RackLove.com - A search engine for stolen bikes

Sir Rackalot
Vanquisher of Bike Thieves

Bike thieves suck, but thanks to the Internet, victims have more options when it comes to getting their joy back, and RackLove.com just raised the chances of a successful reunion.

RackLove is a community marketplace for buying and selling bicycles. I first came across them on Reddit, in r/bicycling/, but then later saw them in this post UrbanVelo.org, so they're definitely growing in popularity.

The site is based in San Francisco, but they welcome anyone to join in. The main goal of the site is to build a community of bike buyers and sellers while eliminating the black market for stolen bicycles through independent verification.

By connecting people one-on-one and getting them involved in the community, it should be easier to tell the difference between a legitimate seller and someone who's just looking for a quick buck on a stolen set of wheels. However, RackLove just went a step further in fighting bike thieves by now offering a search engine that specifically looks for stolen bikes.

Want a mutant bike? Visit RackLove.com!

The search engine works by scouring popular sites that bike thieves are more likely to try and sell through (*cough* Craigslist *ahem*). Simply by entering a description of the bike and the zip code where it was stolen, if the thief posted it to any of the targeted sites, hopefully, it should pop up. From there, well, that's up to you. You did remember to take plenty of pictures of your bike and write down the serial number, right?

So, does it work? Check out this thread on the MTBR.com forum. If you're diligent and quick, you might just get your ride back!

Related posts:

Recent bike theft from home in West Scranton leaves owner "rattled"
Bike registration leads to recovered bicycle -- Have you registered your bike?

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Bike registration leads to recovered bicycle -- Have you registered your bike?

Is registering your bike
worth the effort?
Have you registered your bike?

Here's some good news we don't often hear about! Over the weekend, I read a post on Cyclelicio.us about a 10 year old girl whose bike was stolen -- and later recovered -- on the very same day she registered it.

The same day Santa Cruz Ecology Action got kids at Delaveaga Elementary School in Santa Cruz to register their bikes, a thief stole one of the bikes from a 10 year girl. When the bike was later found abandoned, police were able to return the bike to its rightful owner. 

Ecology Action in Santa Cruz are encouraging children at Santa Cruz schools to register their bikes with the city to help fight a growing problem with bike theft. After they distributed 40 registration stickers to students at Delaveaga Elementary School, a bike belonging to student Nicola Nardell was stolen out of the shed in her family’s yard. Police later recovered the bicycle — a very new looking Electra — and were able to identify the owner through the bike license.

It's great that the story has a happy ending, even if it's not so great that the bike was stolen in the first place, but it really got me thinking -- should I register my bike?

I remember as a teen, a long, long time ago, registering my bike with the Hazleton Police at a local playground. I don't remember if it cost anything, but the piece-of-mind I had that I might (might) see my ride again if the worst ever happened was worth it to me. These days, I'm not so naive. I realize the chances of recovering a stolen bicycle are very slim, but if I were to buy a bike that costs hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, isn't getting it registered a good idea?

Searching for information on bicycle registrations in Hazleton, PA didn't turn up much useful information, but I'm considering giving the police a call to see if I can dig up more information on the process. In the meantime, there's always the National Bike Registry.

The National Bike Registry offers 4 types of protection, based on lengths of time, number of bikes to be registered and whether or not your bike has already been stolen.

• $10 will cover a bike for 10 years. 

• $25 will cover a bike for 30 years. 

When you replace your current bike, contact NBR for a new label and certificate, limit one bike at a time.

• $25 Family Registration will cover up to 5 bikes at a single address. Each bike is registered for 10 years.

• 99cent Stolen Bike Registry.

You can register a bike AFTER it has been stolen. In the event that one of our participating law enforcement agencies finds it, it can be returned! (This registration is for one bike, for six months, and does not include a decal or certificate).

Then, there's MyBikeNumber.com which offers a worldwide registration for free.

Whether bicycle registration is worth the price and effort is a question I leave up to you, but if it's something you're already thinking about, why not go ahead and register?

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Using the Full Lane: A response to Darryl at LovingTheBike.com

Yesterday, I read a great post by Darryl on LovingTheBike.com titled, "Cyclist May Use Full Lane... But Should We?"
Darryl raises some very good points that I agree with. He seems mostly concerned that riding down the center of the lane could lead to more accidents, either by distracted, negligent drivers who don't see the cyclist, or aggravated drivers who want to take their frustrations out on a cyclist.

