle of fine Madeira to anyone who has any information leading to the recovery of the bike and helmet.
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To make a comment on this story , I have to say that it is seriously despicable. My bicycle was stolen 10 days before the Argus Cycle tour in Cape town. It changed my personality. Firstly, I was shocked that it had been stolen and secondly I had adopted that bicycle to fit my body and temperament. Poor Michael, I feel sorry that he has to go through this sort of stress. I wonder if it will ever be found. Probably not.
Norma Ratcliffe, Stellenbosch, South Africa
A sign of the apocalypse.
Patricia Butler
..just seen a similar looking old dutch ladies sit up n´beg with basket (no helmet) going down ruta 40 south of mendoza city. sorry, it´s gonna take more than a bottle of the sticky stuff to get me to go after it. Hey Broadbent, like maybe get a new one?
Willy H
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