Stolen!
My 2006 Giant Cypress DX has been stolen.
This afternoon I went to the basement to do laundry. I keep my detergent in my storage locker. I unlocked the padlock and the whole door fell off. Thieves had unscrewed the door hinges to gain access.
None of the other storage lockers appear to have been touched.
Stolen was this 2006 Giant Cypress DX hybrid bike, silver/gray, serial number C16L0515, size 19” (medium). Stolen from the basement storage of the apartment building at Goodman and Anderson, last seen on January 8 or 9:
Beyond the factory spec, the bike was equipped with:
Bar ends, brass Incredibell, CatEye Dual-Wireless cyclometer, NiteRider TrailRat headlight, CatEye L-1000 taillight, Shimano M545 clipless/platform pedals, Bontrager race select saddle and seatpost, Jandd Expedition rear rack, Planet Bike Freddy Fenders
Also stolen was a box of miscellaneous parts including:
Shimano Sora triple crankset (square-taper), Shimano Sora integrated brake/shift levers, Shimano M540 clipless pedals, a set of Look pedals, several sets of Shimano SPD cleats, several 8-speed chains, several brake and shifter cables, one straight and one suspension seatpost, one “comfort” saddle. Also two sets of platform pedals—one plastic, one metal.
I’m sure there’s more, but who keeps track of everything in their spare parts box?
Interestingly, they left behind the old wheelset from Yellow Bike and four spare tires—a pair of 23mm Armadillos, a 25mm Gatorskin and a 23mm trainer tire. It confirms my theory that thieves around here aren’t into roadies.
Addendum Monday:
Thanks to those who have commented and written. Yes, I’m sad, yes, I’m angry. And yes, it will pass.
But I’m not crushed, nor am I terribly inconvenienced. I was trying to decide whether to sell it or give it to someone, and was planning to get off the pot about it in the Spring. I still have Yellow Bike and the Portland. They still get locked to the radiator in my living room, and locked everywhere else too.
My BikeJournal ride log confirms how little I’d ridden the Giant since I got Yellow Bike. Twenty-five rides totaling 145.11 miles between mid-April and mid-September. I hadn’t ridden it at all since I got the Portland.
But that doesn’t change the fact I’m angry and saddened that I didn’t get to choose its disposition. It was taken from me. It was taken from a locked storage bin in a locked basement. (And my landlord still hasn’t acknowledged my email and phone messages.)
Further, I learned that the basement apartment was burglarized last Friday morning. And an apartment across the courtyard, a month or two ago. On the plus side, I also learned the RPD routinely runs serial numbers when it stops people on bikes.
Still, it was my first bike. It got me where I am now. In the 3,800 miles I rode it I learned a lot. Although it had served its purpose (Your first bike is supposed to teach you what you want and need in your second bike.) I feel I owed it more than this.
January 20th, 2008 at 7:15 pm UTC
[...] from Scenic Route had one of his bikes stolen recently. This is what it looks like: Visit Bruce’s blog for the details. Powered by Gregarious (42) Share This Comment on this [...]
January 20th, 2008 at 9:11 pm UTC
Bruce – I’m so sorry to hear about your bike! I’ll be sure to let everyone know at the shop and we’ll let you know if we hear anything.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:36 pm UTC
that is a darn shame. My condolences for your loss, I hope that it is found safe and sound and returned to you. I will keep my eyes peeled.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 am UTC
wow that sucks. I bought my son a new bike in September and it was stolen twice, the second time in November and we still haven’t gotten it back. I find myself looking now at every bike I see around town, though I’m not too optimistic. But his bike was stolen (twice) from a bike rack at school. To have a bike stolen from your own storage locker must be really bad, wonder if the landlord’s insurance would cover it, since it seems somehow negligence is involved on his part?
January 24th, 2008 at 7:48 pm UTC
Bruce, That’s a stinking shame.
Is the loss covered by renters insurance?
