For the second time in two weeks cyclists travelling across Canada have had their bikes stolen in Winnipeg.
Saturday morning as Bobby Aucion was getting ready to leave Winnipeg for the next leg of an epic journey, the 36-year-old made a shocking discovery.
Aucoin suddenly realized the bicycle trip from Ottawa to Vancouver to raise awareness about climate change was sidelined.
The 3,500 dollar bike made for triathlons that Aucoin had been riding was gone from a three-storey balcony near Corydon Avenue.
Aucoin travels light, only carries a phone, GPS, packs clothes into water bottles and stays with friends.
Aucoin said the bike wasn’t locked, filed a police report and can't afford to replace the bike.
"It’s probably the number one material thing in this world I'm attached to. Cycling is what I do. It’s my bike. It’s an extension of who I am.
Aucoin is trying to stay positive in hopes the bike will be found and the trip can be completed.
Aucoin said the bike rare and is a 48 inch time travel, Cervelo, P3 model.
"In this moment in my in my life it’s allowing me to do what I'm super passionate about doing and I believe in and now I'm stuck.
Estonian traveller’s bike stolen on Canada Day
On Canada day it was similar story for Estonian tourist Risto Prii who had his $500 bike stolen from a garage in St. Boniface.
Winnipeggers raised money online, but his trip didn't continue east until he says a stranger from Ontario purchased him a new bike.
Prii now plans to stop, meet and thank the generous buyer.
"It was a really sad story but with a really happy ending,” said Prii in a phone interview with CTV News near Thunder Bay, Ont.
Stolen bikes ‘Instant currency’: Bike Winnipeg
Bike Winnipeg is a non-profit cycling advocacy group.
Executive Director Mark Cohoe said about 1300 bicycles were stolen in the city in 2017.
He said bike thefts are a growing problem due to a rise in addictions and organized bike thieves who are known to ship property out of the city, even the country.
Cohoe said people with addictions will often sell stolen bikes on the street for a fraction of their value.
"It's a pretty instant currency that people can move quickly,” he said.
“It's important to be careful when you’re parking your bike, you're using a U-lock, making sure you are locking to something solid, that's in a visible spot," said Cohoe.
