"Bikes are one of the four commodities of the street — cash, drugs, sex, and bikes. You can virtually exchange one for another."

Fascinating quote from this article on bike theft in San Francisco. Unbelievable. Bike theft has fallen to the bottom of the list of things that get prosecuted. It's everywhere. Especially 7th and Market, apparently.

Seventh and Market is where the city's underground economy bubbles to the surface. It's a Wal-Mart of stolen goods — nearly anything can be bought or, as I would soon find out, stolen to order. McCloskey estimated as many as three in seven bikes stolen in San Francisco end up here. The police periodically conduct stings in the area, but the scene seemed to continue unabated.

If you ever have a bike stolen from you, it sounds like there are a few places to check out before you lose all hope.