I’m just looking to buy perhaps 3-4 metres of strong steel chain for bike locking purposes. Preferably quad link rather than round, but basically something that’s going to put up a reasonable fight against a bolt cropper (and a very very convincing fight against a hacksaw).

Lots of places do “branded” bike and motorbike chains, but is there anywhere that’ll just sell me a length of unbranded steel chain, to order?

Not many do true bolt cropper proof chain: http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/index.asp?pg=7

Almax is the only brand I’ve heard recommended on a regular basis. Most motorcycle chains are relatively easy to crop if you-tube videos are anything to go by.

Some good chains here: http://securityforbikes.com/

relatively easy to crop witha ginormous set of professional quality bolt croppers and a big fat bloke wielding them.

A battery powered angle grinder is what I would use or frankly hacksaw through the frame and then sell the parts
IMHO it is better to have a number of decent quality locks rather than jusrt one ubber expensive lock

Google ‘elite security supplies’. They look to have some decent stuff.

Some good suggestions… but I guess there’s not just somewhere I can go and get half-decent chain off the roll is there? (Thinking about it, how would they cut it?)

I think people have recommended ship chandlers in the past?
Although that seems a bit daft now that I’ve typed it.

nah they do sell chain but it is B and Q quality and not high security

do you have any locksmiths near-by? My local one has some monster security chains by the metre – TBH I wouldn’t want to buy it mail order because of the weight. 😉

I found pragmasis really helpful and cut what I wanted.

http://www.pragmasis.com/

I tried Almax but the guy just didn’t seem to want to engage with advice etc, emails went unanswered repeatedly – amazing that he didn’t seem to want business (it was a couple of years ago mind), I accept of course that it may have just been a bad time.

Among the multitude of alarms and locks I use to secure my bikes is a Pragmasis 16mm chain. I’m pretty sure an angle grinder would cut it but, put it this way, the thieving barstewards preferred to cut a section out of a lovely Ti frame instead.

Almax are the business when it comes to chains but beware they are VERY heavy. When I bought mine the customer service was terrible. It took ages to arrive and they promised me an upgrade to the series 4 and a spare cover neither of which arrived.

Also, don’t forget that a chain will only be as strong as the lock holding it together.

“(Thinking about it, how would they cut it?)”

just ask a friendly passing bike theif if you can borrow his cordless grinder.

Have you seen where Almax is:

http://goo.gl/maps/WPjqQ

Kind of not surpirised customer service isn’t up to much…

I had excellent service from securityforbikes, they do free shipping on orders over £150, i was also thinking postage would be a killer but for my order it was only £7 or so.