This is a subject I think about quite often, and I've been meaning to write something similar because I feel very much the same way as Darryl. There are certain roads I ride on where traffic is traveling at speeds much greater than the posted limit, and I'd rather not be in the middle of the lane when a distracted driver comes along at 60+ mph. Take the Weatherly Plains Road, for example -- a two-lane stretch that runs for about 4 miles between Beaver Meadows and Weatherly.

The Weatherly Plains Road, image from Google Maps

The Weatherly Plains Road is a popular road with cyclists. As such, drivers along this stretch are used to seeing cyclists on it. However, the traffic tends to go above the speed limit, so most cyclists stick to the shoulder. If I'm reading him correctly, that's exactly what Darryl is saying, that this is one road where we probably shouldn't take the lane, even if the law says we can. However, I think we probably should, and I have a few good reasons why.

The way a driver passes a cyclist begins with where the cyclist is riding. We tend to only see things that are directly in front of us, so by riding in the lane, I stand a better chance of being seen and easily avoided. If I stick to the side of the road, however, I increase the chances that a driver will hit me without even knowing I was there. Furthermore, even if they do see me, by hugging the shoulder to stay out of traffic, I'm sending a message to drivers that says, "The lane is all yours, take it," so they do. And, of course, they pass as closely as possible without slowing down because I told them they could. It all starts with me.

Assume for a moment that I'm in the lane and a car is approaching from behind. The driver should easily see me which should cause them to change lanes to give me 4 feet of space, as required by Pennsylvania law. (I understand this deviates greatly from state to state.) In another scenario, if a car is approaching from ahead in the other lane, the car behind me should slow enough to allow the oncoming car to pass us both before attempting to change lanes and overtake me. Perhaps this is annoying to a driver... I can sympathize, I drive a car, too. But I'd much rather they be temporarily annoyed than for me to be permanently dead.

Keep in mind, I'm not talking about hogging the lane and adopting an attitude that everyone should should go around me, I'm talking about riding defensively and having the confidence to adopt a more assertive stance that reduces my risk of being hurt or killed. If I take the lane, I am showing the driver that I am a part of regular traffic and that they are to treat me as such by slowing down and giving me space. In return, I will do my best to make their passage as convenient as possible. I understand that I am a slow moving vehicle, and I apologize for the inconvenience, but there must be a mutual amount of respect for us each to share the road properly.

Think of it like this: would it be any different if I were in a truck pulling a wide-load? Or a road maintenance vehicle, or farm equipment, or a horse-drawn cart (as seen in many parts of rural Pennsylvania)? It wouldn't; it's not different at all. Those vehicles are often moving slower than traffic, yet aren't expected to pull over for every impatient driver who comes along. And neither should cyclists. In fact, I believe it would be a detriment to cyclists everywhere if we did.

Darryl, I completely understand where you're coming from, there are a lot of distracted drivers out there, but I respectfully disagree. I think we should use the full lane, and I think we should do it as often as possible, if only to increase the awareness that we are out there, too.

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Martyn Ashton trying a new morning commute, riding a $16k bike like he stole it

If you watch only one video of someone doing cunning stunts today, this is probably the one to watch:

While patiently awaiting Felix Baumgartner's daring leap from infinity*, my Twitter feed blew up with links to this video of Martyn Ashton doing things that he probably shouldn't with a £10k ($16,000 US. Thanks, Google) bike. But, you know, whatever. Because he can, I guess.

As mentioned, the bike is the Pinarello Dogma 2, the same as the ones used by Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins & Mark Cavendish to win the 2012 Tour de France.

(Found via @StevilKinevil of AllHailtheBlackMarket.com)

*Or, roughly, the edge of space.

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Let them eat crow! And milk, and apples.

1/2 peck of apples. Image Source

There were a few hours yesterday that I really wished I hadn't written this. As is, it's a bit preachy, and that's not my usual style. However, I felt I'd leave it because I wanted to get in the habit of writing some of the self-motivational stuff (read: rhetorical drivel) that runs through my head while I'm riding. But what really made me regret that post was yesterday's high temperature: 49° (F).

Despite my passion for cycling, and my newfound appreciation for riding on days with less-than-ideal weather conditions, I really just didn't want to go out into that. And then, as luck would have it, we ran out of milk.

Aha! I thought. Here's my chance to prove I'm not a big, sissy-pants hypocrite! I can ride my bike to the store, pick up a gallon of milk AND practice what I preach! Make today a perfect a day to ride... that's what I said, right? And because I was feeling extra cocky, I decided to pick up a half peck of apples, too.

I put on a jacket, some sweats and hit the road. And because I was feeling extra, extra cocky, I didn't even wear a pair of gloves.

