I called the city (311) adn asked them if they'd come out and cut off the lock. No, the lady told me. I called the Chicago Bicycle Federation and they told me to call a locksmith. When I brought up the Bic pen, the guy opened up and said that's what he would do. I'm going to go tomorrow and give it a shot.

Good luck, Mayo.

My suggestion: I'd go ahead and take the bike, leaving a laminated "FOUND" note in its place with a vague description & a number or email. That way the owner could contact me & provide a description if they wanted the bike back back.

3 years, it's probably safe to say it's abandoned. However, I once had my bike locked up for 6 months without riding it. It didn't mean I didn't want the bike. It just needed maintenance that I didn't have the time/money/effort required to give, and I didn't have the space to bring it inside. I would check periodically that the city hadn't tagged it for removal (they give 30 days notice), but I would've been seriously bummed if someone had just taken it.

The lovely people of Glasgow take advantage of bikes left on public property whether they are abandoned or not. I saw one bike deteriorate in a matter of weeks from buckled wheels to no wheels to no seat to bent frame to gone. Alchohol is evil in the hands of mindless idiots. I really feel sorry for anybody who has the misfortune to leave their bike near a club on a Friday or Saturday night.
I know this doesn't have much to do with the main issues raised by this thread but I wish abandoned bikes lasted more than a couple of weeks before getting destroyed by the local wildlife in this city.

Steal it. Then ride it like you stole it.

I made a good attempt at stealing that old Raleigh. I brought my Bic pen, can of WD-40, and a hacksaw. Even Downtown Koffee Brown was scheduled to meet me with her bolt cutters (sorry KB, I didn't blow you off, I waited as long as I could but had to go). The Kryptonite lock had a barrel that was slightly larger than my Evo 2000 and wouldn't accept the Bic. I worked with it for awhile and no one paid me any attention whatsoever. Anyone wants it, be my guest. It's a blue Raleigh 3sp at Pearson and Rush, right across the street from the Bently dealership. It's the one with no seat and two flat tires. It'll need tyres and tubes, a seat and seat post, and probably a new chain, but from what I've seen and what I've read, that bike hasn't even approached middle age yet. Harris Cyclery has all the gear you'll need. Like falling in love with a lost puppy, I want that bike in a loving home.

And just like a puppy there's another one someplace that needs a good home. Too bad you couldn't get this one, but im sure there's another one out there.

dude
get a crowbar and/or a tire jack (a smaller one that can be wedged into the open space on the lock).
these WILL pop that lock, used properly

how dare you give up...
you gotta get out there and find that ****ing dog.

yeah man, you cant give up...The bikes is calling you. You need to help it out of its miserable state.

YOU MUST SUCCEED OR THE BIKE WILL DIE!

This thread has inspired me to free an old Shogun that has been in a rack for a couple of months (tire is now flat, too). I gotta say the draw is potential to build a singlespeed with those sweet bull moose bars...

Well, it's inspired me to break into my neighbors garage using my own opener, and ride his bike all day while he's at work, and to put it back in the same place everyday.

Too bad I am so far away. I have a car scissors jack that would fit in most u locks and generates 3,000 lb ft of lift. You slide one of these in, crank it a few times........
Maybe I should pop it into my secret stash pocket before I head out tomorrow.

Maybe we should have a DCC "Bike Liberation meetup", I'm sure we could get that bike free somehow. Between a car jack and extensive hacksawing, I'm sure something would work. Anybody got a plasma cutter?

I am in for a saturday purloinment

Count me out. I cannot cycle to Chicago by Saturday.

quitter. You get the "Most Unreliable Sidekick" award

I think a funny story.
My neighbour bought a new 'wonderbike' and wanted to get rid of his old 50lb mountainbike. He oiled the chain, pumped the tires, adjusted the cables to make sure everything was good and safe.
He then wheeled it down to the 'main drag' and leaned it up against a building.
We watched every day and it took eleven days before it was removed.

Where I lived before this, someone would steal your sprinkler while it was going on your front lawn.

There is a brown Raleigh Sports 3 speed in similar condition U-locked to a bikestand in downtown Olympia. It has been deteriorating for at least 4 years & looks to be almost beyond saving. The leather Brooks saddle has split into 2 pieces & the many scratches are badly rusted out. Tires are flat & rotted. someone should liberate the SA hub, I doubt there's anything else worth keeping.

first person to snap a digital pic with themselves and the freed bike at Pearson and Rush gets a penis pump!

Not yours, I hope. ewww

That's not a penis pump, crustedfish, that's a 10cc syringe.

Now we know where all that enlarge your penis email spam comes from. I always thought it was from one of my old girlfriends. ^^

Well, that explains a great deal, then, doesn't it?

Oh boy, it does seem as if MKRG and 165 are in having a tiff a again.

Dont touch it, its mine, I left it there as a forum piece and its taken this long for someone to write about it.

Stand away from the bike!
Come away from the bike!
Put your hydraulic jack down on the ground where we can see it
Now put your hands in the air!
And put your left leg in, your right leg out, your left leg in and shake it all about
Do the Hoky Poky!
And dance and Shout
Thats what its all about
Heyyyy, do the steely steely
You know you want to, want to, want to
Heyyyyy do the steely steely
....and remember, be careful out there

Just to clarify...are you referring to the bike or the penis pump?

I thought that we agreed that it wasn't a penis pump, unless it was for you?

For heaven sake stealing is a crime and a sin. If you want the bike, locate the owner and hit them with an offer. He/she may not be using the bike but it is rightfully theirs. God is watching.

God? I thought the Dog was watching... I suppose it depends on what you believe in. I watch myself, I don't trust/expect God to do it for me.