Northeast - Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit U-lock with NYC Bike Racks
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I know this is a narrow questions, but do any NYC riders out there use this lock? I haven't seen one anywhere (not for want of looking). I would like to get one but am not sure if you can lock the rear wheel through the triangle to the thick curvy post the DOT uses for bike racks ala the Sheldon Brown method. It seems like the racks are too wide for the lock. Also, I have a Specialized Allez Triple and the rear tire almost touches the seatpost, making it that much harder to fit the lock through.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
In general I prefer the chain version - even if the U does fit, if there is a bike on the other side it can get really tight. The chain lets you lock to different things. Of course, it is a beast to drag around with you....
Yeah I'd rather not drag the chain around. But then again, I'd rather hang onto my bike...
Yeah I'd rather not drag the chain around. But then again, I'd rather hang onto my bike...
Beer gut or bike chain? beer gut or bike chain? beer gut or bike chain?
I have a Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit ulock (http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?cid=1001&scid=1000&pid=1095) that I strap to my rear rack when I think I'm going to need to lock up my bike. It's a bit longer and not quite as wide as the blue no-name ulock my daughter picked up at the hardware store for $20. I can lock the Kryptonite around the frame and through a wheel of my Specialized Sirrus to secure it to a New York City Bike Rack or random iron fence but it does take a bit of fudgetting to get it closed.
I bought mine at Bicycle Habitat about three years ago - not long after the infamous Bic pen scandal- for something like $90. If you become a member of Transportation Alternatives (http://www.transalt.org) they give you a coupon that allows you to mail order one for about $30 less than the retail price.
I also, sometimes, use the u lock with a KryptoFlex cable (http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?cid=1001&scid=1001&pid=1122) to secure the front wheel and seat. But if I had it to do all over again I probably would go with the chain as pgoat suggests. Too many times the bike racks are full and you can't lock the bike to a street lamp with a U Lock. In a pinch I'll wrap the cable around a lamp post and secure the wheel to the frame with the u lock, but for all that money, it's not a particularly secure method.
Beer gut or bike chain? beer gut or bike chain? beer gut or bike chain?
one nice thing about the chain is it lets you know when you've let yourself go - 36" chain means: if it doesn't fit, you must di-et!
another nice thing is on weekends when I ride without it, it's like losing 10 pounds overnight!
+1 on getting the TA Kryptonite discount - it's as cheap as any discount on ebay or anywhere else, and you are doing a righteous thing for NYC biking and yourself by joining. You'll get a lot of bang for your buck, even at the lowest membership level.
Thanks for all of your input - I'm probably going to go to the LBS and see if they have a spare Fahgettaboudit U-lock, and if they will let me try and fit it on a Specialized seat post. As you can see from the picture below, there is very little room between the back wheel and the post:
http://www.paulscyclingfitness.com/Closeouts/22_specialized_allez_triple.jpg
If that doesn't work...chain it is.