Stolen bikes

New to the forum - but will keep and eye out for anything stolen in north Herts area.

good man. but who's covering south herts area?

Anyone missing a red fg/ss? Saw someone who didn't look like your typical fg hipster cruising around on it in the Brick Lane market about two hours ago.

Bike:
red
brand was Dave M... something
white and black vittoria tyres
risers
loads of nice chrome, in fact bike looked almost new

Sorry about not posting earlier, but I had to get into work first. (Yep, working on a Sunday...) Oh, and don't tell me to utfs or something like that. I am at work and haven't got time for more than this brief post. If the guy who was riding it actually is the owner... then sorry...

This is my first post on the forum and hopefully it will bring a little happiness to this thread. It starts on a bad note, on monday night whilst out for drinks my bike was stolen from Hoxton Square, totally gutting. Never had a bike stolen before and this was my first fixed build, nothing expensive but just my absolute pride and joy. It maybe wasn't the actual losing of the bike that felt the worst, it was feeling like someone had violated something very personal to me.When you spend so much of your time setting something up exactly how you want it to be, it becomes part of you.

After looking on various forums including this one and talking to friends, family and colleagues, the overall consensus was to head to Brick Lane market on sunday morning and hope for the best. Last night I worked a night shift in Battersea and finished at 4.00am. I live in Surrey, and thought that heading home straight after work then getting back up to East London would be too much of a mission at that time in the morning only using public transport. So I got on a bus straight from Clapham to Liverpool Street, getting there for about 5.00am. I hung about, saw the last of the drunks head home, and waited until the market started up. At about 8.00am the market was in full action and I started to see the dodgy fucks selling the stolen bikes on the street corner. I definitley saw I guy trying to sell the Dave Marsh from the above post, stunning bike, smallish red frame, risers, brakeless. But still no sign of mine.

I carried on waiting for another 2 and a half hours, and sure enough at about 10.30am a pasty, skinny white guy strolled around the corner pushing my bike. My heart started racing and adrenline pumping, but thought I should try and do this properly and call the police. I had earlier in the week reported that the bike had been stolen and gave a full description. Whilst on the phone to the police I was very conscious of the fact that this guy could leave or sell my bike at any moment, I didn't let him out of my sight. As usual the police didn't seem to understand the urgency of the call or the situation. The end result of a 7 minute conversation was "we'll try and get someone sent to you but I can't gurantee anything, there could be something more important etc etc.....". CUNTS.

Well it was down to me alone now. Where the guy was standing there were about 8 or 9 of them all gathered around along with bikes they were trying to sell. These were not the kind of people I wanted to stroll up to and politely ask for my bicycle back, so again I waited. Not long after, the guy started walking off with my bike on his own, I followed him for a little while then stopped him. I acted interested in the bike and asked if it was for sale. Only £120, a bargain I thought. Continued to ask about it and generally acted like I wanted to buy the bike. Then he slipped up, "FANCY A TEST RIDE MATE?". Why yes indeed. And that was the last he saw of me. Cycling away like I never have done before, absolute full pelt, adrenaline pumping, it felt fucking awesome.

Unfortunately I don't really know the roads around that part of London too well. but I didn't stop pedaling. Got fairly lost and stopped to catch my breath, I was far enough away now not to worry about being caught up with. Then I get a phonecall, its the police, they may have someone who can come and assist me. Too fucking late. Then they try to get me to give them my exact location so that a "unit" can come and find me and find out what happened. No chance, I was getting out of London as soon as I could. I found my bearings, headed over Tower Bridge and on to Waterloo station and home. JOB DONE.

For me this whole saga has been the absolute best and worst feelings i've had associated with cycling. The adrenline is still going as I write this and the hands are still shaking a bit, but it was amazing.

I hope this can bring a ray of hope to those people who have had their bikes stolen recently, it certainly makes me smile.

And big celebratory drinks tonight with a mate.

Cheers

fucking hell mate, what a day!

you deserve a cold beer.

well done, good job.

Good to hear your bike back. Damn, that took some cojones and a clear head. Well done.

Come to West Beers sometime and we'll get you a few beers.

"Test ride"... heh heh heh heh.

Thats class mate. Good job, very well done.

Now stick a good quality lock on it. There are threads on here about locks. I hope you find the right one.

The GA2G locking method* might also help. Thats sticking a motorcycle alarm disk lock through your chainring. Even if somebody gets through a lock of yours, if your bike is not too far, you'll hear it being moved. 110db alarm FTW.

*Patent pending.

Nah, only kidding. No patent. Just do it.

Then he slipped up, "FANCY A TEST RIDE MATE?". Why yes indeed. And that was the last he saw of me. Cycling away like I never have done before, absolute full pelt, adrenaline pumping, it felt fucking awesome.

Well Done You! I was there all morning looking for mine (blue unmarked track frame, just in case you saw - didn't realize bike thieves were up n about THAT early on a Sunday) n there was lots of curfufle going on as one of them had had their bike nicked. Hahahaha - one up. Left my bike locked up where they were selling on the corner, thinking I would be a bit smart n keep an eye on it whilst watchin for mine, n when i unlocked it found they'd nicked the skewer from the front wheel. U N B E L I E V A B L E.

The GA2G locking method* .

1) Post a pic?
2) Which product? There seems to be loads.
3) How much shaking and ratteling before the alarm goes off? Wouldn't want it to start blaring away if someone, say, moves my bike slightly because they are trying to lock their own bike next to it.

