# Wheels stolen...



## geekinaseat (21 Jul 2014)

Well I got back to the station this evening to find the wheels had been stolen from my bike...

Really really annoying and comes at a bad time as I am trying to get as many miles as possible at the moment in preparation for Ride London 100 in a few weeks (my only bike).

The bike was left at Island Gardens DLR station today at 8:00am and I returned to find it at 8:00pm. I have to accept some blame as I only lock the frame so I guess I invited the scumbags but still... 

The wheels are nothing special, just Giant SR-2 with 25mm Continental Gatorskins and (i think) Schwalbe tubes, the rear has (had?) a 9 speed Shimano Tiagra Casette attached. 

The front wheel is identifiable by some prominent scratches where my caliper failed and scratched the black area of the rim.

I've had a cursory look at gumtree, ebay and craigslist but I don't really fancy my chances, I think to be in with any chance of doing my first sportive i'm just going to have to take the hit and get some new wheels and a casette quickly.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Saluki (21 Jul 2014)

Bummer. There are some Fulcrum wheels on ebay for £99 if that helps any.

Oh, lock your wheels to your frame when you leave it. I see bikes minus wheels, locked by their frames, on a daily basis in the city. Some bloomin' nice bikes without wheels at that.
So sorry that you have learned the hard way. Good luck replacing them.


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## ScotiaLass (21 Jul 2014)

Bummer!
Have they got CCTV?
Is your bike insured?

Invest in two D locks when you get your new wheels, one through the front wheel to the frame and same at the rear. Oh and if you have a QR seat, cable lock that too!


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## summerdays (21 Jul 2014)

I presume you have now collected the frame?

Mr Summerdays suffered the theft of some parts in the past when they took his brakes, cables and all!


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## geekinaseat (21 Jul 2014)

There was CCTV over the road, i'm just on hold with the Met now reporting it... 

No insurance unfortunately, my lock has cover but that's only if the lock was compromised...

The annoying thing is I usually store my bike in secure storage at work but I'd done so many miles over the weekend I thought I'd give my legs a rest and locked the bike up at Island Gardens and got the tube in!

I'll take a look at the fulcrums thanks!


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## geekinaseat (21 Jul 2014)

Yeah I carried the frame home, turns out my bike is pretty light without wheels!

They seem to have scratched the frame and pulled the cable out of the front caliper when they ripped the front wheel off as well, I'd just had a service in prep for ride london and had new brakes fitted -fortunately they were still attached!


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## up hill struggle (21 Jul 2014)

absolute scumbags.
hope you get sorted out & back on the road asap.


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## geekinaseat (21 Jul 2014)

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/b...22242628-inch-for-sale-disc-brakes/1074196498

This has just popped up on Gumtree, maybe about 5 miles away. Coincidence do you think or worth investigating?


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## MrWill (22 Jul 2014)

geekinaseat said:


> http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/b...22242628-inch-for-sale-disc-brakes/1074196498
> 
> This has just popped up on Gumtree, maybe about 5 miles away. Coincidence do you think or worth investigating?



Worth investigating, I'd go and see if the wheels are there, if so, don't make it obvious and then call the police! 

Looks like someone has gone on a wheel pinching spree in that area.


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## Mile195 (22 Jul 2014)

Sorry to hear this. I had a saddle stolen off a 20 year old peugeot racer once. The saddle was worth absolutely nothing financially to anyone, and the cost of replacing it wasn't that much. It's the inconvenience of having to find another way home though that really makes it grate. What made it more annoying was that it was not a quick release saddle, so someone had gone out specially with an allan key.

When I lock my bike, I put a massive D-Lock through the frame and rear wheel, then I carry a second cable lock that's light and doesn't take much room to put through the front. If I'm not carrying the D-lock it's long enough to put through both wheels, the frame and whatever I'm tethering it to.

While the cable lock (or the D-Lock for that matter) won't stop the determined thief that's carrying around a pair of bolt cutters, it will deter the casual "oik" that has nothing better to do with his day.


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## KneesUp (22 Jul 2014)

geekinaseat said:


> http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/b...22242628-inch-for-sale-disc-brakes/1074196498
> 
> This has just popped up on Gumtree, maybe about 5 miles away. Coincidence do you think or worth investigating?


That advert couldn't be any dodgier really - I can't think of a legitimate reasons anyone would anyone have loads of wheels in all different sizes as well as 'other bits' but not have any actual bikes. And even less can I think of a legitimate reason you wouldn't list them properly so people could find what they wanted. The only reasons for doing that are utter incompetence or to stop the people you stole them off from finding them.


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## Paul99 (22 Jul 2014)

KneesUp said:


> That advert couldn't be any dodgier really - I can't think of a legitimate reasons anyone would anyone have loads of wheels in all different sizes as well as 'other bits' but not have any actual bikes. And even less can I think of a legitimate reason you wouldn't list them properly so people could find what they wanted. The only reasons for doing that are utter incompetence or to stop the people you stole them off from finding them.


 
^^^^ This.

But I would just bring the ad to the local plods attention. Is a set of stock wheels worth the chance of confronting a scumbag with not a lot to lose?


