9 Bike Locks, Chains and Anchors to keep your bike safe

If you’ve got a bike, you need a lock. Whether you are just wanting to deter someone from walking off with your ancient pub bike, or trying to keep all but the most determined thieves from stealing your treasures, it’s going to take more than a helmet strap clipped around your wheel.

Sadly, if your thieves come armed with angle grinders or are the sort prepared to cut through shed roofs or garage walls, there’s probably not a lot you can do except slow them down. So for those scenarios (and it’s not as unusual as you might imagine) it’s important to make sure your bikes are insured and that you are storing them in a way which meets the terms of your insurance company. Often you will find that this means locking your bike to a fixed object (not another bike) with a Sold Secure Gold standard lock.

Sold Secure is an independent tester of security products, and most locks will advertise which rating they achieve. As I’ve said, most locks can be compromised eventually with an angle grinder, though some will take longer than others to get through. But before you say you want me to attack these locks with drills, hammers and grinders, I suspect that the experienced thief is going to know the best way to compromise a lock – me poking at it with a drill or whatever without that knowledge isn’t really proving much, though perhaps it might be entertaining. A professional ratings schemes like Sold Secure doing the independent testing is likely much more reliable.

Previously when I’ve been lock shopping I’ve basically looked at two things: security level, and price. What can I get that meets my insurance company’s requirements, for as little money as possible? I imagine that most of you are the same. However, as a bike journo, I’ve ended up amassing a small collection of different locks, and I’ve found that there are functional perks to some that I’d never have noticed had I not had the chance to use a selection of options. Since locks are not a cheap item – and rarely wear out – I thought I’d bring you the benefit of my recent experience in the hope that you’ll find a security solution that meets not just the insurance company’s needs, but yours too.

Oxford Brute Force Anchor

• Price: £22.99
• From: Oxford Products

I bought and paid for this myself some years ago, and it’s fixed to the wall in my garage. That means it’s at a handy height for fastening bikes to through the cross bar, even with a relatively short lock. The space you have to push your chain or lock through isn’t the biggest – my Abus locks only just fit through. But, it gives you somewhere fixed to lock things to – probably something that your insurance company will ask for.

The fact that you can wall mount it at cross bar height means you can use it with a D-lock or short chain, without need for a really long cable or expensive longer chain. You’ll find that cables are not as secure as chains can be – the Sold Secure site only lists Silver standard cables, no Gold ones. Of course, if you only have a wooden sided shed but you have a concrete floor, you should consider floor mounting your anchor and splashing out on a longer chain.

Kryptonite Stronghold Ground Anchor

• Price: £99.99
• From: Freewheel

I haven’t yet fitted this ground anchor since I’m waiting until I do a planned new garage fit out before doing so. It’s a good chunk more bulky than the anchor I’m using at the moment, and is designed for floor than wall fixing. The downside that I can see of a floor anchor is that it could be a bit of a fiddle to get into if you’ve got a bunch of bikes. The temptation will be to use a long cable through your top tubes, which will be more convenient to get to, but also gives a potential weak point. This one is designed to be able to be driven over too, so if you need to get a car in and out your garage you won’t need to worry about hitting this. It is also apparently suitable for attaching to the floor of a truck or trailer bed – definitely worth considering if you regularly drive your bikes around.

Yale Maximum Security Defendor Chain & Lock

• Price: £69.98
• From: Yale

On then to chains. This one is Sold Secure Gold and comes in either 1.8m or 1.1m chain lengths. I have the 1.8m version. It is heavy, and nicely long, but there is no scratch protection on the ends of the chain where they stick out of the fabric cover, and I find the cover can slip up and down the chain. The loops on the chain are also all the same size, so not all the locks I have will fit through the loops (new New York Kryptonite lock is too fat). The supplied Yale lock is too small to be useful as a lock on its own as a D-lock. So, this will do the job in your shed – especially if you have a ground anchor and need a long chain – but it’s not so useful as a multipurpose item.

Hiplok E DX lock and chain

• Price: £119.99
• From: Hiplok

This Hiplok chain is very heavy, Sold Secure Gold, and has a fixed fabric cover right up until the end loops, which have a slightly rubbery coating to them. The loops on the ends of the chain are slightly larger, meaning I can use it with either the provided lock, or one of my other D-locks. It will also pass through itself, handy if you need a bit of extra length to reach between your anchor point and your bike, or if you want to put it round your waist to carry it.

The DX D-lock came with the E DX set, but is also available individually. It’s got a good quality feel to it and the locking action is nice and easy to use. The hooks allow you to slot it onto a pocket while you ride along, though I’ve never felt the need to do that and many of my clothes don’t have a rear hip pocket in the right place anyway. It is a bit short – like the Kryptonite Messenger, you need to find street furniture that’s the right size and that you can get your bike up against. If all your signposts are positioned up against walls you’ll find your handlebars and pedals tend to get in the way. I find this D-Lock too short for easy use with a chunky mountain bike frame and awkward street furniture.