We have a couple of stores that are all within 2 miles, so why I chose the one that's at the bottom of a steep hill, I'll never know. Maybe I was just feeling extra, extra, EXTRA cocky and wanted to prove something by slinging 12-14 pounds worth of apples and milk on my back and riding half a mile uphill to get back home. Actually, that's exactly it. I felt like such an ass for Monday's post that this was my way of achieving atonement; a blogger's penance, if you will.

For the sin of publishing self-aggrandizing, rhetorical drivel, thou shalt eat thine words and pedal uphill in the cold!

In fact, it still bugs me that the store was only a mile away instead of 20 or so. Never mind the fact that there are thousands of people who commute to work/go shopping on bikes every day in conditions much worse than 49°. Just who the hell do I think I am, anyway?

Rest assured, next time, I'll ride to the store that's about six tenths of a mile farther but doesn't go up or down any hills. Much easier, much less... flagellant.

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Debunking the myth of the "perfect" day

Lousy weather, good times.

It starts by looking out the window to check for rain. Then I'll check a weather app on my phone to get the temperature and the day's forecast. From there, I check my schedule to see if I have time to take a long ride while looking for other potential obstacles. One by one, I check things off until the day seems "perfect."

Warm weather, clear skies, nothing to do but ride and ride -- these are my ideal conditions for a perfect day. But this is a trap. As Summer fades into the distance, the conditions of a perfect day are becoming extremely rare. At this rate, I won't ride again until next June. Therefore, I must adapt.

The weather on my 60k was lousy, but by wearing the right clothing, I actually found it warm and didn't mind the little bit of rain we had. The ride before that -- going through the gorge while the temperature lingered in the mid-50s/lower 60s -- was cold enough that I needed a pair of gloves, but I still had a great time. Meanwhile, by heading out earlier in the day, I can assure myself enough time to get a good ride in and still complete my daily tasks.

Over the last 2 weeks, I've become much more tolerant of weather conditions. Now, I don't mind a little rain, and I'm usually sweating more than shivering on days I used to think were too cold for a ride.  I've learned my lesson. Setting conditions for a perfect day will only lead to fewer rides and good days gone to waste. Every time I jump on my bike on a less-than-ideal day, I feel like I'm debunking the myth of a perfect day, because I'm discovering that even lousy days can be great.

Ultimately, whether a day is perfect or not depends on your attitude, and the more conditions you set to define what makes a perfect day, the more excuses you'll come up with for why today isn't one. So just ride. Make today the perfect day to have a perfect day.

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I did it! The Serento Gardens Seasons Change Fall Foliage 60k Ride

My alarm went off at 7 A.M., followed by a mad scramble to grab my gear, get dressed and load my bike onto my car. The weather was already sizing up to be a dreary day, but it still felt warm out. At any rate, I didn't think much about it. If it rained, it rained; I wasn't going to let that stop me. I'd been training for this day for 2 months, I was ready for anything.

Registration area.

I was in a hurry, but I wanted to make double sure I wasn't forgetting anything I'd need for the ride. As a result, I was a few minutes late and missed the first big group. Even so, many riders were arriving about the same time I was, so it really didn't matter. Everyone was welcome to ride at their own pace and leave when they wanted.

There were a lot of people there for some of the other events that were taking place, including a 5k walk/10k run with awards. After registering and getting my number, I was ready to go. I'd hoped there'd be a few other riders to ride along with, but as I headed out, it was just me. Well, just me and Adele singing "Rumor Has It" (blech) and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" (double blech) which were the last two songs I heard playing over the loudspeakers as I left. They each got hopelessly stuck in my head and continued playing for the entirety of the ride (triple blech.) I really need to tie a radio to my handlebars, or something, because this happens way too often.

From the Arthur Gardner Parkway, the first turn took us onto Route 309, heading into Hazleton. The course ran through Hazleton and eventually led us to Route 940. There were pink arrows marking the way, but I had the map pretty well memorized. In fact, except for cutting through Hazleton, it's the same course I've been following for weeks.

The first big change from my usual route is where we turn left on State Rt. 2053. I like to go right and ride down Buck Mountain Road, but I was eager to see what this way was like. And that's when I hit the first big hill.

This is one of those hills that, well, you look at them and just sort of want to cry.

The first big hill going up State Rt. 2053/Highland Rd/The Beginning of Pain

Actually, I've prepared an educational film that accurately portrays the exact feeling of riding up these steep hills.

The image doesn't quite show how steep it is because I shot this picture as I left the flat and started climbing, but at least it's a short climb.

