Handlebar thief you suck!

My handlebar was just stolen off my bike, maybe 30 minutes ago, in front of Cermak on North ave. Just letting you guys know to beware if your in the area.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on February 15, 2013 at 11:18am

I saw a beater fixie in the south loop a few weeks back sporting a set of Crank Brother's top of the line Eggbeater 11's with the titanium spindles. The pedals were worth at least twice what the bike was worth. Amazon sells them for $325. All it would take was a knowledgeable thief with a $0.99 Allen key from a hardware store and a minute of free time to walk off with them.

It's a good thing there aren't too many knowledgeable thieves running around.

Eric Roach said:

I had this happen once in front of my apartment, they took the handlebars and one pedal (wtf!). I now fill all the hex key socket heads (part name?) with super glue and an old ball bearing or an epoxy works too. It takes a few minutes to get it out, which can be a pain when working on the bike but jackasses stealing parts probably won't take the time.

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Permalink Reply by Amber K on February 16, 2013 at 6:47am

Thanks Peter I appreciate the offer, but I've got a couple of bars lying around I can throw on till I can get what I want.

peter moorman said:

Hey........ I have some old bars your welcome to have..

Ritchey biomax drops or Origin 8 Dirt drop. Just let me know if these would work 4U.

My shop is just south of Humboldt Park on Kedzie.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on February 16, 2013 at 7:20am

peter moorman said:

Prolly a broke ass hipster try to outfit a ghetoo ride.

Lots of them corrupting the hood now.

That and the fact that we have a large number of thieves roaming and opportunistic.

So far my front rim, rear fender, caught a guy in the act of taking my lights off.

A summer ago saw a guy,clearly NOT a Hipster on a Fixie who had no idea how to stop it and nearly wrecked in a parking lot. It only takes a few seconds if they know what they want and how to take it.

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Permalink Reply by wig [ isaac ] on February 24, 2013 at 1:57am

That sucks ass.

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Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on February 24, 2013 at 4:47am

Handle bar thief strikes again...this is how the victim was able to ride to Workingbikes to pick up a replacement. He used an old seat post to ride his bike to the shop.

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Permalink Reply by grayn8 on February 24, 2013 at 4:51am

Foxtrot tango whiskey! I'd prolly have used a broom handle and been cursing as splinters formed.

S.Presley☠ said:

Handle bar thief strikes again...this is how the victim was able to ride to Workingbikes to pick up a replacement. He used an old seat post to ride his bike to the shop.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on February 24, 2013 at 5:53am

There is often an SE Draft or some similar POS fixie that is parked out in front of Cafe con Leche on the 2700 block of Milwaukee and on more than one occasion I have seen it with a random stick from a tree shoved into the stem instead of handlebars. And by different occasions I mean a few months apart.

Is this anyone's bike here on The Chainlink?

Perhaps this handlebar thief has been active for a long time.

S.Presley☠ said:

Handle bar thief strikes again...this is how the victim was able to ride to Workingbikes to pick up a replacement. He used an old seat post to ride his bike to the shop.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin K on February 24, 2013 at 6:29am

You can also use electrical solder and a BB in the hex head. Or just fill it up entirely with solder.

I've simply adopted the assumption that anything that isn't U-locked down will eventually be stolen. When I buy components for a bike that I sometimes lock up outside, I do so assuming it will eventually be stolen. I'm not going to buy $300 pedals or a $600 wheel set in that case.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on February 24, 2013 at 7:17am

They will steal ANYTHING....

I had my bike locked up on Addison just east of Bdway a few years back when I still had a guy doing B&W developing there and somebody swiped my mirror...

I like the electrical tape idea, wouldn't have worked on my mirror but as has been said all ya gots ta do it make the next bike more attractive to the thieves than yours...or the less attractive option, join the NRA...

Jeff