Stolen bike alert

Given everything that's happened in London over the last two weeks, it seems  in rather poor taste that I say the worst thing that can happen to a cyclist is to have your bike nicked.

But when it happens, it's grim. Scrotes! In the words of Alan Partridge: scum, sub-human scum. 

So, keep your eyes peeled for this machine stolen yesterday from a Chorlton Velo member - it's only a week old too...

South Manchester Cycling Reporter

It's amazing how often cycling features in the South Manchester Reporter.
As highlighted in an earlier post, one of the members of Chorlton Velo - Kiwi Chris - recently had his trusty steed stolen from outside of the Tesco on Barlow Moor Road at 8am on Sunday morning.
The South Manchester Reporter has this week given Chris a quarter of a page on his quest to get his bike back.

Chris, his bike and some bananas

Yes, this is a great story for a local newspaper: expensive bike, trusting punter and an element of humour - Chris was in the shop to buy a banana for the club run.
They say that 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' so let's hope it helps Chris get his wheels back.
I have it on good authority that articles about cycling in the South Manchester Reporter and the Manchester Evening news regularly get masses of hits on the website.
Further evidence then that cycling has now moved far beyond a marginal interest activity.
Indeed, our sport is more popular than ever and it is only where it collides with the non-cycling world that it gets too painful.  Apart from riding uphill into a headwind of course.
Ride safe.

South Manchester bike theft

Theft is one of the two things I would consign to room 101 if I had the chance. The other is litter by the way.
The front page of this week's South Manchester Reporter is all about theft, bike theft in particular.
Apparently a spate of bike thefts have been going on in Chorlton, Didsburyshire and Withington as the robbing unmentionables have apparently developed a taste for high-end carbon road bikes.
My first ever new bike, a Cannondale hybrid got nicked from town a few years back and I still look for it to this day.

Bike theft, stiletto attack and a cat 

It's a painful experience having your bike nicked, it really is.
Just last week one of the Chorlton Velo members had his carbon steed lifted while he was in the shop at 8am on a Sunday morning. You can read the outpouring of sympathy and disbelief in the comments section of the 'paper here. 
It's difficult not to go all 'Daily Mail' when thinking what can be about bike theft, let's just hope this publicity has some positive effect.