This time my wheel

 

I ride often. I know better than to leave my front wheel unlocked. Yet, I always felt like an idiot for taking the extra two-to five minutes to take the wheel off and lock it to the u-lock that's threaded though the frame and rear wheel rim. Even more of an idiot when I bring the front wheel into a store (yes, I've done that in the past).

I have somewhere 14-15k miles on the frame as it's from 2011 when I purchased it from American Cyclery to replace my previous Bianchi's Veloce with same geometry (campy, entry level team racing grade, also stolen in SF -- '09). I replaced the wheel set in '17 after trashing my shoulder (comminuted compound fracture) on NYD on Mount Tam. This last pic is from a ride in '19. I do try to summit the mountain every now and again. This year I've been ill on and off such that my riding quota is way down.

So, what's hard to make out is a 2016 Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheel set with a white (and black) hub.

And the front wheel was stolen on Monday afternoon in front of a large grocery store.

And there's dealing with the replacement. I have to check and vet the replacement as well as the seller as I don't accidentally wish to support bicycle thieves reselling stolen property.

I'm just really hurt by this. I know people would think it's no big deal, or get over it, or do something to get over it, etc. I know, the spokes aren't pristine from years of night riding in the fog crossing the Golden Gate to visit my folks. I know the entire kit is older, and was partially submerged in a backed-up storm drain near the Manzanita Park and ride that caught me during one of the recent king tides. I also know I personally cleaned it, fixed the flats, etc, and was riding Continental Grand Prix 5000 tires that I bought in an online sale. And yes, I try to ride my bicycle (14-15k mi in 12 years) instead of drive because I do actually care about lowering emissions.

 

This is my city. I was born here. It feels like the city of the 1980s, with the same gritty drug infused harshness. Only this time, I know what better used to feel like. It used to be better, less desperate, less like every move you make is going to put you at risk for getting ripped off or abused. I'm one of the lucky ones. I haven't been raped. I haven't had my car busted into. I've only had petty theft, been harassed and poisoned, over the years from living here. I get it, I'm struggling too. My startup hasn't done well, I've run in to huge amounts of bad luck, etc.

How do we get to that place where people don't need to steal, abuse drugs, or commit serious crimes? How do we get to that place where people are actually humanitarian enough that crime ends?

 

On the plus side, there was one nice black guy that offered me his bike wheel on market street as he felt so bad that I was walking back home. I thanked him profusely, but since I didn't know him, or know how to get in touch with him, I opted not to. At this time I'm still trying to touch things as little as possible as I have an allergic reaction and likely fighting some kind of infection. So, unless I have a bleach wipe, I try not to touch foreign things. I asked him to pay it forward, besides thanking him for his kindness.