I have been loving my KHS Flite 100 for the past 5-6 months (my first SS/FG) but I am having a moral crisis. I work on a college campus, and I am forced to use the bike racks. I tried to sneak the thing inside, but building admins keep complaining and there just isn't room. Aside from the theft risk bothering me, the problem is that the sweet matte black paint job is scuffing from the lock-up and friction, and because the bike's an extension of my body it also hurts me. (Sliding out in the rain a few weeks ago didn't help the scratches, or my thigh)

1) Any tips for avoiding scuffs in the first place? I never lock it over the rack, because the tube/tire clearance just doesn't allow it, so all my scuffs come in on my fork or near the headset. I have only come up with very ghetto solutions, e.g. duct tape.

2) Is there an easy way to repair paint? It's Reynolds 520 steel, so I don't want to mess with it too much, but some easy way to touch up would be nice.

It's like when your child falls down for the first time. It just hurts to see the scratches. But all the campus/local bar racks seem to be made of sandpaper and are killing me.

3) Maybe KHS needs to use tougher paint.