rachel120

The police officer did make a report, I have the report number, and did take down the serial number. I sent pictures of the bike and pictures of the serial number to him.

I'm now thinking of all the things that were being held together by luck and force of will because in my mind there was no need to fight with bleeping metric wrenches until the part actually failed, and I'm hoping they all fail at once right now. At least one was on the verge of complete failure. Even if the bike makes its way back I doubt anything in my tool bag will. All those tools together might cost more than the bike.

Edit: I just thought of those tools, that means the loss is more than $200.

wphamilton

Yeah I expect that works also. I think the odds are against the cops stumbling across it, but if the thief was on foot and at a retail establishment, he's probably local and there's a chance you'll see him again. Maybe the bike if it stays in the area.

rachel120

Before going with loss prevention to look at the tapes the cop did say that he was going to see if he could identify who did it. I don't know if he did recognize him or not though.

Maelochs

I can't really tell over the internet, but it seems ther worst of the sting is gone and now the ache is starting to fade a little.


Like a wound from a bike wreck .... the pain is from the road rash first, will all the nerves exposed. The cleaning it, and digging the grit out burns. Then it isn't too bad except you bumps stuff and tear the multiple scabs open and That really hurts. Finally the surface heals enough that you don't roll on ti while sleeping and wake up, and only occasionally abrade it against something ... but as the skin pain fades the bruising which has been there all along comes to the forefront, and it aches, and its worse when you move it. But ... eventually it is just a few small scars and a couple stories and an unhappy memory.

You are healing. And before long you will have three swap-meet/co-op junkers and a decent bike for special rides.

I sincerely suggest building a small collection of junker bikes and parts so you can always have a couple really lo-buck commuters on hand. That way you will never be without a ride, and if the worst happens, most of the value was in elbow grease, not cash.

rachel120

Thanks. You're right, I'm still angry but I don't feel sick like I did.

I'm already looking on Craigslist, it seems that no one is selling mountain bikes. Maybe I'll have to consider a hybrid. Or, like you said, three.

fietsbob

your insurance agent would know, have you filed a claim yet?



and invest in several serious locks..
maybe leave some there, rather than carry them daily?




...

Maelochs

But then the locks could be considered abandoned ....

rachel120

That poor lock probably felt abandoned, left all alone on the tree.

Doctor Morbius

Sorry to hear about your bike being stolen. Hopefully, this will somehow turn into a positive experience ... like maybe a nicer bike in your future? That can help make a lot of the pain go away.

locolobo13 

It hurts. I've been there. The good thing is the bike is reported as stolen. If it shows up in a pawn shop they should notify the police. Then you should get it back.

But that can take months. You should start shopping for a new bike now.

rachel120

Probably a payday or two for a cheap new-to-me bike. I can wait longer for a nicer bike, which I really don't want to do. Besides @Maelochs is right, I should be commuting on an easy-to-replace bike.

Any tips for what to look at when considering a Craigslist bike? Both how to determine if it's a fair asking price and what to actually check on the bike before finalizing the purchase?

ChicagoWinter98

12

Cougrrcj

So where does this legal definition of 'abandoned' exist? If so by that definition, if I left my car unlocked overnight it is considered abandoned??? I call BS on this. Taking property without permission is still Theft!

Daniel4

The actual cost may not be much but the value to you is great. Now you have to spend your time shopping for another bike which you wouldn't be doing if the bike wasn't stolen.

I had the same conversation with a friend about my 35 year old bike. Regardless of where I park it, it's locked with two U-locks.

If the insurance deductible is too high, it's not worth claiming (those weasels always find ways not to provide the service you put so much money into).

Good luck.

dedhed

The last time I had a bike stolen I got prices on all the accessories that were on it rack,pump,lights, fenders etc to add to the claim which pushed it to a level it was worth filing a claim from a deductible standpoint as well as potential rate increase (which didn't happen as it was my first claim).

ksryder

It varies by state, but there's usually a specific amount of time involved, and some other factors that have to be satisfied to be legally abandoned.

