The Thin Man 

This post may be way more about my own neurosis than how genuinely at risk our/your/my bikes may be, but here me out anyway as I bear my subconscious soul to the Classic and Vintage forum.

Like you, I have multiple bikes. Many, in fact. On more than one occasion (once or twice a year?) In the past, I've had dreams of bike theft. Not like someone stealing a bike from a bike rack. This is always on a level of someone going after the whole collection or at least many of them. One dream I remember was me being/living in a house that had a large garage with lots of ways to get in, with nice, natural light due to the accessible windows on the doors and walls. I remember it being very cheery. But, the dream suddenly centered around me running around the place, trying to catch two guys breaking in and actively stealing multiple bikes while another guy kept watch and facilitated. Then recently I dreamt I was part of some partitioned, shared-use, single floor industrial building collective where I apparently worked on my fleet. There were other craftspeople there as well. I had bikes located in two or three different areas, hanging from the ceiling. The whole place was ransacked once night and every single bike (~15) were gone. Other renters had stuff stolen as well. Pry bar marks on the drawers that were popped open. It was a solid looting job! I remember thinking that although the vast majority was gone, I was lucky because I still had my regular riders that were staged up, ready to go in my home garage.
Then I remember the very next dream, that same night, I was being hunted by a bear, so that was probably worse in terms of a bigger problem for me then some missing bikes.

I feel like the 15 years I spent living in close-in Portland didn't help with my bike theft terror, even though I left 4 years ago for a much smaller, more laid back, less theft prone Oregon town. But, Portland can be rough. I remember stories of sinister people watching the more popular bike paths for people who rode by on high end bikes, then they would follow those riders to their destination (home) to later come back and break in after they knew the person was gone. Bike theft is big business in a bike city, so I was always vigilant to never leave a locked bike outside for more than 15-20 minutes. And even when I had my bikes in a garage, shop or basement, they were locked with thick cables running through the frames to a shackle on the wall. Sometimes I'd add even an additional U-lock in between the frame and rear wheel for the really high end bikes.

Hopefully none of you have angsty dreams like this but I'm incredibly curious to find out if anyone else does and if so, what city/state do you live in? Do you have strong bike theft? Or maybe I'm just being neurotic? Do I need to build some kind of underground bunker like one of those end-of-days loonies to end the infrequent yet sporadic dreams? Stop having snacks before bed? Or maybe I just need to chill out?

SurferRosa

My angsty 'mares are still about stuff way back in my past, college courses and corporate life. Sometimes, it's about just trying finding an open bathroom that's not disgusting. It's rare a bad dream is about anything else, like bike theft, but it does happen.

Pompiere

I have never dreamed about bike theft. Usually, any dreams I have that involve bikes are something like there is a grail bike that I never thought I could get and I am so happy to finally have it, only to wake up to reality.

I live in a rural area and my skinny tired road bikes are not in high demand. Most of the break ins around here involve tools, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and ATVs.

iab

I have good insurance. So, no.

I did have break in once. They took some crap. That didn't bother me. What bothered me was people in my house going through my crap. To me, that was the violation. There is plenty of other crap in this world to replace any crap that was stolen. This world does not lack in crap.

panzerwagon 

My angst-filled dreams related to bikes primarily revolve around the fear and regret from being unable to eventually fulfill plans, finish projects, etc.
Believe it or not, I have a theory that my sorrow from losing a completed project would be less than if I were to lose the opportunity to complete it. I've been lucky so far to not have this theory tested.
We all have different fears-- my suggestion would be to do whatever it takes to allow you to rest easier.

Spaghetti Legs 

I don't think so but I had a lemon Volvo station wagon once that I really, really hoped would get stolen.

merziac

No nightmares here aside from what I might do if I caught someone trying, probably get shot or beatup for not being smart enough to bring a gun to a gunfight.

So there is nothing you can do about, seen and read plenty of stories of garages that were fortresses, alarms, cameras, big serious anchors in the concrete, chains, cables, barred windows, reinforced doors, etc, etc.

Thieves break in, use your own tools then steal them and the bikes, if you are being cased and don't pick up on it you may not stand a chance no matter what you do.

Best word of advice is Dogs.

Almost every house on our street has been broken into, the houses on each side of us have both been broken into twice when people were home.

Our house has never been broken into in the 30 years we have been here, knock on wood, again, Dogs.

And while they are not foolproof, they keep a lot of riff raff in check and being unpredictable when they are out makes it very hard to case the place.

DiabloScott

One time I woke up and realized I'd left my MTB on the roof of my car overnight - looked out the window and it was gone. My fault.

A few times I've woken up in a really angry mood and I don't know why and then I realize I had a dream about someone stealing my bike, and that "memory" was lingering in the back of my mind. Then I remember that nobody stole my bike and I'm instantly happy... it's a weird sensation.

merziac

Yeah, it induces a lot of panic when you realize you left one out, I've done it a few times and my kid did it all the time when he was younger, none stolen from the house but he had several stolen everywhere else.

Some his fault, most not and I let my first three good bikes get stolen when I was young too, then a good one much later as well.

52telecaster

That's not a dream, it's a nightmare. I don't have those kind of nightmares.

P!N20

I used to have dreams my fork would break due to rusting from the inside.

I also occasionally have dreams I can't get up a hill. Guess that one may come true one day!

iab

Victim blaming. Nice.

rccardr 

Yep.
Nine years into retirement and 50 years out of college but those are the ‘bad’ dreams that still crop up from time to time.

VtwinVince

LOL, guess I'm not the only neurotic around. I used to live in a high-rate bike-ripoff town, and had my best bike stolen. Now I live in the sticks, but I still obsess about scumbag thievery.

SJX426 

Can't recall having such dreams. Don't remember most of them anyway.
The immediate neighbors are either active or retired military or LEs. I have developed multiple premeditated defense scenarios. Keeping a low profile is a key along with some security like lights.
I am a strong believer in property rights along with the right to live. I don't like either one to be threatened.

USAZorro

I've actually had four bikes stolen from me in real life from 1971 - 1981. Despite this, I can't say that I've had any dreams about this. Perhaps it's a function of where I live and where my bicycles are stored?

I do still occasionally realize with a couple days left in the semester that I was registered for a college course that I had completely forgotten about, and also the recurring one of needing to urinate and finding location after location that is somehow unsuitable. Of course, this means that I need to get out of bed.

Chombi1 

Yes, not too long I dreamt a couple of times that my bikes were stolen.
Felt the biggest relief when I woke up from those nightmares.
I figured it was stress from my work causing such dreams.....
The bad thing is, I keep having recurring details in my nightmares. Usually involving the non-real/dream made up locations....

jon c. 

I'm fortunate to live in a place where home break ins are very rare. And my bike is always in my house when I'm not riding it. So that's not among my nightmares.

My standard nightmare is being chased. But I'm never riding a bike. I should learn to incorporate the bike into those dreams so I can actually get away.

Chuck M 

Never had a bad dream about bikes that I can recall. But an odd recurring nightmare I've had over the years is being chased by Nazis while I'm riding in the back of a pickup truck in my childhood neighborhood.