im - 8/14/2007 11:28:00 AM

Attention Pittsburgh: STOLEN SURLY ALERT From Peter S.: "I'm sad to report that my Surly Cross-Check was stolen last week, 07 Aug. 2007, from Pittsburgh, PA. I figured I'd send you the information on it in the unlikely event that it is seen from or heard of again. I ordered the complete in the misty mountain grey from Trek of Pgh on about the 29th of April. The bike was mostly stock, with the addition of Shimano M540 pedals, a shorter, Bontrager neck with the red background Bontrager B logo. It also had black Alex rims and a red Trek of Pgh sticker on it on the downtube. Most importantly, I guess, is that the Serial No. is M7010409. I'm pretty sure it was a 54" frame. So I guess if you should ever hear of/from 'er again, know that she's sorely missed." Long shot, but can't hurt. If any of you have info contact Peter at pstreibig@bcj.com. Bike thefts seem to be up around here this year, and Peter says he's noticed it in PBGH too. It could just be that there are more bikes to be seen this summer versus years past, so the number is up though the percentage stays constant. While this may be true, SuperG thinks it's also the result of the widening economic gap, particularly gas prices, making bikes again a popular draw for convenience theft, driven by the same forces that made it financially advantageous enough for someone to steal the downspouts from my garage. I bring this up because it has become impossible to ignore. The lovely and talented Ms. Bloggins' bike lock has been tampered with 2 times in the past 6 weeks (after years of never having been messed with), and pal Mullen's bike was stolen off her porch during National Night Out, a community building get-to-know-your-neightbors thing. (Because prevention still beats u-lock justice, no matter how satisfying it may be, Pittsburgh Peter notes that Bike-PGH.org is helping organize discussion and solutions. If you live around there, get some of that.) People do get their bikes back occasionally. Mullen did finally get her sweet red-n-white croozer back, but she had to stay on the case like a bloodhound. It needed some new parts when whe found it, but it'll be up and going again in no time. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Still, at $50 reward and $70 in new parts, it ain't exactly christmas. -----