Mission Mission

So posits WBTC, whose dad saw this scene in Turkey. [link]

On the other hand, SFPD just found a similar cache just across the bay in Oakland (and posted pics of all their finds), so maybe there’s hope after all.

No big deal.

Ever since the legendary Bike Basket Pies folded up shop last year, I figured the heyday of bike-powered anything in SF was over. Not so. The Bold Italic last week profiled a handful of locals who do business on their bikes, such as Brad from Boozely’s:

Brad began his pickle peddling two years ago in the street food scene, with his DIY goods laid out on a blanket for passersby to stumble upon. Soon SF-dwellers caught on – as Boozely’s products started flying off the shelves (blanket, rather), Brad commanded the attention of some major SF institutions. Zeitgeist now features his pickled green beans in their infamous Bloody Marys, and Bi-Rite, Cheese Plus, and Tony’s Market have picked up his signature cukes, green beans, okra, and Brussels sprouts.

Read on for coffee, banh mi, flowers and curry!

Just got a cute reminder from Andrew Sarkarati:

Hey friends,

I’m going to bike to Palo Alto tomorrow for Bike to Work Day, so I have to leave at 6:30am before all of the energizer stations open. Unfortunately, that means I’m going to miss out on the awesome Bike to Work Day tote bag that I look forward to so much each year. Even sadder is the fact that my bag from last year broke about a month ago when I tried to stuff too much sushi into it during a 2am Safeway run.

However, if one of you were able to pick up an extra tote bag for me tomorrow, I would be tremendously grateful! Anyone up to the task by any chance?

Best,
Andrew

A bag-busting quantity of 2am Safeway sushi!? Oh, Andrew. Anyway, SF Bike Coalition has maps and full energizer station details right here. Bike to work tomorrow!

P.S. Our pal Lindsey got the same email and suggested the following:

Win A Date With Andrew Sarkarati. A contest where a bunch of hot chicks get Andrew tote bags & leave their phone numbers in it, and then we put them all into a helmet & whoever’s number is drawn gets a dinner with Andrew at Pancho Villa.

We’re not officially going to do this, but if any hot chicks are interested, you can find Andrew’s contact info here.

This was the grisly scene from 24th St. BART this morning. Do bike thieves carry high-powered lasers or something?

Exhibit A: The mighty U-lock

Exhibit B: The security cable you use to lock your wheels

I prefer to think of bicycles being on temporary loan from the universe, so I guess I won’t be too bummed when someone collects on my $25 rusted Murray.

On the heels of last week’s bike theft news, an anonymous reader wrote in with these photos of bike thieves caught on camera from recent thefts at 2125 Bryant (click to see them full size). These images are from about a month ago, but these thieves are still on the loose.

Here’s what you should do if you recognize them:

Please call 911 if you see them. If you have any more info you can contact Police report # 120/171/670 Officer J Lopez #373 Officer J Felix #2027 Mission Station 415-558-5400 415-601-4145 cell.

Seems like it’s probably worth the trouble. Right?

Reader Joshua wrote in to report the following home invasion bike theft and accompanying photos of the thief (recognize him?):

On March 31 at 5:22 AM Saturday Morning, a man entered our locked front door on the 800 Block of Guerrero Street, went down into the locked garage and relieved it of four bikes, ripping one off the wall.

2012 54″ White Specialized Allez with SRAM Apex
2009 51″ Turquoise Jamis Quest Femme (105 Double, maybe with a BullDog lock still attached to the rack that had been bolted to the wall)
2008 Medium Black Masi Soulville 8 with Front and Rear racks a Velo Orange saddle
1999 56″ Yellow LeMonde Tourmalet

That’s right, one of those bikes was ripped off the wall with the lock still attached. The thing is, this is the fourth garage break-in/bike theft I know of from the past month and vicinity:

• Our pal Jenny reports that her garage (around 29th/Dolores) was broken into with one bike stolen on March 10th,
• This theft from the Glen Park area, via WBTC,
• And my own bike was stolen out of a garage around 30th/San Jose on March 18th, also entering through a locked front door.

When the police showed up at the scene of my bike’s theft, they mentioned that they are aware of a string of similar incidents and this may be a repeat offender.

I suppose I should list some safety tips and advice, or something. Here’s what I’ve learned, anyway:

• Make sure you have a deadbolt on any doors leading to a garage, and make sure to use it.
• If your garage opens with a code, change it frequently.
• Lock your bike to something in your garage. Apparently, this doesn’t necessarily change anything, but it’s another deterrent.
• If you must hold onto your bike, store it in your apartment, instead of a separate storage area.
• If someone really wants your bike, they can have it. Everything we own is essentially on loan from the universe.
• Be okay with losing irreplaceable things, or own replaceable things. The bike that was taken from me was a cheap single speed from an online wholesaler, and though it bruised my bank account, I was back on practically the same wheels within a week.
• If your bike is truly sacred to you, write down its serial number somewhere safe. This is pretty much the only way the police can help you if your bike turns up on Craigslist or elsewhere.
• As Vic would say, sleep with your bikes under your pillows, kids.

Update: Here’s time lapse footage from Joshua’s garage burglary.

On one hand, this easily is the raddest helmet ever, constantly demonstrating how fabulous you are as you zip through intersections bedazzling  pedestrians and motorists alike while belting out ABBA tunes, leaving freshly seared retinas in your wake.  On the other hand, actually getting into an accident while wearing this thing might turn a normally harmless collision into a horrifyingly disfiguring one  for your face:

No haphazardly glued plastic mirror pieces here, this is the real deal (this disco ball helmet uses real glass).

Legitimate concern aside,  I say GIMME GIMME GIMME!  Should you happen to agree, you can find step-by-step DIY instructions for how to make your own here!

[Link via Laughing Squid]

The official SF Critical Mass Facebook account 19 minutes ago asked its followers to comment on the tradition of circling in major intersections during the ride. Some good answers right off the bat:

Read on for more, and do be on the lookout for Critical Mass this evening.

(Why something like SF Critical Mass has an official Facebook account in the first place remains a mystery.)