amgarcia

I have the opportunity to purchase a Kryptonite New York 1210 chain on craigslist. I was eyeing the bigger chains, but this is such a big deal.

I'm headed back to university in Austin, and I suddenly realized how nice my bike is. It'll be easily be one of the nicest on the rack. It'll be locked up on a fairly busy rack anywhere from 4 to 8 hours in a day. If I feel it's necessary, I can check on it every hour or two. Also, I'll have to leave it on the same rack at night for hours sometimes. Although significantly less busy, it's still a pretty busy rack at night.

I'll be coupling it with either my current Kryptonite Evolution or a NYF yellow mini monstrosity that'll be a future purchase.

What is your opinion of this chain? What is the longest time or the most dangerous location you've locked something with this?

Should I just forgo this altogether ($40 for chain, $60 for NYF, and $60 for Pinhead skewers) and just purchase a beater?

Transformer

I avoid any locks from private sellers based on an irrational fear of the urban legend that some strangers are professional crooks who sabotage the links or shackles in a cunning plan to steal your bike in the near future.

amgarcia

Crap. Thanks for making me paranoid.

Smallwheels

Checking your bicycle every hour will only let you learn of when your bicycle was stolen.

Unless you and everybody else knows one another and who owns which bicycle, a busy bicycle rack won't make much difference. I don't usually scrutinize the people who are locking and unlocking bicycles. If I ever do see somebody with tools trying to break a lock I'll call security and photograph them if I have a camera with me.

amgarcia

School is much too big for everyone to know which bike is mine, although I'd with the frequency of the rack, I don't know any student biker who wouldn't help another out if someone was blatantly stealing.

boro

My feeling has always been that what matters is making your bike harder to steal than other bikes near it. That said I'd never ride a $1000+ bike to campus... locks don't prevent vandalism or accidents.

KrisPistofferson

I dunno about getting a beater, but I wouldn't lock a new Serotta up at a bike rack for 8 hours, ya dig? If it's a busy rack, it might work out in your favor, better that than a rack no one can see except the thieves.

amgarcia

It's only a Surly, but still way more than I'd like to replace.

a1penguin

Unless you have them deliver this chain to your house, how are they going to know where to find this bike/lock to steal? The seller is a greater risk if you go to his/her house to check out a house to burgle.

chandltp

After what I saw from a local college campus, I wouldn't want to have a nice bike on a college campus. The guys bike fell over and people stomped all over the rear wheel to get to their bike. It was beyond ruined. I had to work hard just to get the wheel out of the dropouts. It was a Wal-Mart bike, so he just gave it away on FreeCycle and bought a new one.

amgarcia

I'm less worried about vandalism and more worried about theft. I rode a old KHS Flite 300 road bike for awhile, which, although Sora, seems pretty nice from the outside despite it's scratches. No one vandalized it, possible because I lock up very carefully.

Theft is my primary concern.