mathletics

Seriously, just get a U-lock. For what it's going to cost each of you to have a big chunky chain that you'll have to put in your bag, you could buy a pocket u-lock and a really decent cable lock. As is mentioned in the locking tutorial (I forget where it's posted, but I'm sure someone knows), if you have two different kinds of locks, you're way safer than one strong lock. The tools to bust a U-lock vs a cable lock are totally different, so you greatly reduce your chances of getting clipped by making it way harder to open your locks.

FERAL

+1 on the tow chain aspect. A lot cheaper than a krypto.

riderx

FYI: the Fahgettaboudit is not a square chain, the links are six sided.

I Like Peeing

Okay, I guess the next question is what do you use for locking your bike, and do you have any links to this amazing chain that's available for cheaper?

LóFarkas

Square/hexagonal links are better because they dull the blade of bolt cutters and such as the initital point of contact is tiny. (According to Krypto)

Hardware store chains are inferior as they're designed to be strong (hard to tear and snap), not hard to cut (i.e. hardened and hexagonal and whatnot).

All the above is my modestly researched opinion. Kill me if I'm wrong.

Hocam

A hacksaw with the right blade and a bundle of time will get through anything.

jmartinez

For starters try

www.mcmaster.com

item numbers:
36015T4
36015T3

To protect you paint you can make your own sleeve for the chain with an old tube or sew your own or order one from places like https://web.mac.com/chicagowig/iWeb/w...tyskin%20.html

When you pick out a padlock try to get one that has as little space left in the shackle as possible when you have it locked with the chain.

Nad Kel

Diamond bit blade, It's 2 ton cut force. But 3 feet is not long once you lock up, neither is 7 lbs heavy.
NYPD would love to help cut it!!! Good luck.

shecky

It occurs to me that the initial point of contact on a round chain is also tiny.

In the end, it comes down to having a chain of sufficiently hardened steel.

alanbikehouston

The best chains from Kryptonite are about ten or twenty times harder to cut than any chain you would find at a corner hardware store. I would not use hardward chains for a bike worth more than $20. And, even with a hardware chain, you would still need to buy a top quality padlock, and few hardware stores will have a padlock as good as the best Kryptonite padlock.

The Fahgettaboudit U-lock is lighter and more compact than a chain of equal quality. A chain only makes sense if you park in neighborhoods where every suitable locking pole is too big for a u-lock.

Old Dirt Hill

What kind of padlock would one use with a chain? Seems to me that any padlock would be the weak point and a thief would be wise to go after that - which means that the chain doesn't matter?

Someone educate me, please.

shecky

Proof? I could buy that they're harder than some, perhaps even most, but any?

Consider this. Any particular hardware store may carry chain for mission critical applications, where significant monetary investments or even lives are at stake. Applications much more critical than holding a bicycle to a post. Such chain does indeed exist. It's commonly available, and not even very expensive. The trick only lies in being able to identify the right stuff.

I have no doubt that Kryptonite chains are decent products. But to suggest that they are uniquely strong and well suited to their typical application seems to overstate the case.

shecky

Definitely.

There are some nice locks I've seen with shrouded shackles, making it difficult for things like bolt cutters to bite. Still, they are not impervious to power tools or even hack saws. Some locks are opened by simple brute force.

na975

werd! plazma cutter

Old Dirt Hill

This thread interests me because I already use a kryptonite U Lock and am looking for an inexpensive but effective second lock to use in conjunction with the U Lock.

I'm interested in some hardware store chain but I don't know what kind of padlock to attach to it. That www.mcmaster.com link has some interesting options for chains, but again I ask - what padlock should I use?

9Rings

Buy this CHEAP Krypto chain and quit yer whining.

https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...cat%3A%20Locks

I just weighed mine an even 2 lbs.

For the price, buy two each for you and your girl. If someone wants your bike, they'll get it. Cable locks are next to useless. Carrying around a lock that weighs half as much as your bike is a bit ridiculous as well

sp00ki

sorta why i'm talking about cutting it in half...

old scratch

get the "new york noose". it is far shorter and lighter than the behemoth 3 footer one. then use a small U to lock the back wheel.

anomaly

I'm in the same position, building up a set of suzue promaxes to open pro CDs and i'm pretty worried about wheel theft. I might just get 2 mini-U

9Rings

How to cut the fuggetaboutit?

https://www.bikebiz.com/news/28260/Kr...-break-TV-show

shants

I cut a few links off of my fahgettboudit with a cheap cutting wheel for my standard drill. Because I couldn't apply force downward as one can with a proper angle grinder, it took significantly longer than it could have, but I still got through both sides of the link in about 7 minutes.

Bushman

The reason one uses chain to lock a bike, is this:




both the locks pictured above were broken apart when the thief used the bike as the lever, and twisted the locks apart. U locks are solid, there is no flex, there is a point where they cannot handle twisting or leverage any more.

Now take a loop of hefty chain and lock it to to a solid bike rack. Try to twist it apart, not happening because the links can move and flex and are designed for such loads.



now some of you are all upset about the weight of chains. Its not a big deal, you loop it around your waist like us old messengers have been doing for the last 30 years. You dont notice the weight and its quite comfortable. Now you are NOT limited to parking meter post, your NOT limited to flimsy bike racks. You can lock up to big thick metal lamposts, bridge railings, etc, and have plenty of room to lock your wheels (both), the frame as well as the metal railing your locking to.

I can tell you from interviews with bike thieves by local police, that the average tool carried by a thief is a simple cable cutter or hammer. They use stuff they find on the scene, stuff like 2x4's, pipe to wedge apart U locks. Most locks are broken by striking downwards then upwards, then downwards again, breaking the lock body from the shackle. Equip your chain lock (MINIMUM 10mm links) with a all steel heavily shrouded lock, and dont use the mini U locks. There is a space in the mini U locks that a pipe can be inserted into and the lock forced open. FILL that space with chain link, make it as small as possible.

Now if your going to go the DIY route, look for the following chains:

Medium Security: Grade 70, 3/8" link, yellow dichromate coated transport chain.


High security: Grade 70, 1/2" or 5/8" link, yellow dichromate coated transport chain

Extreme high security: Grade 100 proof tested , 5/8" links overhead lifting chain ,25% stronger than grade 80, and extremely difficult to get a bolt cutter head around the links.


if i can carry around 4 feet of 1/2" chain, with a 3lb shrouded padlock, anyone can carry the standard 3/8" link chain around....

Civilian.D

curious what you all think about the design of the "new york noose" locks...

https://www.kryptonitelock.com/Produc...=1002&pid=1195

Bushman

I like the noose design, you can cinch up the loop around a stationary object, and loop the rest around the frame and wheel before locking (kinda like a "8").

doomkin

since someone asked:

i use a square security chain i purchased off of mcmaster.com in conjunction with a nyc faghettaboutit ulock. over kill? perhaps. but seems everyone and their brother has had their bike stole and i for one, do not want to be of that group.

btw: any chicago residents will want to travel up to the evanston police department if they're interested in either nyc or kryp evo mini's. they sell them AT COST.

my total expenditure for my chain and u lock was about $50.