Tue, 30 Sep 2008

A horrible Valencian tradition

My workmate Pep was kind enough to drive me home back from work today. Ideally I would have cycled home as always, however today my bike was stolen again. It's not the first time or the second one, not even the third. My red Orbea is the fourth bicycle that gets stolen since cycling became my primary means of transportation more than 10 years ago.

Sadly, in València, the norm is to get your bicycle stolen every few years, if you need to leave it unattended during work hours. In this case, its even worse as the bike stays inside the University campus all day, supposedly guarded by security personnel, and in a place where dozens of people tie their bicycles, with constant presence of the people who work in the CPI complex.

This bicycle was given to me by Cherry when she left València, just a week after the previous one had been stolen. She had bought it to cycle around the Valencian mountains during her 6 month stay in Clara's lab, and was immensely kind to give it to me when she learned what happened to mine.

I planned using the mountain bike during the long 9 d'octubre weekend, but I'll have to see if someone can lend one for this year's cycling trip.

It seems I'll have to resort, again, to my 29 year old Laida to move around València, which will need an extensive repair of both wheels and brakes. Time to visit Benimaclet's bicycle workshop.

Man, that sucks. I have not yet had a bike stolen, but as a fellow bike commuter I can imagine how much coming out of work to discover that would ruin my day. The neighborhood my office is in is in decline, so I'm tempted to get a foldable so I can store it inside, though the cost of one good enough that it would be ridable makes me cringe a little.

Posted by Quentin Hartman at Tue Sep 30 18:03:19 2008

I saw an offer at "El Corte Inglés" that you can get a foldable one (Boomerang brand) for about 200€, maybe is a good choice. You can take it near your desk. Check it!

Posted by kraptor at Tue Sep 30 18:14:34 2008

That doesn't seem too bad. Here in the Netherlands I did 8 bikes in the last 5 years :-)

Posted by Wouter at Tue Sep 30 18:26:19 2008

I solved the problem of my bike getting stolen by putting two locks on it... one that just goes around the wheels and frame of the bike, and another to object in the ground. When they see there is 2 locks on the bike, they just go for the several other bikes that have one lock and are much easier for them to steal.

Posted by Get 2 Locks at Tue Sep 30 18:41:39 2008

Life in Valencia may be difficult at times, but at least you have the Holy Grail.

Posted by Nathan Myers at Tue Sep 30 20:29:46 2008

Unfortunately this a very popular tradition in Barcelona too.

I got mine stolen but I recovered it. I saw it one day parked while walking on the street.

Tip: bring the bike inside buildings.

Jordi,

Posted by Jordi Mas at Tue Sep 30 20:40:56 2008

Same for Brazil, sadly.

Posted by Leonardo Fontenelle at Wed Oct 1 03:52:14 2008

Put a basket in your next one, and paint it in hideous colours! :)

Posted by Jacobo at Wed Oct 1 05:08:27 2008

Jordi,

L'experiència de Barcelona és comprar-te una plegable i dur-la al teu despatx. La Conor Zippy té molt bona relació qualitat/preu (uns 250 EUR):

http://www.conor.es/catalogo/Bikes/PLEGABLES/ZIPP/1/1/190?fnc=cat_art#

Com ja saps, les millors són les Brompton, però no vull pensar la cara que se't queda si te la roben (+1000 EUR).

Posted by Marc B. at Wed Oct 1 10:24:25 2008

Sorry about your stolen bike -- I had mine stripped (good as stolen, really, at what the cost of repairs would have been) when I left it semi-exposed in Philadelphia for a few days. Months later, my replacement bike got only slightly vandalized, while inside the gated / barbed-wire-surrounded apt. complex at my school.

Advice I have not yet taken, myself: consider a folding bike :) They've gotten much better in the last few years; I know people seem to love their Bromptons and other small folders, but I'm more interested in full-sized, disc-brake-equipped ones. If left outside, with a folder, one lock and chain can secure (at least in some configurations) both wheels and the frame, all at the same time.

Better luck with the current bike --

Cheers,

timothy

Posted by T. Lord at Wed Oct 1 10:29:35 2008

I must visit Valencia.  I wouldn't mind an excuse for a new bike, but I'm still riding a 20ish-year-old steel racer.  Probably too heavy for a thief.  That, or England is safe.

On the other hand, my car has been damaged three times in two years and I'm sick of that.

Posted by MJ Ray at Wed Oct 1 14:15:32 2008

Sad to hear about :(

Mine was also stolen a few years ago. I was lucky enough to find it two weeks later in a flea market.

I'd suggest you to visit the flea markets and 2nd hand shops in Valencia during the following weeks. You should also report the case to the police, giving them the bike's frame number.

Given that horrible Valentian tradition, getting a folding bike is probably good advice.

Posted by Quique at Wed Oct 1 14:37:01 2008

It could be worse; you could be one of those poor suckers with a car!  :)

Posted by Andres Salomon at Thu Oct 2 05:22:08 2008

What happens to the stolen bikes? Sold online or at some unscrupulous store? If there's an easy way to check online if the used bike you're about to buy is listed as stolen somewhere stealing and selling might not be as easy.

In Stockholm we have a blog where you can post about stolen bikes ( http://stulencykel.blogspot.com ). Does Valencia have something similar? If not, someone should start one.

Posted by C.M at Thu Oct 2 08:17:00 2008