What type of bike lock do I need?
Cable Lock | Use in low crime areas
These are the lightest bike locks. They’re very flexible and easy to carry in your pocket or on your frame. Great as a visual deterrent or secondary lock to fix quick release components to your frame.
Combination Lock | Use in low crime areas
These are cable locks with a 3 or 4-digit combination rather than a key lock. They are great if you don't want to worry about forgetting keys.
Chain Lock | Use in medium/high crime areas
Chain locks are versatile. Thick chain links are great against bolt cutters. You can secure your bike to a range of bulky and unusual objects.
D-Lock | Use in medium/high crime areas
D-locks are strong and often made from hardened steel. You get 360-degree protection for your frame. Locking mechanisms can resist picking and drilling while the D shaping makes leverage style attacks difficult.
Ground anchor | Use in high crime areas
Ground anchors are immovable platforms you fix to your garage floor or wall. When used with a strong chain lock you can fix your frame to the anchor. These offer the best protection for home storage.
How heavy is a bike lock?
In general, the stronger a bike lock, the heavier it will be.
Cable / Combo locks
These range from around 400g up to 1.25kg depending on the thickness and material used in the twisted cable. These are the lightest bike locks for easy transport.
Chain locks
Chain locks range from around 1kg up to 7kg for the thickest and toughest chain locks. Choose a mid-range weight if you're commuting daily to blend strength and weight.
D Locks
D-locks tend to be 1kg up to 2.5kgs and are more compact for daily use than a chunky chain lock.
What is Sold Secure?
A great way to determine the quality of a bike lock is to see if it is Sold Secure Rated. This is a third party, independent rating system.
An approved lock is graded as Gold, Silver or Bronze. The rating is chosen by how long it takes to break the lock and the tools needed to break it.
If you're planning on insuring your bike, many insurers will state you need a Sold Secure rated lock to make a successful claim.
Typically a bronze rating covers a bike up to the value of £500, silver up to £1,000 and gold for any bike worth over £1,000.
These values vary between insurance providers so check the terms and conditions of your provider.
