u/phillybhatesme

My n+1 addiction keeps me scrolling Marketplace, CL, OfferUp, and local shops for new bikes and deals. In the past 6 weeks or so, I have helped two people recover their stolen bikes and wanted to post about it to give hope to those who've had their bikes stolen.

The first bike was a Bianchi road bike. I send listings to a friend of mine for their opinion since he's been biking much longer than I have been. I sent a Marketplace listing to him and he replied almost instantly, "Fuck that guy, I was gonna buy a set of wheels from him and he ghosted me while I was on the way. Plus I think he sells stolen shit." That last sentence hung in the air for me, so I actually searched Google for "Bianchi stolen bike chicago" and found a reddit thread as well as the listing on stolenbike.org. The fork had a pretty distinct scratch on it and it was easy to tell that the two bikes were the same. I ended up contacting the owner through the Bike Registry and sent him the Marketplace listing. He was able to contact local authorities, schedule a meeting with the seller, and was able to claim the bike back with the help of local authorities within a few days.

The second bike was found at Play-It-Again sports in Evanston. I was toolin' around the far north side one afternoon and decided to go check out the bikes at the store. There was a too-good-to-be-true deal on a Specialized Sirrus X 2.0 that they had gotten in a couple of days prior. I bought it without much hesitation, brought it home, and started researching the bike. I was trying to figure out what year it came out and searched the serial number on Google. Lo and behold, another Stolen Bike Registry listing popped up and my heart sank. I contacted the owner, told them I bought the bike and had it in my possession and we coordinated a time to meet back at Play-It-Again so I could get a refund for my purchase and she could get her bike back.

It sucks to get your bike stolen. But if it happens to you, post about it, scour Marketplace, go to shops, and maybe you might actually have a happy ending. Good luck everyone, stay safe out there.

I have a few vintage 26" Treks that fit me great. They're all 19-20" seat tubes. I'm looking to get my first road bike and realize the sizing is a bit different. I've been looking at vintage Treks and have determined 54cm to be the best size for me; I'm 5'8".

But I found a 20" road bike (51cm) that really appeals to my eyes and wallet. Is that a terrible choice?

No plans except for a new chain and saddle. Everything's original down to the dork disc and kickstand, I think, so maybe I'll grease wheel bearings.

https://preview.redd.it/km1jpmqhv2dh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=974f525321e6c3bf88703ea314d87e7404b348bd

https://preview.redd.it/x4lf9mqhv2dh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bf99be6c3b76803015a947e5d755b87e5679ccd

https://preview.redd.it/e1nqpmqhv2dh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=151a8e185567ad6c4cea52d0907903837fe470d0

Hey all, I live in Hyde Park and I'm not sure where to take my car to get detailed. Anyone have any experience with the surrounding neighborhoods or know of a good mobile detailer I can contact?

Thanks.