Brooks Professional saddle stolen in Logan Square

Probably just a crime of opportunity.

I lock up my bike inside the front gate of my apartment, because I hate carrying it up the stairs.  Recently got a Brooks saddle to try it out since it was on sale, despite my reservations (I don't like that you can't leave it out in the rain, and that it is such a target for thieves).

Sometime last night, it got stolen.  Along with the post.  So this morning was a super fun ordeal that involved lots of walking to places and being late for work.  Sigh.

I don't know if someone opened the gate in a clever way, or if it was left open, or if it was one of my neighbors.

But anyway, on Palmer, between Kedzie and Kimble, look out!  Perhaps it is a thief making the rounds.

I don't know how they plan to sell it.  If some shady looking character offers you a black Brooks Professional saddle, feel free to shank them and then steal it back.

I think that for my next fancy saddle, I'm going to get a white one, and stain it with some blood from a butcher shop.  Because I'm pretty sure the resale value of a woman's saddle with blood stains is $0. 

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on May 16, 2013 at 4:09am

sorry to read this. what a horrible way to start the day.

shame on thieves. check craigslist FWIW.

 

just last evening also a girl had hers stolen downtown from her Surly LHT and she

had to ride over to Daley plaza with no saddle and then over to Kozy's to buy a new one.

 

when you replace it consider adding a seat leash...they can help deter the thieves.

you can even make one from an old section of chain

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 16, 2013 at 4:12am

Blood stain - awesome idea as a theft deterrent.  A manufacturer should start to offer those!

And I'm so sorry you had to start your day out that way. 

Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 16, 2013 at 4:24am

Sorry to hear about that. That sucks.

When you shop for a replacement also replace the seatpost quick release with a bolt-on clamp. Those quick releases really make it too easy to take the seatpost out. A bolt-on may not deter "real" thieves, but will likely deter opportunity theft.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on May 16, 2013 at 4:57am

I for one wouldn't touch that saddle with a ten-foot pole.

Julie Hochstadter said:

Blood stain - awesome idea as a theft deterrent.  A manufacturer should start to offer those!

And I'm so sorry you had to start your day out that way. 

Permalink Reply by spencewine on May 16, 2013 at 5:42am

And it was one with the awesome copper rivets.....

 

I use an a piece of an old chain with an intertube (to protect the frame from getting scratched up) to lock my brooks saddle to the rear triangle, but it isn't 100% fool-proof as this story points out:

 

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/09/28/what-do-you-do-when-bike-thiev...

 

Another interesting option (that I haven't tried), but might be worth a shot is to insert a ball bearing into the hex key hole where the saddle connects to post and also where the post slides into the frame and then seal with glue. Something like this.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Jason W on May 16, 2013 at 9:00am

Uhhh, they could have just reached in through that fence, unlatched the quick release, and took it right over the top. I can't believe you thought this was safe.

Permalink Reply by Christine (5.0) on May 16, 2013 at 9:03am

Over the top?  It's a pretty tall fence.  Would they throw it, or use a big hook, or...

Ahhh.  I think I get what you mean.  Like hold it and carry it to the top?  That had never occurred to me.  Until now.

Jason W said:

Uhhh, they could have just reached in through that fence, unlatched the quick release, and took it right over the top. I can't believe you thought this was safe.

Permalink Reply by Jason W on May 16, 2013 at 9:05am

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say. Just lift it with one hand through the fence, then hand it to the other. That would take less than 10 seconds to steal.

Anyway, sorry for your loss. Be careful thieves will grab anything not bolted down.

Permalink Reply by Lee Roy on May 16, 2013 at 9:50am

JB Weld, now your cooking!

spencewine said:

And it was one with the awesome copper rivets.....

 

I use an a piece of an old chain with an intertube (to protect the frame from getting scratched up) to lock my brooks saddle to the rear triangle, but it isn't 100% fool-proof as this story points out:

 

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/09/28/what-do-you-do-when-bike-thiev...

 

Another interesting option (that I haven't tried), but might be worth a shot is to insert a ball bearing into the hex key hole where the saddle connects to post and also where the post slides into the frame and then seal with glue. Something like this.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Vitaliy on May 16, 2013 at 10:06am

I recently bought a Team Pro as well, and I have taken vigilant precautions in keeping it theft-proof. I used a chain to wrap it around my seat stay and one of the rails on the seat. Then I covered the chain with an inner tube that was popped. That is a really nice saddle though

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on May 16, 2013 at 1:45pm

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/pitlock.asp

Pitlocks are an expensive solution to this problem. They do work. Don't lose your special tool.

All the thief had to do in this case was reach in, flip the QR, lift the seatpost out and let it drop. Then pull it out under the fence. Solo job, five seconds.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Swanson on May 16, 2013 at 3:05pm

So sorry for your lose.  Loosing nice things totally sucks!!

Also, just so we are all up to date, my Brooks B17 and seat post were stolen 1 1/2 weeks ago! BOGUS! Also in Logan Square, from my alley around Western and Armitage.  The seat post was not quick release and I also had a piece of a chain in an inner tube "locking" the seat to the frame.  They cut right through it.  These people came prepared, they also cut through a section of the fence to steal my neighbor's boyfriends bike that was U-locked.  The fence was one of those fancy black steel ones with skinny vertical bars every 8 inches or so.  They had some big, ol scissors!

I'm pretty sure I saw it on CL a few days later (the photo didn't match exactly but the description did).  I texted the guy and he said he already sold the Brooks.  He also had a used Fizik saddle and some other random parts.  Perhaps all stolen?? It was an 847 number, fyi.

According to my neighbor's bf who got his entire ride stolen the same night, "there is a special place in hell for bike thieves"...

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