Ready
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Now that I'm only working part time, one of my passions has been to ride my bicycle more frequently, especially when it can be used instead of driving a car for running local errands. It makes me feel good to keep the car in the garage while getting exercise and doing some shopping.
My bicycle was stolen about two months ago while I went swimming at the local pool. I filed a police report, and got really lucky when a neighboring police department recovered the bicycle and returned it to me. I was not expecting to ever see it again.
I learned a few things about bicycle thefts from this experience. First, my homeowners insurance has a $1,000 deductible. Since the bicycle was worth just under $1,000, that was of no use. Second, those basic cable locks that you can buy for about $25.00 are worthless. A simple pair of wire cutters can snip through them in one slice without making any noise and with very modest effort. They are practically worthless, other than keeping honest people honest.
My research led me to buying a U shaped lock, which appear to be the best form of protection. I added a 8 foot cable to protect the wheels, even though I know it provides minimal protection. The lock I purchased was made by Kryptonite, and called the Kryptonite NY Fahgettaboudit U-Lock. I know, pretty funny name!
The lock weighs five pounds and is pretty tough. It has the highest rating on the kryptonite line of U-locks - a 10/10. And, it comes with a $4,500 theft protection guarantee. I thought that sounded pretty good, so I went ahead and bought the lock and registered my bicycle for their anti-theft program.
So now to my concern. In reading the fine print on the Kryptonite web site, here are the requirements to file a theft claim:
Requirements in the Event of a Theft
Report the theft to the police within 72 hours.
Mail or email notice of the theft to Kryptonite within seven (7) days of the theft.
Immediately report the theft to your insurance company, if covered by insurance.
Mail or email the following to Kryptonite within ninety (90) days: broken lock and/or broken links– required as proof of product failure (Note: We recommend that you return the entire lock if available so that we can better understand how the product failed), [ii] at least one (1) key, [iii] a copy of the official police report, [iv] a copy of your itemized lock bill of sale, [v] a copy of your bicycle/powersport bill of sale, not including accessories, or a dated and signed dealer appraisal reflecting the market value of the bicycle/powersport vehicle, not including accessories, and [vi] evidence you have notified your insurance company, if covered by insurance.
Failure to forward all materials within ninety (90) days will void your claim and Kryptonite will have no further responsibility under this Offer. Certified mail, return receipt is recommended since Kryptonite is not responsible for non-receipt of mail.
So if I want to file a claim, I have to return the broken lock. When my bicycle was stolen, the thief took the lock along with the bicycle. So what am I supposed to do if this happens again? But even more concerning is what would happen if I did find the broken lock at the scene of the theft. Most likely a thief will use a portable angle grinder to saw through this lock. So, if I return the lock with the saw cuts, will Kryptonite say this was an inappropriate use of the lock, and therefore not considered a failure? I've seen videos on youtube of people sawing through one of these exact locks in less than two minutes!
In the end, this warranty appears to be completely useless. Which leaves me wondering, is there anything we really can do to protect ourselves against a thief stealing our bicycle? I tried getting a quote to lower the deductible on my homeowners insurance. Reducing the deductible from $1,000 to $500 raised my premium by almost $500 per year, so that makes no sense.
What have others done to keep their bicycles safe or otherwise protect against losses due to theft?
My bicycle was stolen about two months ago while I went swimming at the local pool. I filed a police report, and got really lucky when a neighboring police department recovered the bicycle and returned it to me. I was not expecting to ever see it again.
I learned a few things about bicycle thefts from this experience. First, my homeowners insurance has a $1,000 deductible. Since the bicycle was worth just under $1,000, that was of no use. Second, those basic cable locks that you can buy for about $25.00 are worthless. A simple pair of wire cutters can snip through them in one slice without making any noise and with very modest effort. They are practically worthless, other than keeping honest people honest.
My research led me to buying a U shaped lock, which appear to be the best form of protection. I added a 8 foot cable to protect the wheels, even though I know it provides minimal protection. The lock I purchased was made by Kryptonite, and called the Kryptonite NY Fahgettaboudit U-Lock. I know, pretty funny name!
The lock weighs five pounds and is pretty tough. It has the highest rating on the kryptonite line of U-locks - a 10/10. And, it comes with a $4,500 theft protection guarantee. I thought that sounded pretty good, so I went ahead and bought the lock and registered my bicycle for their anti-theft program.
So now to my concern. In reading the fine print on the Kryptonite web site, here are the requirements to file a theft claim:
Requirements in the Event of a Theft
Report the theft to the police within 72 hours.
Mail or email notice of the theft to Kryptonite within seven (7) days of the theft.
Immediately report the theft to your insurance company, if covered by insurance.
Mail or email the following to Kryptonite within ninety (90) days: broken lock and/or broken links– required as proof of product failure (Note: We recommend that you return the entire lock if available so that we can better understand how the product failed), [ii] at least one (1) key, [iii] a copy of the official police report, [iv] a copy of your itemized lock bill of sale, [v] a copy of your bicycle/powersport bill of sale, not including accessories, or a dated and signed dealer appraisal reflecting the market value of the bicycle/powersport vehicle, not including accessories, and [vi] evidence you have notified your insurance company, if covered by insurance.
Failure to forward all materials within ninety (90) days will void your claim and Kryptonite will have no further responsibility under this Offer. Certified mail, return receipt is recommended since Kryptonite is not responsible for non-receipt of mail.
So if I want to file a claim, I have to return the broken lock. When my bicycle was stolen, the thief took the lock along with the bicycle. So what am I supposed to do if this happens again? But even more concerning is what would happen if I did find the broken lock at the scene of the theft. Most likely a thief will use a portable angle grinder to saw through this lock. So, if I return the lock with the saw cuts, will Kryptonite say this was an inappropriate use of the lock, and therefore not considered a failure? I've seen videos on youtube of people sawing through one of these exact locks in less than two minutes!
In the end, this warranty appears to be completely useless. Which leaves me wondering, is there anything we really can do to protect ourselves against a thief stealing our bicycle? I tried getting a quote to lower the deductible on my homeowners insurance. Reducing the deductible from $1,000 to $500 raised my premium by almost $500 per year, so that makes no sense.
What have others done to keep their bicycles safe or otherwise protect against losses due to theft?