Not sure if this is the right thread, but I am looking to get my first single speed and need some advice on a good lock. (previous mtb and bmx stolen in broad daylight both times with a 'standard' D-Lock) Bike will be around the £300 mark.. Any suggestions?

Cheers

would you like to use the search?

Great to hear that you got the jump on the thieving fucktard Goodlife. You're heart must have been hammering!

That Dave Marsh you spotted sounds uncannily like one I built up and sold early last year:

I was gutted to sell it at the time as it was a lovely little bike and included the first set of wheels I built up. If the guy who lost it is on here, I'm happy to help with the paper trail if needs be; drop me a PM.

"FANCY A TEST RIDE MATE?". Why yes indeed. And that was the last he saw of me. Cycling away like I never have done before, absolute full pelt, adrenaline pumping, it felt fucking awesome.

Nice one! Glad you got your ride back :)

n when i unlocked it found they'd nicked the skewer from the front wheel. U N B E L I E V A B L E.

They were probably trying to steal the wheel and might have been disturbed.

Replace your quick releases with non-quick releases if that wasn't your road bike. There's no point having quick release wheels unless you're riding a race. It creates easy opportunities in London.

would you like to use the search?

Thanks for the helpful tip. It seems the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini is the best option. If anyone else has a similar question there is very good thread called 'Locks that work'. http://www.londonfgss.com/thread17938.html

I dont think the theives here in Manchester are as prepared as in London, mainly because there isnt a bike market I am aware of to easily resell the items.

Thanks Oliver - tis sage advice, i think, and now that it needs replaying anyway......
Hope Brighton trip was stunning too!

Crackajack, theft in London is the worse in the UK, so the Fah Mini would be more than enough to withstand the like of Manchester, secondly the theft would be more interested in MTB than an old fixed wheel bicycles.

And since it is manchester, check out the Evo Mini instead, it's smaller and lighter but still quite strong.

1) Post a pic?
2) Which product? There seems to be loads.
3) How much shaking and ratteling before the alarm goes off? Wouldn't want it to start blaring away if someone, say, moves my bike slightly because they are trying to lock their own bike next to it.

I can't take credit for inventing a product or anything like that, but I think I'm the person who has suggested this particular motorcycle solution for bicycles.

I suggest buying a red or yellow disc lock alarm, as those colours stand out. A silver alarm might not be so bad when attached to a black chainring/crankset. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41tNasb-mmL.jpg, http://www.blacksheepcycles.com/Photopost/data/520/medium/SNC11681.JPG

As for which exact disk alarm lock, I can't tell you that. But brighter, louder, and least expensive, seem to be a winning combination. But disk alarm locks like the one pictured, are ideal, as they are so snug to the ring, that they cannot be cut off. It would be easier to cut off the chainring, or take off the whole crank. And which thief would ever do that?

As its a theoretical solution, I also can't give figures for how much or little vibration, movement is required to trigger the alarm. I'd be happy to simply reset it, if I was in a pub having a drink, and it went off.

I think if more and more people tried this, and there were obvious brightly coloured alarms attached to chainrings, I think theives would start looking at chainrings first, even before crossing the street with their bolt cutters. After all, they won't know where the owner is.......

"FANCY A TEST RIDE MATE?"

Haha, this has made my day! Must've felt awesome getting one over on the thieving scrote.

Haha, this has made my day! Must've felt awesome getting one over on the thieving scrote.

+1 i did have a good chuckle, very well described and good on you for your perseverance, I doubt they'll be so happy to offer a test ride in the near future! I would have loved to see his reaction seeing his half inched bike disappearing into the blue yonder :-)

So...left my bike at Euston Station over the weekend. Had to get an earlier train on Friday so couldn't take it back (7am to 7pm rule). Stupidly thought it would be ok as I left it in the proper bike racks.

This morning went to retrieve for the commute. However, some light fingered scrote has decided that he/she/it deserves my back wheel and brake levers more than I did.

One crappy stock Bianchi Pista back wheel, with almost new gatorskin, shimano 16T freewheel one side and fixed cog the other; and two black goldfinger levers. If by some miracle someone sees these about for sale....well, you know the drill!

Yep, that's the one I'd say. Or identical. However, before we call anyone thieves, did you sell it to someone young-ish? Under 20 yrs old? Could be seen in tracksuit bottoms?

.... That Dave Marsh you spotted sounds uncannily like one I built up and sold early last year: ......
If the guy who lost it is on here, I'm happy to help with the paper trail if needs be; drop me a PM.

Shit, finally have something to post of my (sort of) own in this thread.

Gwyn_Again just had her front 650 wheel nicked from Regent Road, outside the Prince Regent whilst working, this evening at about 7.00:

Shimano hub (ultegra i think, can't fully remember) on a Mavic Open 4CD rim, with a black Continental tyre on it, brown gumwalls. Bought off JD, a bad pic of it here.

Its a fucking 650 and its Brixton, so the crackhead won't be able to shift it or put it on a MTB for the next rock. Utterly pointless and annoying. Off to cycle around and see if the local kids took it, but Sam the Wheels hadn't been offered it....

if anyone sees it, can they let me know Oh 7786436OhOH74. Money paid etc.

ta lovelies

I never thought I'd see the day when the following happened: locked my beater outside London Bridge, went off for a day trip / meeting.

Came back to find that some light fingered scrote had stolen... my toe straps!

I mean honestly, what's wrong with the Sugino Messenger crankset? Or the wheels for that matter? Thieves today don't know they're born!

:( will keep an eye out in HH/Brixton snowy