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## w00hoo_kent (22 Jul 2014)

Paul99 said:


> ^^^^ This.
> 
> But I would just bring the ad to the local plods attention. Is a set of stock wheels worth the chance of confronting a scumbag with not a lot to lose?


A bit more clout if you can identify the wheels to the police though. Go, look, tell him you need to think about the price and walk away. Phone the police once you are round the corner. If it sounds like they are going to drag their feet like crazy, and your wheels are there, consider how much you're willing to spend as a 'finders fee' just to have them back.

That'd be my method anyway.


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## Mile195 (22 Jul 2014)

KneesUp said:


> That advert couldn't be any dodgier really - I can't think of a legitimate reasons anyone would anyone have loads of wheels in all different sizes as well as 'other bits' but not have any actual bikes. And even less can I think of a legitimate reason you wouldn't list them properly so people could find what they wanted. The only reasons for doing that are utter incompetence or to stop the people you stole them off from finding them.


Click on "see other ads from this user". He's got whole bikes too. In fact this chap's been very, very busy...


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## KneesUp (22 Jul 2014)

Mile195 said:


> Click on "see other ads from this user". He's got whole bikes too. In fact this chap's been very, very busy...


All of the ones I looked on he claims to have hardly ridden - "USED IT ONLY 2 - 3 TIMES" Why would anyone buy lots of cheap-ish bikes that are very similar and hardly use them?


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## Mile195 (22 Jul 2014)

KneesUp said:


> All of the ones I looked on he claims to have hardly ridden - "USED IT ONLY 2 - 3 TIMES" Why would anyone buy lots of cheap-ish bikes that are very similar and hardly use them?


And all suitable for men, women, girls and boys. If he's come up with a design for the ultimate, truly universal bike then he should start marketing it rather than robbing other peoples... He'd take a lot more than £35 a time for them...


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## BigAl68 (22 Jul 2014)

even if this person didn't take your wheels he sure has been busy. Scenario A) they buy lots of BSO's at car boots etc. Scenario B) they are on the rob and have a been getting rid on Gumtree.


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## Paul99 (22 Jul 2014)

BigAl68 said:


> even if this person didn't take your wheels he sure has been busy. Scenario A) they buy lots of BSO's at car boots etc. Scenario B) they are on the rob and have a been getting rid on Gumtree.


 
Or they are a fence.


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## Crankarm (22 Jul 2014)

I would just get your wheels by fair means or foul. Triple check they are yours. Keep them in your hands and don't let go, then call the police as if you let plod recover them the guy will probably become spooked and go to ground and you'll never seem them or him again.


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## classic33 (22 Jul 2014)

geekinaseat said:


> http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/b...22242628-inch-for-sale-disc-brakes/1074196498
> 
> This has just popped up on Gumtree, maybe about 5 miles away. Coincidence do you think or worth investigating?


Now gone.


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## geekinaseat (22 Jul 2014)

Seems he/she deletes the ads and reposts the same ones periodically

http://www.gumtree.com/sellerads/1074303520

I've ordered a set of wheels, tubes, tyres and a cassette from wiggle setting me back £150 in total, I'm putting that down as a stupid tax but still might contact the ad. I can always sell the new wheelset for not much of a loss if I do recover the originals.

Looking like I should be rolling again by Friday with some help from friends at work one of which has a chain whip & locking bits and bobs for the cassette. Good lad.

I mentioned it to the police as a strong coincidence and he noted it down and is going to get me the CCTV from over the road but I'm not really expecting much tbh.


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## AndyRM (22 Jul 2014)

geekinaseat said:


> Seems he/she deletes the ads and reposts the same ones periodically
> 
> http://www.gumtree.com/sellerads/1074303520
> 
> ...



There was a seller up here doing a similar thing. I reported it and turns out they were a pack of thieves. Worth flagging with Gumtree if nothing else.


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## rliu (2 Aug 2014)

If money isn't tight I would suggest getting a second hand bike for the commutes, preferably one that is visibly scruffy as bike thieves don't really undestand brands or product lines, just how new something is.
Less mass market brands or components also deter thieves as it makes it more suspicious when they try and sell things on.


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## Hop3y (5 Aug 2014)

classic33 said:


> Now gone.



Hope you got a screenshot!


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## steveindenmark (23 Aug 2014)

I make stainless steel plaited wires with eyes and grommets pressed to 20 tons for my bike. I can make them to the length I need. I use them to thread through the frame, wheels saddle and any bags I am carrying. It can be cut with bolt croppers but not with wire cutters as I found out when I fastened my motorcycle gear to my motorbike when visiting the beach, and then lost the key to the lock. I had to call the breakdown guy to bring his bolt croppers to release my gear.

The good things with these wires is that they are thin and coil up to fit on the palm of my hand and are not big bulky chains. I have never seen them produced commercially, but they should be. 

I work on the premise that although there are gangs of bike thieves who go tooled up with cutters and huge bolt croppers, I think the vast majority of bike thieves are opportunists who will go for the easy targets.

Steve


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