Originally Posted by mechBgon
If you're routing the U-lock's shackle through the chainstays, then one leg of the shackle will be above the stays, and the other will be below them. Do it like shown in the photo below, and the leg that's above the stays should be safely away from your FD.
You're right -- there may be more possibility there than I thought. I suppose this is because I'm always working from the non-greasy side of the bike. On the other hand -- is that a mini lock you're using? When I experimented again with mine, I couldn't get both chain stays without forming a very small vertical hole really close to the bike ... and directly below the seat which would then semi-block a vertical post -- not many secure posts that would work. Could form a good hole for a horizontal post, but those are really rare. Looks like I can get a fairly good vertical hole if I carefully thread from the non-drive side through just
one of the chainstays.