smasha

Either I'm a perfectionist or my On-Guard 5017 is crap. The lock is crap by design; lots of plastic and cast parts, a non-hardened sleeve, a shackle that seems too hard (brittle). It came with 5 keys, each of which had 2+ burrs from not being finished properly. Pictures of the lock internals can be posted if there's interest. The chain seems crappy due to crap manufacturing processes: It looks like it spent 20 years getting beaten up the back of a tow-truck before they hardened it. There are marks that look like bolt cutters, big chunks missing, almost all of the welds have slag, some of the welds leave gaps. That's not 1-2 links, that's every link. Some parts of my 12mm chain measure 8-10mm. The support from On Guard (via Todson) is just telling me that the defects I'm pointing out somehow aren't actually defects; that this is normal. Between the crap lock and the crap chain, and their idea of "normal" this will be my last On-Guard purchase.

Chain close-ups. Those aren't defects, that's normal
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_153916_dscn3201.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_153956_dscn3202.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_154316_dscn3204.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_154420_dscn3205.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_154726_dscn3206.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_154758_dscn3207.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_154954_dscn3208.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_155130_dscn3209.jpg
https://smasher.org/tmp/20090909_155214_dscn3210.jpg

I haven't seen the Krypto or bikereigistry chains up close; can someone tell me that they at least look better? I have seen the Abus chains up close, and they look like they're worth the $$$; very consistent, smooth and high quality finish.

Fenway

Kryptonite quality is head and shoulders above the On-Guard products. That's why their price points tend to be significantly higher. One tends to get what one pays for when purchasing locks.

BlazingPedals

If it's so crappy, why did you buy it?

Kimmitt 

I buy an On-Guard for protecting my $100-200 bikes, and I think that's a good approach. More expensive bike = more expensive lock.

smasha

Mail order. No one local stocks decent bike locks.

goldfishin

yeah, i've read the expensive krypto chains are made in italy.... i'm betting your chain was made in china by workers that aren't going to live very long due to the activities they're engaged in at work.

tatfiend 

Just from casual inspection I have noted that the fit of shackle to main lock body is much more precision on my Kryptonite U locks compared to my On-Guard ones. The lock mechanism feels smoother on the Kryptonite locks too. The packaging on all of the OnGuard locks I have seen is marked "Made in China".

Cast steel parts are not necessarily bad depending on the alloys used and their heat treatment. Most Ruger revolver parts are investment cast and Ruger revolvers are well known for their strength. Plastic parts in a lock are something else again.