so here's the deal. i was out riding my road
bike today, went into the Western Mutual on Broadway
and Graham in brooklyn, brought my bike INSIDE the
bank, not in the little atm area, but actually inside
the lobby, kept a good eye on it the entire time in
the line, but for the split second i was writing a
note down SOMEONE STOLE IT. out of the bank.
with cameras on them and everything, not that that
will really do any good cause detectives aren't going
to do **** about a stolen bike, when i told the
officer i filed a report with how much it was worth he
laughed in my face. this is my nice race bike, not my
work bike, haha that got run over on my last day of
work a few weeks ago. so here's the specs:

red and black custom built circle A road frame,
toptube says "up the punks", pics of it here:
http://circleacycles.com/gallery_detail.asp?id=13

red tires on black deep v's laced with silver spokes
to red chris king hubs (bling!)

red bartape, cinelli black drop bars with ultegra
sti's, grey cable housing

alpha q sub 3 straight blade carbon fork, greyish
carbon

dura ace cranks, logos mostly rubbed off from shoe
scuff, silver bebop pedals, not common, really small,
look like this: http://bebop.com/web/stainless.htm

ultegra front and rear derailleurs, 9 speed, black slr
saddle, elite red bottle cage, etc, etc.

AAAAAGGGHHHHHHH. this bike is bright. really bright,
really red. really nice, but hard to ride without the
right shoes, the pedals are really small. if ANYONE
is offered this bike, or sees it on the road or the park, this bike that
took me two years to build, countless hours working
and scrimping and saving to be able to buy the most
excellent components, days on the bench tuning
everything to a razor's edge, please contact me. listen,
i GAVE UP DRINKING FOR MONTHS to be
able to afford having the frame built for me.
anyways, enough, i guess i learned that no where in
nyc is safe for an unlocked bike, not even inside a
bank with security cameras and bank personnel
everywhere. who knew?

- rob
- email cyclebornarmageddon@yahoo.com

I realize this is an old post already, but you should, everyone should, use their helmets when leaving a bike unattended but within sight. Just take off your helmet and strap it around wheel and frame, even a pole if it can reach. This prevents the grab and run type of theft.

I also live in Brooklyn, but never leave my road bike. My mtb I'm a little less careful with, but I ALWAYS use the helmet trick.

I realize this is an old post already, but you should, everyone should, use their helmets when leaving a bike unattended but within sight. Just take off your helmet and strap it around wheel and frame, even a pole if it can reach. This prevents the grab and run type of theft.

I also live in Brooklyn, but never leave my road bike. My mtb I'm a little less careful with, but I ALWAYS use the helmet trick.

That is a Great idea. Thank you!

sad to hear/read this story.

You know, even the local Dollar Tree store was selling some short little cable locks for $1 each. It loops between the rails of the saddle and weighs very little. Sure, any thief with a pair of cutters won't have any problem breaking it iff, but it does make it less likely that an opportunist will just ride off on your bike.

Another little trick is whenever I leave any of my geared bikes, is always shift them cross chained after I stop. This way if someone jumps on and tries to ride it away the chain jumps around with lots of slack or sucks. The very least it will make some very audible ugly gear noise.

Sorry to hear about your ride. I know how much it must bum you out.

"shift them cross chained after I stop"

Can you explain that?

Ok. So, as I am approaching my destination I shift into the big chain ring and the littlest gear on the cassette. Even if it doesn't make since. Then when the bike stops, I move the shifters into the small chainring and large cassette position. (You can also reverse these positions if the terrain demands it).

This puts a ton of slack into the shifter cables. If someone jumps on your bike and tries to ride it away it will a) be ridulous tough in the big chain ring to small cassette cog position, and b) it will suddenly and violenty move the chain. Can't explain how bad this is, but is is loud and does not lend itself to good gear engagement.

I hope that the description makes it clearer. try it out. it wont stop thieves, but it sure as hell will slow them down.

That's a great trick. So, when you get back on your bike, do you shfit all gears to original position before riding off?

Exactly. Nice and simple, but effective.