Leaving it mistakenly unlocked overnight does not constitute abandoned property in any jurisdiction in the United States, to the best of my knowledge.

jefnvk

That sucks, but I concur with everyone else that says it was indeed theft. Unless it was a property owner or manager who removed it, of course, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

While I don't do it overnight, I have gotten into the habit of often just leaving my bike locked with the chain through the frame and wheel so one cannot ride off with it. I'd challenge any law enforcement to tell me that it is "abandoned" if it isn't chained to something secure, just like I'd say if it were sitting there two years chained to something secure, it probably does fit a definition of abandoned.

rumrunn6

• how many miles round trip?
• you like drop bars or flat bars?
• what bike size are you?
• approx where do you live?

nilfunks

Having a bike stolen is a terrible feeling. I also didn't lock up my favorite bike one day while working on it, and some piece of **** must have thrown it in a moving van (there were a lot of moveouts that time of year) or rode off with it. I had that bike for 3 years, and even though it was cheap it was an amazing ride. I had just added a bicycle rack, new tires, etc. The worst feeling.

I luckily did have renter's insurance cover my bike. My bike was on the apartment premises but not in the apartment itself, but it sounds like for you it was at the office? I think bike insurance is what would cover that.

Tape2012

As others have said, talk to your claims adjuster. My renter's insurance covered my bike ($250 deductible) . All I needed was photos of it in my apt and a police report. I didn't have the serial number so the pics saved me.

It was an AL Specialized road bike that I bought used on C/L for $400 4 years before. I had no sales receipt or anything like that. My insurance had a replacement in kind clause. My adjuster and I worked together from the pics and BBB and determined that my bike and the accessories I added to it had a present retail value of about $2,100.

I ponied up a little more cash and bought an all CF CX bike. Definitely worth the trouble it took to work with the adjuster.

The only restriction was that I had to use the payout to purchase a replacement bike so I had every incentive to spent the entire payout.

Maelochs

Another person made happy by insurance fraud.

J/K, but don't use your real name when you tell that story.

(If I could get that kind of insurance service ... "someone" would steal about four of my bikes tomorrow.)

Tape2012

That's an absolutely true story, no fraud involved. That's why it pays to read your policies.

The worst thing you can do is lie to your adjuster. The best thing you can do is help them with the legwork. They don't know much about bikes and appreciate the help. I prepared a multi page report justifying the claim, all she had to do was review it with her team.

livedarklions

Right. It's replacement value of the bike as you've accessorized it. The price you paid for it in its unimproved state is irrelevant. No fraud, just insurance on the bike as it was when it was stolen, and what it would cost to replace the whole thing.
Of course, the purchase price would have been irrelevant even if it was just a case where the OP just got a ridiculous bargain, and the unimproved bike was worth many times what he paid for it. If you buy an original da Vinci painting for 50 cents, you aren't limited to insuring it for 50 cents.

ak08820

Did you mean the cable was not wrapped around the frame or the tree?

I have a strange story. My niece had her Trek bike locked (with a $1 lock) outside the local municipal rec center while taking an exercise class. When she came out the bike was gone. Couple of weeks later she saw the bike in the same parking lot and called the cops to reclaim the bike. The woman who came out as the new owner said she had found the bike in her residential complex nearby. So, may be someone stole the bike and abandoned it nearby and someone else found it. It was quite a coincidence to have found it.

OldFartCyclist

I don't leave my stallions out of sight anywhere I stop. Before I retired, when I rode to work, I had a safe and secure place arranged with my employer to keep them out of harm's way. And it wasn't outside in a bike rack.

I seldom stop anywhere if I am solo. Even in park restrooms, if needed, I take my bike into the restroom rather than leave it outside. Usually a simple, "can't afford to have it stolen" suffices as an explanation to anyone. Our area is notorious for crimes of opportunity.
if I'm not solo, we never leave our bikes unattended.

I frequently make a 25 mile loop to my folks assisted retirement home where they have a 3rd floor apartment. The staff allows me to take my bikes up to the 3rd floor with me and never questions it. I never requested permission, I just did it. A couple of weeks ago a staff member did look at my bike on my shoulder and said he "wouldn't leave a Tour de France bike like that outside either". I thought that was kind of funny and I told him wasn't a Tour bike, it was designed for the Paris-Roubaix one day classic. Then we both laughed. Now all I get is a greeting and a smile.

My experience with insurance is that they will not cover bikes away from home unless you have a specific rider in the policy covering it. If it isn't locked properly, they won't cover it at all. And you have to file a police report for coverage on most of them.