The E-DX set also comes with a security tie, a sort of reusable and reinforced zip-tie, handy for helmets, but not a bike security measure. The whole package is designed for use with an e-bike, where you’ll want to be extra sure your bike is secure out and about, but the weight penalty is less of an issue.

Abus chain lock

• Price: £50ish, I think.
• From: Abus

For a lock and chain all in one, I have this Abus chain lock. I bought this so long ago that I think it’s been replaced by newer models, but I’m pretty sure it was Sold Secure Gold and about £50. It only just fits through my Oxford ground anchor. Over time the the lock has got a little sticky, but it’s otherwise got little to say against it. The outer casing is a sort of plastic woven fibre, meaning it won’t scratch your bike, and it also doesn’t hold water so dries out quickly. It’s stood the test of time well with no signs of damage.

Kryptonite New York Long Shackle U-Lock

• Price: £114.99
• From: Freewheel

This lock is nice and long, which can be handy for attaching to more awkward street furniture, though it is pretty weighty for carrying out and about. It’s got a chunky U to it, that doesn’t fit through the Yale chain, so watch if you’re trying to mix and match your security options. It’s Sold Secure Gold standard, and feels incredibly solid, with a rubbery coating to prevent scratches all around the U and the metal body.

Yale Maximum Security Defendor U Bike Lock

• Price: £35.99
• From: Yale

This lock is also Sold Secure Gold standard, though next to the Kryptonite New York lock it feels less substantial. But Sold Secure is an independent test, so we can be sure that both locks meet that standard. The Yale lock has a slightly slimmer U and the locking body has a hard plastic exterior to it, so it’s a fair bit lighter than the New York lock making it a more attractive proposition for carrying around. It’s slightly shorter than the New York lock though, so you don’t have quite so much flexibility of what you can attach to, but it’s still a good size.

Out and About – Less than Gold Security Standard

I’ve a couple of locks which aren’t Sold Secure Gold, but as a deterrent when out and about you might be happy to make this compromise – but watch what requirements your insurer has before you go for one.

Kryptonite Messenger Mini + U-Lock with Extender

• Price: £74.99
• From: Freewheel

This is cute and lightweight, but you need the right position and size of street furniture or railing to use it, and it’s only Sold Secure Silver. The wrist band with the lock on it is really handy though.

Hiplok Spin

• Price: £34.99
• From: Hiplok

This has no Sold Secure rating, but I tend to use this out and about when I’m not leaving the bike out of sight and I’m on a bike that’s no too valuable. It’s not overly heavy, there’s no key to lose, and it can be put around your waist if you want.

Overall

You need a fixing point. If your garage or shed doesn’t have one, I think the Oxford Brute Force Anchor does the job at a fraction of the price of the Kryptonite. Just make sure you fit any anchor according to instructions – there’s no point in having it if your thieves can just pry it off!

Then you’re going to need a lock to attach your bike to the anchor. A D- or U-lock alone could do this job, providing you can get your frame and the anchor aligned neatly – it might depend on your chosen storage solution. If you’ve got a few bikes, you probably want to consider a chain, though you should also give consideration to how you’re linking the bikes together. A single chain around everything means if that chain is breached, thieves have access to all the bikes. If you put a sequence of locks or chains round both the frame and other locks/chains, then breaking one link still leaves thieves with at least a pair of bikes chained together.

I really like the Hiplok E DX set, the chain is easier to handle – somehow less slinky and snakey – than the Yale chain, which always seems to want to escape my grasp in the garage. At a push I can carry it out and about with me too – for example on a ride into town with the kids, where there are a few bikes to lock up. On its own the Hiplok DX is Ok if I’m on a bike with skinny tubes and know there’s going to be something compatible to attach to. It is pricier than the Yale equivalent, but it does have some functionality features that make it easier to use.

If I’m out and want peace of mind, then the New York lock is the one I opt for, for example if I’m leaving my bike unsupervised but I’ve otherwise not much else to carry by way of weight. For security while shopping, when I’m going to have to carry back a load, the Yale D-lock is the better option. Though both are certified to the same security standard, the New York lock just feels more reassuringly solid – but that comes at a price.

Setting aside my bike journo privileges, if I was going back to my original criteria of ‘what fits the insurance requirements at the lowest price’ then the Yale equipment looks hard to beat.

If you don’t have insurance, maybe it’s time to think about getting some? Our Members get a discount with Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance:

Hopefully you don’t find yourself in the unhappy position of having your locks tested, but while you’re here and thinking about security, why not check out our other hints and tips for reducing the risk of theft:

Review Info

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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