wheel theft

[CBGanimal]

Oh chica! That is awful and I remember that terrible feeling well…I’m so sorry. I think my bikes are a bit big for you but your more than welcome to borrow one…

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[anomad]

That sucks.

Were they 700c wheels? I have some spares i’d sell cheap.

[BobCochran]

That is really awful. I am really sorry to learn this. Hopefully you can get satisfactory replacement rims and tires. I see bike frames in the same condition at my local Metro station. I also see the same bikes locked day after day to the same parking location, and I think it must be that the bike’s owners lost their keys to the respective locks.

Bob

[streetsmarts]

@wheels&wings 155977 wrote:

I stepped out of the office this evening to find that my wheels/tires had been stolen off of my Motobecane bicycle. It was parked very publicly at the Van Ness Metro bike parking, alongside many other bikes, right beneath the security camera (we are not allowed to bring bikes into our office building, which offers no bike parking). The police came and I filed a report, for what that’s worth.
I lugged home the bike skeleton on two very crowded metro trains and another 1.5 miles. The other passengers were very kind and accommodating. By now my arms are strong enough to beat up any thieves
I am very sad. I keep reminding myself that nobody got hurt and they didn’t get my frame, which was U-locked.
Watch out for thieves.
Your friend,
&wings

I’m so sorry that happened! What is wheels&wings without wheels?!!! I’ve seen bike skeletons like that at my (home) metro station, but not experienced it (yet!). Hang in there. Hope you can use another bike or get some replacement wheels soon! I have an extra bike but I think it’d be a tad too big for you!

[jrenaut]

People are the worst. We were just talking yesterday about the day we parked 2 bikes at Mt Vernon Square Metro for a couple hours in the middle of the day (dinosaur exhibit at the Convention Center) and got our seats stolen. It’s infuriating.

Also, it may be some small consolation that “&wings” is the funniest thing I’ve seen today.

[Judd]

@wheels&wings 155977 wrote:

I stepped out of the office this evening to find that my wheels/tires had been stolen off of my Motobecane bicycle. It was parked very publicly at the Van Ness Metro bike parking, alongside many other bikes, right beneath the security camera (we are not allowed to bring bikes into our office building, which offers no bike parking). The police came and I filed a report, for what that’s worth.
I lugged home the bike skeleton on two very crowded metro trains and another 1.5 miles. The other passengers were very kind and accommodating. By now my arms are strong enough to beat up any thieves
I am very sad. I keep reminding myself that nobody got hurt and they didn’t get my frame, which was U-locked.
Watch out for thieves.
Your friend,
&wings

When you get new wheels I have an extra cable to lock your wheels to the U-Lock that I will gladly give you. Sorry that someone was a doody head today.

[komorebi]

I’m sorry to hear about the theft, w&w. That’s terrible. If you’d like to borrow a bike, just let me know. Mine should be about the right size.

[wheelswings]

Thanks, everyone!! Y’all are the best medicine. And I appreciate the many offers. I’ve been emailing with Phoenix Bikes tonight and will bring my skeleton there tomorrow. If no luck, I will be in touch… As for a cable, I used to use both a cable and my U-lock outside my office building at Van Ness…until a few months ago when someone cut my cable off. Since then I’ve only used the U. I’m not sure what the best solution is…maybe carry two U’s and insert one through each wheel?

[secstate]

This sucks. Very sorry to hear.

My bike also lives outside during the workday — I lock one wheel with a U and another with a cable, but I have noticed a few cut cables around, so maybe I should rethink (or just accept that I might be out a front wheel one of these months).

I’m about to spring for a new saddle and and am considering locking skewers on it so I don’t have to worry.

[drevil]

@wheels&wings 155995 wrote:

I’m not sure what the best solution is…maybe carry two U’s and insert one through each wheel?

That’s a bummer! U’s are always better than cable for the same money. Not a lot of people know this, but you can nip away at cables with wire snips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMbNOYtiEg

As for carrying the U’s, can you leave them locked to a post somewhere? When I commuted into DC, I’d leave locks in a few spots so I didn’t have to carry them downtown. I bought good ones, and sprayed them down with WD-40 once in a while to prevent rust. Sounds silly, but my bikes were always there when I came out.

[chuxtr]

WTF? That sucks. Hugs.

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[Vicegrip]

@jrenaut 155983 wrote:

People are the worst. We were just talking yesterday about the day we parked 2 bikes at Mt Vernon Square Metro for a couple hours in the middle of the day (dinosaur exhibit at the Convention Center) and got our seats stolen. It’s infuriating.

Also, it may be some small consolation that “&wings” is the funniest thing I’ve seen today.

I will never understand the thinking of people that take a bike seat with a street fence value of perhaps $2. The lack of self worth and lack of citizenship that is required to steal inexpensive parts of bikes is hard to fathom.

The (……) & wings is priceless BTW.

[dkel]

You could try bolt-on hubs. They’re easy to take off if you have the hex key, but if the thief is just looking for QR wheels, the bolt may be enough of a deterrent. Not as much deterrent as a U lock, though…

[drevil]

@dkel 156003 wrote:

You could try bolt-on hubs. They’re easy to take off if you have the hex key, but if the thief is just looking for QR wheels, the bolt may be enough of a deterrent. Not as much deterrent as a U lock, though…

Bolt-on hubs are not as easy to undo as quick release, but if your hubs aren’t already bolt-on, converting them will cost a little bit of time and money (if they are even convertible). Personally, I’d rather spend the money on some “locking” quick releases, of which there are many. I bought these Forte ones when they were on sale years ago, and they have helped kept my wheels in my possession.

I’m considering buying this Pinhead set for my wife’s bike because she has to lock her bike downtown more often than me, but it costs a pretty penny. All this stuff looks expensive until you get your stuff stolen… and doesn’t quite cost as much as the parts you’ll have to replace.

[bobco85]

Aw, man, that really sucks to hear about losing both wheels! Hopefully you can get a new set without much trouble, and maybe the security camera actually got the thief so they can be found.

As far as locking up one’s bike, I always go for a U lock and thick cable and lock up in 2 different ways depending on the situation:

1. (more secure) U lock through one wheel, the frame, and the rack/pole/other solid object, and the cable through the other wheel and the frame
2. (less secure) Cable through one wheel and around rack/pole/other solid object, and the U lock through the other wheel and frame

I think the fact that you found your cable cut months ago was a warning sign that thieves were present. I hope it doesn’t happen again.

[Author]

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