I’ve had a couple of bikes stolen from me over the years. The first time it happened to me on Goodman Street, way back in my “Abraham Lincoln grammar school” days, circa 1964. Abraham Lincoln School has now been converted into senior apartments.
I was 10 years old back then. My bike parked on the sidewalk, on Goodman Street, at a friends house, just disappeared, never to be seen again. I think that bike was a “Western Auto Flier” with 24” wheels. Losing my wheels was traumatic. I think the stark realities of life started to harden me with that occurrence.
The last bike stolen from me was a Huffy road bike back in the Spring of 1972. My girlfriend/fiancé and I had ridden our bikes to Silver Stadium for a Red Wings baseball game. The bikes were double locked to a fence at the stadium in a conspicuous place.
My bike had a “custom”, very distinctive, bright fluorescent orange paint job with black trim. There was nothing like it around back then. It was 10 years before I stopped looking for that bike. For years, every time I saw an orange road bike…
You have my empathy, Bruce. I feel terrible for that intrusion on your sanctity.
January 26th, 2008 at 12:59 pm UTC
I agree, that experience sucks. It would seem that you did all the right things to attempt to secure your bike, but alas, it was still stolen. It seems to me that even if you lock the bike (s) in your apartment, that they are still subject to being stolen.
Get some apartment “homeowners” insurance and put the remaining bikes on the policy. At least you will not experience a financial loss, except for the insurance itself.
Fellow bikejournal member.
January 26th, 2008 at 6:23 pm UTC
There is no theft prevention, only theft deterrence.
The apartment is completely wired for intrusion alarm. I’ve considered getting it activated. If I didn’t have to also get a landline to go with it I would.
But yes, I have tenant’s insurance. $500 deductible, and the bikes are covered.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:39 pm UTC
Bruce,
Sorry to hear about your loss. I had missed the info from Shana, I guess I’m too Part-time!
Maybe it’s time to lock the bikes even when secure in the storage area?
All the times that I’ve left my garage wide open and no one has touched a thing. Of course they have to walk up the hill and some of my bikes are very unique. I doubt anyone would steal my Bent, that’s for sure.
If you need any parts, just ask, I’ll see what I have for spares.
Chris
January 29th, 2008 at 5:49 pm UTC
Bruce,
My heart is heavy with your loss. Unfortunately this will be a slow burn for time to come.
You are right…locks keep honest people honest (sometimes)
On a lighter note I see bikerJohn lost a bike during the Lincoln administration. Hmmm I thought the Wright brothers were born way after that…
I’m looking forward to some hill training with you before you head off to Reunion ‘08
Michael
January 29th, 2008 at 9:46 pm UTC
Chris:
I had thought about locking it while in the locker, but I was short of funds through the autumn. Given that they disassembled the door, I doubt a cheap lock would have helped.
Upstairs, I do lock the bike I’m not currently riding. I use a cable around the front tire, through the radiator, then to a U-lock through the rear triangle. For a while I locked both bikes, but it was just too big a pain threading the cable through the other bike and to the radiator and back when I was home anyway. Although I do that if I leave both bikes at home for some weird reason.
Although some of the parts I lost were new and slated for future use—cables, chains, cleats, all the cheap stuff—others were used and destined for the bike club’s swap meet in March—the crankset and brifters, for example. I bought new for Yellow Bike, but the old ones still had some miles left, so I saved them..
Hndlebar:
As for hills, yeah I need work. A mile-and-a-half of 2% grade kills me on the way home from work. Every night I wonder about the silliness of a 30-mile grade averaging 6-7%.
I’d like to do that climb to Perry a few times along with the one out of Letchworth and others like it.
I see you’re signed-up for GFLBT. I sent in my check yesterday. As much as I despised those climbs last year, this year they’re part of my training plan. I’d only have to do 3½ repeats of that one climb to get the distance part anyway. Still no clue how to train for the elevation. Perhaps a plastic bag over my head?
Edit: Found this on BikeJournal tonight, only posting part of it here: