fucking fuckers

[unbibium]

After two and a half years, it finally happened. Someone absconded with my bike.

They left no evidence, so I have no idea whether they cut through the cable, guessed the combination, broke the combination lock, or whether I was absent-minded and forgot to zero out the combination.

So, what's my move? My instinct is to buy a new bike tonight, and have an extra lock hanging by my stairs for extra protection in the place where I leave it the longest. People have told me that the basket I had on the back wasn't good and that something else would look better. I need something to carry stuff around, because backpacks are sweat traps.

Comments

[tyderian.livejournal.com]

Two and a half years is pretty impressive.

I'd recommend a U-lock through the frame and front wheel, rather than a cable lock, in the future.

[stacebass.livejournal.com]

+1

Combination locks are pretty easy to get through. I had a bike stolen with one.

[twillis.livejournal.com]

That sucks, dude. I don't get some people.

[atillathehung.livejournal.com]

Need a recommendation for a replacement? Here it is.

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

Very nice. I wonder what this'll cost me, since price information is conspicuously absent.

Now that I think about it, my bike probably needed about $50 worth of repairs on it anyway; the gears were slipping like a bastard.

[atillathehung.livejournal.com]

I'd bet around $350. A lot of bike manufacturers won't give a price on their Web sites...or they'll give a price range. This helps them appease their dealers, who want to set prices based on their markets.

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

And that's before I put a basket or luggage rack or water bottle holder or whatnot on it.

See, I don't know whether the next bike is going to last 2 weeks or another 2 years. The last one cost me $165, though that was at Domenic's during some tent-event-supra-sale. Assuming the price difference was based on quality, what would spending the extra $200 get me?

[atillathehung.livejournal.com]

Frankly, it gets you less. But it's a less that turns out to be more.

For starters, it's a single speed. So you won't have to get your gears adjusted all the time. It's also a way higher-quality frame, both in design, materials and execution. That means it can take a beating, it is both more stable and more agile and it's a lot lighter.

The wheelset on this thing is also pretty sturdy, so you won't need to worry about truing them. Better set of brakes, too, for more stopping power and less need for adjustments.

In all seriousness, I could buy this bike and ride the hell out of it off-road. Compared to my current single speed, I'd pay a weight penalty. But I think this is actually better than the one I ride (mostly because it's a purpose-built single, where mine is a converted 27-speed).

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

You've said in the past that single-speeds have the problem that they get up to their top speed quickly, but they don't have much of a top speed. Is this accurate?

And are you available to take me to REI and help me shop sometime? sooner the better.

[atillathehung.livejournal.com]

Yes, the top speed is definitely lower. But think of it this way...how often did you push your bike into 42-12 (or whatever your top gear was) and hammer? Chances are, the Monocog's top end will be enough for you.

My truck is in a state of extreme gimpitude, so I'm really limiting my driving until I get my slave cylinder fixed. But if you score another ride for shopping, let me know what you find and I'll give you my opinion.

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

The left one went up to 3 and the right one went up to 7. And I didn't really hammer it, but I would get into 2/7 pretty quickly, especially when making left-turns into traffic, which I do twice a day. Basically I want to outrun the people waiting at the red light behind me, because they all think I'm the asshole.

I also get to 3-7 when going downhill under the Southern underpass, just to pick up some extra energy for the trip back up. The good news is, that's right next to the REI, so if they'll let me do a test run, I'll have a pretty good idea of how it's going to feel.

[jaytee.livejournal.com]

Isn't single speed bad? Don't I want to be able to change gears?

I got out of the market when my knees crapped out. I'm to the point where I can ride canals and roads though, I think. Any recommendations assuming I'd be buying two bikes?

[atillathehung.livejournal.com]

If you have bad knees, single speeds are bad.

For the right people, singles are great, though. I mean, if I ride my Fisher Cake at Papago Park or even the Pemberton Trail, it's massive overkill. It makes everything too easy. My Nuke puts a lot of challenge back into it.

Plus it's really fun to not think about shifting. Off-road, you devote a lot of time to shifting, and even to planning your shifts. I like not doing that. Plus these bikes are QUIET!

For street use, there's also a nice simplicity to them. Just pedal and go. Nice!

Anytime I give bike advice, the most important things to ask are:

-Where will you ride?
-Where do you want to ride?
-What's your budget?

Your special lady friend is on the small side. I wouldn't recommend some big fully-suspended bike for her...it'll be a huge portion of her body weight, and that can be rough.

Lemme know what you guys are up to, and I'll come up with something.

[jaytee.livejournal.com]

Augh! This pisses me off. People can be such scumbags. Any chance of stashing the bike inside your apartment, maybe on a tarp or old blanket?

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

My apartment isn't that big. It'd have a huge footprint. And I'd have to leave a tarp or old blanket lying around my front door all the time.

I did that for a while after the first unsuccessful attempt to file through my cable one night. Then I locked it outside my front door, which meant I still had to carry it up and downstairs. When I got the basket attached, it no longer fit, therefore I locked it up at the bottom of my staircase. It was less visible from the parking lot, and I could check on it by opening my front door.

[baryon.livejournal.com]

Well that sucks! Get a U-Lock. They are harder to break than cables/chains and padlocks. Or use both. I hope your next bike doesn't get stolen anytime soon.

When I lived in an apartment, I always left my bicycle inside, even though it occupied space.