My dream bike got stolen. Lessons, next?

[edobici_forza]

I know its a sad reflection of a society that tolerates low level crime, but Id invest in a clanker to do shopping runs.

I just did a grocery run on my Creo, I used the money I could have spent on a clanker/clunker bike for a Hiplok, which requires about 6 cutting wheels to cut through. But also no room for yet another bike. I have a Quick rack and panniers. the rack mounting points are built into the Creo, and takes 1 min to install the rack, at most. but I also have a motion alarm. and in other areas that are unknown I have a small motorcycle disc lock that I use on the chainring. it is locked at the front entrance. I know sometimes that is not an option, like at the local Whole Foods, so I use both locks there.

Other deterrents are to drop the chain or put the derailleur in service mode on a SRAM drivetrain. Add yet another strap or cable lock to connect things, especially that is brightly colored, just to make it obvious to the potential thief they have quite a task ahead of them.

 

[indianajo]

I know its a sad reflection of a society that tolerates low level crime, but Id invest in a clanker to do shopping runs.

I thought you meant a motor vehicle with the "check engine" bulb removed to cover up the electrical problems causing lousy mileage and air pollution. I bought a new 20 mpg city 23 mpg hwy F150 in 2025. My repaired heart would not support riding my bike up hills: pulse collapsed to 60 bpm with respiration up to 90 cpm and vision whiting out.
As far as returning to cheap mtb or cruiser bikes, I have been dumped on my chin 7 times by those since 2008. Broke chin in 2017. Fast steering geometry gets great reviews in magazines, and saves 2" of tubing per bike because the caster has been removed. My mother's 26"x2" 1946 Firestone safety bike was as stable as a rock. No hands required, even crossing railroad tracks. No modern bike is built like that. I called 2 custom frame builders in 2017 trying to buy a safe bike, and neither wanted to "experiment" with the fork geometry or change their frame patterns from the same stupid geometry I could buy at the discount store for $200. I checked a frame measurement website for 26" frames in 2017. All 200 frames including the slack beach cruisers had the same inadequate caster.
The cargo bike pictured in the avater at least puts my weight on the front tire, which ehlps it from snapping sideways. The 2017 bodaboda has only dumped me on my chin once, in 2024. A motorist required 13' 9" of the 14' of pavement in the lane, and I had to run off the 4" high edge into the weeds. Bang on my chin guard. As far as the sage advice to "hold on to the handlebars", I'm glad all other bike riders are real athletes. Hitting a speed bump, stick in the road, high pavement separator, can yank the bars right out of both my hands as the tire goes crossways: on "fast steering" frames.
I'm probably safer in the truck but that pollutes the globe and does nothing to keep my heart arteries sludge free. Not to mention how scarce motor fuel is now. Arteries were dye inspected in 2025 as a probable cause of Vfib irregular heartbeat while sleeping. Zero arteries were blocked or needed maintenance, after 17 years doing all errands on the bicycle. Electrical malfuction cannot be prevented by exercise. Younger brother had the same irregular heartbeat problem 10 years ago, which doctors told him was caused by drinking 10 cups of coffee daily. I don't drink coffee or use energy drinks.

 

[DDBB]

I have an old suzuki motorcycle that by todays standards is considered heavy and slow steering. It has a very long wheelbase compared to modern sportbikes. The stability this bike affords is nothing short of amazing. There's a reason I've stayed on that same bike for 34 years. Yes, modern sportbikes are more "flickable" but to me, they feel twitchy. I prefer stability to twitchiness.