Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - landlord can suck my fixie...

i ran into Salome the other day and had to tell her the bad news... my fixie had been stolen.

(then she suggested I post... so here i am)

I wasn't sure exactly what had happened. i have a hot pic of my fixie on my desktop and one day my roommate came up behind me and asked, "so where is your bike anyway?" (It's usually in the living room, but clearly wasn't.) I went to check the hall (where i often leave it if it's a little wet or muddy) but it wasn't there either. I called our landlord to ask if they knew anything, but the wife, although nice, just had me call the husband, and he just basically cursed and bull****ted and said he didn't know anything. He's not a nice guy. But anyhow... clearly, I'd just ridden to class one morning, locked up, and walked home forgetting all about it.

But it wasn't on any of the racks around.

For two weeks, I've been searching. Could someone have taken the whole thing (locked up wheel and all) off a rack? Was our apartment burglarized? Was I *really* loosing it?

Well... it all became perfectly clear tonight when my neighbor from down the hall asked if i'd seen any of the paintings she left out beside her door. (I hadn't.) But... then it clicked. Our landlord has a tendency to get anal about things in the hallway. Looking back, I don't know why this wasn't 100x more obvious.

So, I took the largest sledgehammer I could find (yeah, i've got a sledgehammer, what math major doesn't?) and broke down the door to the boiler room / engineer's shop in the basement of our building...

and found...

yup, my bike. Safe... even if not sound.


I called the UCPD and spoke to an officer for a bit. He was actually quite nice. He explained that there are certain things I should perhaps casually leave out when repeating the story (though, i haven't here) and that it really was just something to take up with the landlord. Technically, the ****er's in the 'right' by claiming to need hallways clear. whatever. my fixie is sleek and sexy... it's in no one's way. who wouldn't want to brush by so temptutous an object?

my neighbor's paintings... on the other hand, are still no where to be found. We think the landlord trashed them. not sure how to proceed there... not really any good ways to prove he did or didn't.

So, right now, my baby still lies alone in that nasty room... but I've sent a letter to the landlords sortof demanding its return. At least I and the police know its location, and that it's okay... so... should it disappear or something, there'll be hell to pay.

(oh ... where am i? hyde park, chicago. landlords? chec property management.)

fixi.jpg

Never leave in the hall way. I had 2 good friends have their bikes stolen that way. Somebody buzz someone in and they see the bike and take it. It is usually someone who comes to the building quite often. KEEP IN YOUR APT..DIRTY OR NOT!!

S/F,
CEYA!

Never leave in the hall way. I had to good friends have their bikes stolen that way. Somebody buzz someone in and they see the bike and take it. It is usually someone who comes to the building quite often. KEEP IN YOUR APT..DIRTY OR NOT!!

S/F,
CEYA!
Would you leave your girl/boyfriend in the hallway to sleep... clean or coming in after a storm?

Bike = girl/boyfriend.

Learn.

Hmmmm let see after almost 17 yrs as a NYC messenger and 3 bikes stolen ( actually 4 but got one back). IT goes with me inside.. NO, IF AND OR BUT ABOUT THAT ANSWER!

S/F,
CEYA!



Would you leave your girl/boyfriend in the hallway to sleep... clean or coming in after a storm?

Bike = girl/boyfriend.

Learn.

If you know it is in the boiler room and the cops know it is in the boiler room then why don't you go get it?
You can't get arrested for stealing your own property.

Call someone out and pay them to fix the door and get ur bike. Fix the door so that the LL can't stick u with an outrageous bill.

Steal that thing back. If your landlord tries to hassle you about it, play dumb and be like, "yeah, I called up a few bike shops describing it and one said it had been brought in."

You know you're lying, he knows you're lying, you know he knows you're lying, he knows you know he knows you're lying, but he can't say anythnig without having first admitted to stealing it and then lying to you.

Yes, he can claim the hallways need to be clear for fire code, but that doesn't authorize him to seize your property. That's a job for the police, the fire marshall, the health department, etc.

My bikes stay out in the front hallway, but I have a kryptonite security cable looped through a radiator and then my bikes are locked to the end of the cable, so I feel ok about that.

I don't get it, why the hell didn't you take your bike back? The landlord said he didn't have it, so how is he going to accuse you of "stealing" it back? Go get your bike and quit crying that it got stolen when you left it unattended and unlocked.

My bikes stay out in the front hallway, but I have a kryptonite security cable looped through a radiator and then my bikes are locked to the end of the cable, so I feel ok about that.

not only does Bostontrevor keep'em locked up and secure, he also keeps them warm! That is love!

My landlord once stole my bike right out of my apartment on the very day that we were in court for a disagreement. I am almost at the 10 year point where swift retribution will go unnoticed. Be patient my friend ;)

I don't get it either. Take the thing back and tell him you found it somewhere else. What is he going to say he stole it.

Had your landlord talked to you about not leaving your bike in the hallway before it disappeared?

Never mind the boiler room door, take that sledgehammer to his @ss...

Let's see - you have a big hammer and he has youe bike. I don't understand take the bike and if he gives you any s*** use the hammer.

Joe

Lynch the Landlord

Hang the DJ

']Lynch the LandlordSpeaking of....Check the new Dirt Rag logo

DR punk bike map (http://www.dirtragmag.com/images_public/artdirector/04punkbike/04punkbike_map.gif)

edit: changed pic to link to avoid giant image creating free advertising for evil magazine.

nice plug

I thing Jello would be Biafring if he saw that.

