The unlocked bike was taken from just outside of City Hall, while Mayor Mick Ireland was inside at a city council meeting. The bike was left unlocked, as Ireland normally doesn't lock his bike in Aspen. He told the Aspen Times he does not want to live in a community where residents have to be paranoid of getting their bikes stolen.

He is a regular participant in Ride the Rockies, which he completed last week.

On the last day of the ride, he met a group of disabled athletes in a parking lot of the event. One of the riders needed a 650 CC wheel. The mayor lent the man his 650 CC wheel so that he could complete the event. Cannondale, the bike manufacturer, allowed the mayor to borrow one of theirs for himself.

When Ride the Rockies ended, the man that Ireland allowed to borrow his wheel was still riding. The man promised to mail the wheel to Ireland.

Ireland had not received the wheel back on time as of Tuesday so he had to use his race bike to get to the meeting, instead of the mountain bike he regularly uses. When he came out of the meeting the bike was gone.

The bike was returned to city hall around 1:35 p.m. Wednesday by a homeless man who must have read the story, Ireland said. The man said he found the bike behind the Saint Regis Hotel.

Ireland got his bike back in time for his race Wednesday night.

Ireland said he is now looking for the homeless man to offer him a reward.

Ireland’s persona over the years has been tied nearly as much to his bike riding as his political profile, according to the Aspen Times. During his campaign last spring, Ireland vowed to bike to campaign events instead of driving.

Read more in the Aspen Daily News.