Eventually, the road meets up with Route 940 and continues for a bit before we had to make a right on Sandy Run Road. At about 11 miles into the ride, there was a van set up with some water and food at the turn, which I chose not to stop at, but I waved at the people standing there. "Are we having fun, yet?" I shouted, because I'm a dork. The man yelled back, "Yep! It's all downhill from here, pal!" and I was really excited to hear that. I even said, "Great!" and made an even dorkier "fist pump" with my left hand, which is something I've never, ever felt compelled to do, ever before. But it really was great, because I really wanted to go downhill after all that climbing.

I don't know why it's called Sandy Run Road because I sure didn't see any sand, but I did finally see some other riders who were headed in the opposite direction for the 100k ride.

Sandy Run Road goes on and on forever until it hooks up with Lehigh Gorge Drive, which goes on and on forever until Weatherly. One neat thing about this route is that you end up going under these extremely tall high-tension wires. If you listen closely, you can hear them humming and popping as the power flows through them. It kind of freaks me out, and you have to go under them twice, (once on Sandy Run Rd and then again on Lehigh Gorge Drive) so that's fun.

Speaking of fun, after more than 700 miles, my bike is in desperate need of a tune-up. The bottom bracket squeaks like a nest of mice and the chain jumps all over the place on the smallest cog. Either the chain is stretched or the teeth on the cog have worn down (probably because of the chain stretching), but it really doesn't matter which part is to blame because the only cure is to replace them both. That's something that will have to wait until the beginning of next season, but in the meantime, I have to be careful with it. While going up a steep incline, I tried to down-shift and the chain popped off. As I fell forward, the seat caught my "naughty bits" and nearly ripped them off. It was not a sensation I'd care to feel again.

There was a rest stop set up near Eurana Park in Weatherly, so I decided to stop, hoping I'd see some other riders. I didn't see any other riders, but the people inside insisted that I help myself to some water/sports drink, fruits and cookies. I had my usual load of granola bars, but I grabbed a fig newton, asked how many riders had stopped by and headed out. I was about to face the worst part of this course, the Weatherly Plains Road.

Welcome to your doom.

The Weatherly Plains Road just goes up and up and up and up. Then it flattens out, but it's still not a lot of fun. This is why I started riding down it instead, which is probably why everyone continues to just blow right past me.

After not seeing a single rider going my way, suddenly, several went right past me. "Hang in there!" said the first guy, followed by another man who said, "Almost there, keep going!" The last guy said, "Just a few more miles!" And then they were gone, disappearing into the distance. I keep hoping that, someday, I'll be as fast as these guys, but I obviously have a lot of work to do.

On the other side of Beaver Meadows, the weather started to change. The sky had turned some scary shades of grey and a fierce headwind was beating me backwards. Then again, when am I ever not battling a headwind? After going up some tough climbs, this wind was something my legs did not want to deal with, but I pushed a little harder and continued on, eventually meeting up with some other riders and holding my pace with them. Before long, we were at the home stretch.

The home stretch, Arthur Gardner Parkway

More of that fall foliage action, coming your way.

We were treated to a large picnic of hot dogs, hamburgers, fruits and cookies. There was coffee and sports drink and plenty of other treats to enjoy. I met up with some of the cyclists who passed me on the Weatherly Plains Road and we began commiserating about the awful headwinds we'd encountered heading out of Beaver Meadows. I even got props for riding the course on my $200 city hybrid from Walmart while most folks had bikes that cost more than my car. Not that I was going for that -- I wasn't really trying to make that kind of an impression on people, it's just that this is all the bike I can afford, so I make do with what I've got. Also, I don't get to humble-brag very often, so this is one time I'll gladly do so.

I stuck around to see some of the trophies and medals get handed out to the runners who participated in the event, but then it started to rain. Cold and tired, I was eager to get home.

Prize bikes for the kids. Note the loudspeakers. RUMOR HAS IT - RUMOR HAS IT - RUMOR HAS IT

Awards and trophies.  

GIANT PLUSHY SQUIRREL

It's been exactly 2 months since I started this blog on August 6, 2012. The primary driving force behind that decision was to keep myself motivated and to hold myself accountable by making my effort public. This was my first ride like this, and it won't be my last. Until then, I'm just happy to finally look back and realize that I was able to stick with it and achieve this goal. I don't know exactly where I'm going from here, but I intend to maintain this blog with plenty of information about biking in North-East Pennsylvania, as that continues to be a deep passion for me. If you've followed along this far, thank you. But there's definitely more to do!

And, just for good measure, one more time.

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