I thing Jello would be Biafring if he saw that.


No kidding... I didn't even notice it was an "R"

I thing Jello would be Biafring if he saw that.I don't know, DR is an independent, DIY mag that still has soul, something he would probably support. Kind of like his label.

nice plug #2
OT - I just dropped my subscription.

']nice plug #2
OT - I just dropped my subscription.OT back to your OT: Not plugging, just commenting. FYI - I'm not affiliated w/ DR if anyone thinks that.

i know i know...just razzing you. FYI - did you write up the LeveL review yet?

The bike is still in the storage room. What am I missing here?..

']i know i know...just razzing you. FYI - did you write up the LeveL review yet?Yes, but it's in long hand! Temp. job assignment has me taking the train and eating up my time so I've been writing on a notepad. When I get it transcribed I'll shoot you a preview.

i'm not getting that one either, looking for bike for days, finally find it by breaking a door down, takes a pic....but leaves the bike calling the cops...

must be thinking of sometype of lawsuit....but f*#k that....take your bike....and that rug looks kind of dope as well :D

but why are you guys leaving your bikes in the hallway in the first place?

Actually, I'm pretty sure that's the bike in his apartment... Unless the landlord likes to read about Incas and Bob Moses while cleaning the boiler.

So, right now, my baby still lies alone in that nasty room... but I've sent a letter to the landlords sortof demanding its return. At least I and the police know its location, and that it's okay... so... should it disappear or something, there'll be hell to pay.


maybe i'm reading this wrong then

The photo is from a happier time. A time before their joyful union was split asunder by the cruel hamfisted landlord. Mmmmmm... Ham...

"but I've sent a letter to the landlords sortof demanding its return."

Yea, I find that nothing gets a faster response from bum landlords than a strongly worded letter.

You might want to get curious about mass transit until your ride is polished and returned with a bow.

Yea, I find that nothing gets a faster response from bum landlords than a strongly worded letter.Yeah, in this case the response will probably be a B&E charge.

I am heading to Chi town next week.
Give me your address and a description of the bike.
I'll come get it for you.
I won't give it back to you, but at least that mean old landlord won't have it anymore and you can rest assured the parts will be put to good use.
See you soon

I'd exchange the bike for a watermelon with a big kitchen knife stuck in it.

I'd exchange the bike for a watermellon with a big kitchen knife stuck in it.

Such anger towards watermelons.

instructions.
1. Get out from in front of the computer.
2. Go to your weapons stash; pick up hammer ;)
3. Go down stairs and liberate your baby!
4. Take out evil landlord if he gets in the way ;)

Problem solved.

take your bike back and put a new lock on the basement door. keep the key. find a new apartment and sell the key back to the a$$hole when he gives you back your deposit. there's something wrong with having a landlord who's a thief and a liar.

I'll wound your landlord for a price.....say a fixed gear bike....but only if it is not a bumbike fixie.

At the top of the story tonight:

"Fixed-gear bike in storage room"

More news at 11:00

Call yer landlord, tell him you came home to find someone had broken into the building and was knocking off knobs with a hammer, tell him you called the cops and they want him to come down there, call the cops and tell them to come down there, "find" your ride in the boiler room the thief busted open with cops and/or landlord present, claim ride "Now how did that get in there?" "Find" the "Want ads" aka "Classifieds" "Find" a "New Apartment" that doesn't "care" about where you are now "Stiff" "Landlord" on "Last Months Rent" "Find" any fixtures you might want "release" any crazy people you can catch into "old apartment" Go happily to "New apartment"

"wow!"

']Lynch the Landlord

Kill the drummer!

I'd exchange the bike for a watermelon with a big kitchen knife stuck in it.



Dam, I like the whole hitchcockian feel to that!

If the landlord is like me, he would rather have a watermelon and a big knife than a fixed gear bike. If you can't find watermelon this time of year, you could bake him a cake and give him that and a big knife to cut it with. Or take your bike back.

Get your bike out and fix the lock. Don't let your bike leave your sight. I have had 2 stolen and got one back 14 years later. I saw my old GT Bmx frame sticking out of a trash can 2 streets over from me when some people moved out. The people moving out said it was in the attic with a bunch of bikes.(former resident compulsive bike thief)

SSimon

Ahhh. The joys of tennant landlord relationships. Had one landlord complain that I painted my suite. How did he know? He 'broke in' to inspect without asking. I asked if he had found my stash of hunting rifles, ( no I did not have any). Worked for me.

Hang the DJ
Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again ?
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But Honey Pie, you're not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town
But there's Panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself




Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play


On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
Provincial towns you jog 'round
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ




Shoot the landlord

I just don't understand. You act like "The Mighty Thor" to bust down a door, which is great, but then won't take the bike back to your apartment? Are you like the guy from "Memento", in that you have a set of strange guidelines for life tattooed all over your body, that you follow without knowing why? To paraphrase Yoda, either be Gene Simmons or do not, there is no in between.

To paraphrase Yoda, either be Gene Simmons or do not, there is no in between.
Like Gene Simmons you must be. Yes mmmmmmmmm Rock and Roll All Night and Party Everyday or be one with the Force you will not.
http://img27.exs.cx/img27/8448/YodaTwinkies.jpg

:D (Closest thing to a pothead emoticon I could find.)