I'm a new cyclist. This is my first road bike and i've had it for about 2 years. It just recently got stolen and i'm crushed right now. I'm just wondering if all of you experienced cyclist get your bike stolen at some point in time?
I'm just soooooooooo sad and confused atm

Yeah. My wife's bike got stolen out of our shed a few years ago.

Bike thieves suck.

Sorry to hear that, I worry sometimes when I stop to use the restroom and midstream think I hear someone riding off with my bike. Turn this bad situation into a positive, NEW BIKE TIME!!!

My first new bike I got in the 4th grade was stolen. It was locked in our shed. I was so sad. I always had to ride hand me downs. I had to ride them again until the 8th grade when I got my next new bike.

I haven't experienced this yet, thankfully. Register your bike at www.BikeIndex.org. Don't know if this will help but it does sometimes.

Yeah, the positive thing is i'm getting a new bike

sad still because i dont have a lot of money
but i laugh at that guy who stole my bike because my rear brakes don't work >

when i first bought my bike, I always feared someone would steal it but it hadn't happened in years so i was more relaxed. Now i regret not keep an eye on my bike 24/7...

Register your bike's serial number with your local police. This helped get my Kona mtn. bike back to me.

I came back to the bike rack and saw a cut cable lock and a missing bike. I was so angry I vowed to bring some Samuel L. Jackson vengeance and justice to the thief if I caught him. Then I got a call from the cops--they pulled over a car containing a pair of meth-dealing brothers armed with shotguns. They went back to their lair and found my registered bike amongst their cache of stolen goods and contacted me and I picked up the bike at the station. No damage but a the meth-heads had replaced a brake cable and swapped out my leather Turbo saddle for a used cheapie.

And the phrase "shotgun wielding meth-heads" has forever deterred me from implementing the vigilante justice option.

EDIT: I should add, having photos posted here or elsewhere is another good form of proof of ownership.

Also, make sure to check with the police or the auction house they contract to. In my city, lots of bikes are seized by the cops and put up for auction because they can't find the owner. I bought a second Kona at one of those auctions.

I haven't yet. It's primarily because I do not let it out of my sight, ever. I ride with a club so there's always someone around. And, if I'm not on the bike it's in my car or garage.

I keep mine locked up INDOORS. On the odd chance that they're stolen anyway, there are small GPS based dog trackers glued under the saddle. I also have pics and serial #s , as well as biz cards stuffed into the tubes. I'll find them...

Cycling. Rain falls sometimes. Wind blows in your face often. Bikes get stolen sometimes. I've had 4 stolen so far in some 25 years time. It's normal. First one is shocking, then you buy a bike aware it will get stolen some day. Sad, but normal. Get over it, get another bike and ride it so hard and so much that when it gets stolen you would think: I rode it's guts out, better off geting another one.

Update: just found the scum right outside at the entrance of my apartment complex chilling with his girlfriend at 12:00 in the night. Got that **** back and it was ruined. spray painted with new saddle and new handlebars and everything. he drove that **** hard during the time he stole it.

Well, in the end i have to get a new bike but at least the thief doesn't have a bike

Odds are he stole another one within 20 minutes of you taking yours back.

What are you going to do about it? Go to the police? Did you confront him? How did he react?

It was late and i was tired so when I saw him with it. I was like thats my bike, and he immediately said oh it is? my friend gave me it. then he just handed me to bike. It didnt cross my mind that i should report to the police but now that i think about it, i should have. he lives inside one of my apartment complex cuz he was hanging outside our entrance. should I still notify our manager and the police ?
my bike is already ruined but it was far broken before he stole it so i didnt really care much other than not letting a thief have a free bike.

I've had two bikes stolen and it is the worst feeling in the world.

A few years ago, someone came into my house and stole my custom Robert Beckman racks and the touring bike they were attached to. The GF and I were in bed watching the late news. The bike was replaceable. The racks were not, and the companion panniers only work with the custom racks. Sucked big time. I still keep my eyes open for the bike. A friend of mine had his stolen Colnago turn up years after it was stolen. Someone tried to sell it to the LBS that had originally sold my friend the bike. The owner, who is related to my friend, recognized it and bought it off the dude after finding the friend's business card inside one of the end of the bars.

Muhammad Ali's Stolen Bicycle Led to His Remarkable Career | Bleacher Report

another stolen bike story

A lot of the time people simply don't bother reporting a stolen bike because they think it's a waste of time and they'll never get it back.

However, bikes can be returned, often in good condition. Here are two examples our local police just posted. It's likely the serial numbers weren't registered so the cops don't know where to return it.





I don't know why the victims don't claim them--hmm, unless maybe the victim is also a criminal?

Victoria Police - "Is this yours?"

May the Velominati forgive me for posting mountain/commuter bikes here.

If you have the serial number (I realize he got his bike back, but this is for others) report it to the bike shops in your area.


You'd be surprised at the number of stolen bikes that come in for service.

We keep a list and try to check the serial numbers (as the bike is checked in for service) against that list. And when we get one reported, we send out an email to all the other shops to also let them know.

You Sir are golden. GPS based dog trackers glued under the saddle - ingenious. Essentially another form of LoJack for bicycles. I just looked up dog trackers online though and none of them are discreet enough.... can you tell me what brand/model you're using. I like this idea a lot.

TAGG GPS pet tracker, $99.00. I cut off the straps and used 5200 to attach it to the underside of my saddles.

Have had a BMX bike and an old MTB stolen over the years. Yes, it sucks big time. Not so much the bikes themselves, but knowing there are people so low in life that they will simply take things without remorse. It is why I do not have too much sympathy when a criminal gets messed up.

If a thief wants my bike, he'll have to come into my bedroom. If I'm home, he'll have to first get past my 6920 w/ Surefire 120.