My friend borrowed my spare bike months ago. It broke while she had it and she hasn't returned it to me or offered to fix it and has blown off repeated requests that she return it.

[Banks]

Am I being unreasonable in being upset about this?

I know that if I had borrowed a bike from a friend and it broke while I was using it, I would feel responsible and I would get it fixed on my own time. In fact, this has happened to me before (when I didn't have a spare bike). I borrowed another friend's spare bike that had brake problems, I fixed the problems and the returned the bike to its owner ASAP.

Whereas my friend has had my spare bike for several months now. I have asked her to return it several times, but she keeps saying that she'll do it and then not doing it. The reason she gives is that it's broken down and therefore hard for her to get to my place.

I want to tell her to fix it and ride it over here, but is that unreasonable? When I fixed my other friend's bike I did it out of gratitude for him having lent it to me, and also knowing that the price of renting a bike in our city is very high and that the repair cost was not more than the rental cost would have been.

Is it unreasonable of me to be upset about this?

Should I ask her to fix it and bring it over here? Or is that over the line, even though that is what I would have done if I were in her shoes months ago?

The reason she gives is that it's broken down and therefore hard for her to get to my place.

So tell her to get it mended, whereupon it will be very easy to get it to you. Make up a reason why you really need it now, e.g. your main bike has died.

Suppose it might depend on how/why it broke. If it was well maintained and she didn't look after it, she should absolutely pay to fix it. If it spontaneously broke on the first use I'm not so convinced she should pay, but she should still get it back to you.

Dial 101. You don't fuck with another person's bicycle.

Seriously, call her. Tell her you want it by tomorrow.

Do you know what's wrong with it?

YANBU at all! It is your property and if she damaged it then she should repair it. Say you need the bike and she needs to get it to you - has she got a car so she could transport it? You could call her bluff and say you will pick it up to get it fixed (and she can pick up the bill)

Perhaps she has lent the bike out elsewhere and not got it back .

Pedal or motorbike?

You text: I need my bike back please

She replies: I can't get it back to you, it's broken.

You: You need to get it fixed as you broke it. Then get it back to me please. I need it back, unbroken, asap.

Could it have been stolen?
Maybe she doesn't want to tell you because she will then have to replace it?

"I need my bike back urgently, when are you going to drop it off so I can be here?"

Do you know what's wrong with it?

I'd be wondering if she still has it. Have you seen it recently?

Just ask her for a time you can come and collect it.

Do you have a bike carrier for your car (or do you know someone who has)?

Just go and get it, but be prepared for it to be wrecked and rusty.

If you lend anything you don't normally get it back. You need to go and fetch it.

If the bike broke during normal use, I don't think she should have to pay to have it fixed. (Much like a car. If a timing belt went or battery died, etc on a car I'd loaned a friend, I wouldn't expect them to pay to fix those things. That's just normal car ownership maintenance costs; shit happens,)

If she damaged it through carelessness, different story. She should fix it and return it pronto.

My mil did something similar to my bike, she borrowed it whilst we were away on holiday, but come the 1st day back I asked for it back saying I needed to get to work - Oh its brakes have broken Ill get it fixed I got back ...this went on for 4 months and eventually dp told me one of her neighbours had asked to use it while mil had it, she said yes and in the mean time it had been stolen (I still have my suspicions that it was sold on to someone else.

Do you think your "friend" would do something similar, I'd try 1 last time and even tell her you will come and get it and send her the bill as she has broken it. If she puts you off from going to get it yourself then you have your answer I think.

Can you show up and say 'I was nearby so while I'm here I've come to get my bike and we can sort out arrangements for fixing it'?

Go get it. NO more lending. Giving, yes, but lend and you'll never get it back.

Are you sure she still has it OP?

It's your "spare" bike, so in her mind it's surplus to requirements. You don't actually need it. Create that need. Yours is being repaired/is beyond repair/been stolen and you need the spare back right away. Be prepared for the consequences. It could be beyond repair, stolen or lost but you're going to have to press the issue in order to find out because just politely asking for it has not resulted in its return. Then, you'll discover just how good this friend is.

Do you have a car it can fit in? If so, go over to see her claim to "be just passing", say you thought while here you'd have a look at the bike and take it home.

She's not going to fix it for you, write that off and at least get the bike back.

Be prepared to find she gives you some excuses and it turns out she doesn't have it anymore.

I had exactly the same scenario as this.
Turned out she'd decided to lend it out to someone else - who I'd never met.
Then it was stolen.

I reckon she doesn't have it anymore.