Well shit. My bike was stolen today. It’s probably partially my fault for leaving an expensive-ish ($2,400) road bike out of my sight, but I thought I had it secured pretty well–I had it in the secured bike storage locker in my office building, locked up with a cable lock and a U-lock.
And–of course–because I need it, I can’t find the paperwork with the serial number.
I think I need a drink.
How did they steal it?
Yeah, can’t do much more than what you did!
The bike storage room is next to the elevators in the building’s parking garage, and has a keypad with a four-digit combination, which changes monthly but is given out to all of the tenants in the building. Either the thief waited for someone else to enter/exit and followed them in, or obtained the code elsewhere (I could conceive of someone paying for it, as it also gives access to showers and the locker rooms). I had a sturdy U-lock on the frame and back wheel, but it was locked to the wall just by the cable lock, and they cut through that with bolt cutters and must have just carried it out into the parking garage.
I still can’t find the serial number… I’m sure I saved it, but I’ve moved since purchasing the bike and have no idea where that ended up in the process. Lesson learned that I need to keep closer track of that.
I called the police to file a report (I waited until I got home to try and find the S/N) and apparently it’s a burglary rather than a theft so they need to come out to the site and investigate before anything can be filed. I wonder if in that case, it will fall under an insurance policy for the building? I work for the management company, so I’ll ask around tomorrow after calling the police out.
Man, that really sucks. As a burglary, the building’s insurance may indeed pay for it, which may result in your getting the cash for a new bike a little faster.
Where do you work that someone would go through so much effort to grab a bike? I am completely blase about securing my own (admittedly cheap) bike – I rarely use a lock at all, and when I do it’s only through the frame; I don’t bother with the wheels. Now granted, you can’t get to my workplace’s parking garage particularly easily, but even when I bike to dinner or a movie it’s not something that I worry a lot about.
That’s turbo bullshit. Hope you get a new bike soon.
The building’s insurance has a $20k deductible for theft, so that’s a no-go, but it may be covered under my renter’s insurance.
I work in an office building in Seattle’s financial district, and bike theft is a pretty big issue in the area.
We have security footage of the guy coming in and out, and I did manage to find the serial number (though it was hand-written and I’m not sure if one character is a 5 or an S), so maybe there’s a chance of recovering it, but they guy looks like a pro. Made it in and out in under three minutes.
How did he get into the room? Did he have the code?
Apparently, the security team found evidence of forced entry on one of two doors into the room.
Well that was quick. My insurance company is cutting a check tomorrow for just over $1,500 for the bike and accessories. Time to go bike shopping! Though this time, I think I’m going to find something a little less flashy and more well-suited to my 38mi round trip commute.
Good to hear a positive outcome at least.
I took a test drive of the Felt V85 today, and I was really quite pleased. It certainly wasn’t as speedy as my BH Prisma (especially when accelerating–that thing was like a rocket) but it was far more comfortable and less twitchy. Given I’m now biking almost 200 miles per week just on my commute to and from work, comfort is a big plus. And so is ready compatibility for panniers and fenders; neither of which I could fit on the Prisma.
I’m going to test out a few others tomorrow, and won’t make a decision until Monday or Tuesday when the claim check arrives, but I felt really happy with that.
A picture of the V85:
And I bought the V85 today. I tried a few other models over the weekend (Salsa Vaya, Kona Esatto, and Cannondale Synapse), but the Felt was by far the most comfortable of the group. I’m looking forward to getting back out there both on my commute and longer weekend rides. Because of the deductible, I’m still out of pocket on about $400 worth of accessories (lights, pedals, saddle, patch kit, cycling computer etc) but all in all, it could have been a lot worse.
I don’t really do cycling. I cannot drive a car but have a full motorcycle license but no bike either.
I have a cheap mountain bike and recently joined the gym and now cycle to the Gym.
The stupid thing is I really do not enjoy riding my bike on the main roads, they are heaving with traffic and full of assholes. Yet I love using the bikes at the Gym. I need to lose 2 stone in weight and have done very little exercise in the last 8 years so it is tough going.
3 weeks ago I started and did a 15 minute stint and managed 3 miles, then did 1000m on the rower and another 3 miles on the bike in 15 minutes. Over the last 3 weeks I have now upped it to 4 miles in the 15 minutes and moved up to harder riding levels as well, 2500m on the rower and another 4 miles on the bike.
I can certainly see why riding a bike is enjoyable, I get my head down and away you go, music on and push. All I need now is to get the consistency going on distance. Some of the riders there seem, to really get som massive distance but it certainly is enjoyable without teh traffic or assholes.
Slapped a Brooks B17 saddle on my V85 and took it for my first real (~40mi) ride, and it was pretty fantastic. Comfortable, smooth, stable, and I don’t feel every single damn bump along the way. I still need lights, a rack, panniers, cycling computer, and some various odds and ends, and then I’ll be good to go. Beyond my daily commute, I’m looking forward to doing some long rides or even multi-day tours.
Puzzling enough, it appears that my bike was recovered by the police, and it had been abandoned along a trail a couple miles north near the University of Washington. I’m glad to have it back, but it doesn’t make sense that someone would go to such effort and risk to steal it, and then just ditch it. The individual components could have easily fetched a grand if it had been stripped for parts. It just doesn’t seem right…
So now you have two bikes?
I guess so? I won’t be able to pick it up until Saturday, so I don’t know what condition it’s in. It’s possible the frame was cracked (which could explain the ditching…) and as a carbon fiber bike, that would pretty much ruin it.
If it is okay, I’ll probably end up selling it, though I feel a bit weird turning a profit on a theft.
Eh, might be able to salvage some parts from it at least, if nothing else.
