Mo emailed us:
I just had my bike stolen from a bike rack in front of my apartment building (the Curtiss, at Leary & 20th NW). The cable lock was cut. I just wondered if anyone may have spotted it. I know it’s a a long shot, but just in case– it’s a cream-colored woman’s beach cruiser with fenders and a back rack. Anything you can do is much appreciated.
Do you know of other recent bike thefts in the area? I’ve had the thing less than 6 months, and am bummed that living in a studio means I may have nowhere safe to park a bike in our neighborhood.
Spring for a u-lock for your next bike. Much harder to cut.
Friend had the same thing happen years ago. Keeping the bike inside is the only way to keep it safe.
Problem with the u-lock is that the often won't fit around a big bike frame and the racks.
Even one of those super long ones? They are very heavy, but she could leave it locked to the bike rack…
Nothing is perfect, just don't want to see someone discouraged from owning a bike, because of bad apples…
Report it:
http://www.bikewise.org
…and file a report with SPD.
Keep an eye out on craigslist for Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland.
Let the area bike shops know.
Post on http://www.cascade.org and http://www.point83.com with pictures if you have them and people will watch for it.
Check with your renters insurance, the loss might be covered. Also check with the u-lock maker, some of them also cover losses when their locks are cut.
I'm guessing from her comments her apartment and the lobby of her building aren't big enough for bike storage. We've got plenty of bike storage in the building my apartment is in but that's a rarity.
Sorry to hear about the theft – my sympathies!
Sadly, cable locks are ridiculously easy to quickly cut without much noise or effort. Good-quality U-locks are much better, but if you have to leave the bike outside O/N, that may not work, either. A super-heavy-duty *chain* and lock (pretty much designed for motorcycles), along with a good-quality U-lock as backup is the way to go. Remember, for your O/N parking spot, you can leave the 20-pound chain and lock locked to the rack there — you only need to carry the U-lock with you for relatively short-term locking during the day. As a portable backup to the U-lock, I also carry an “armored cable lock” which isn't as good as a U-lock, but is much better than a standard cable lock. I lock the frame and rear wheel to the rack with the U lock and the front wheel and frame to the rack with the armored cable lock.
Here's a lock recommendation I found for locking a bike outdoors in NY; the chain suggestion is excellent:
“You need two locks. One a heavy u-bolt. U-bolt locks are EASILY PICKED, so this cannot be your primary lock, but it's a good secondary one. The primary lock should be a heavy chain with an indestructible circular or warded padlock. The model for your chain should be a thickness that you would feel comfortable towing your car with. The model for your padlock should be the ones you see locking the roll-down shutters on storefronts at night. Use both locks when the bike is out of your sight. The reason for two different locks is that this makes the thief carry two tools to defeat both systems. Lock it in well-lighted, well-traveled areas. Alleys are your enemy.”
Probably stolen by someone riding a bicycle.
My two bikes were stolen in our carport, despite a U-Lock *and* a cable lock to the railing. The railing was ripped out of the cement and the wall. I haven't bought a bike since, out of fear of it being stolen again. Sorry it's no consolation, but I sympathize.
I saw a bike matching this description in front of the Ballard Community Center early this evening.
Unfortunately, after picking up the kids at Day Care, life got crazy and I forgot to post until just now.
Good Luck
Do everything that Michael says except file a claim with your Renter's insurance unless your bike was worth a few thousand. Your Renter's coverage may be dropped once you file the claim, or at the very least, it will greatly increase. In addition, if you try to buy a house, your price of insurance increase will be likely be more than the cost of the bike. It sucks and it isn't fair, but that is reality. Insurance is there for major losses only and a single bike is rarely expensive enough to be worth claiming.
I sold insurance for a few years and this is what I told all my clients in similar situations. No one ever argued with me once I showed them what their rates would increase.
Good luck with your search, I hope you find your bike.
We moved here this summer, and my 8 year old son's 2 week new bike was stolen at 77th/23rd… from a gated and fully fenced (not chain link) back yard. We scoured the websites to see if anyone was trying to sell it, it was a unique bike – but no luck. We've since learned there are LOTS of bike thefts in Seattle, all over.
Same thing happened here, except inside the apartment building-NW 54th Street. Mine was a custom painted (green to gold color changing) Schwinn Automatic BMX bike. These people are bold. Many cable locks inside cut but mine was the only one taken. This is the second break in into our “secure” garage complete with video cameras and the works for bike theft. I will be filing police report today. Sad to say but these things are probably repainted immediately.