Bike lock Sold Secure ratings explained

Sold Secure independently tests the security levels of bike locks offered by various different manufacturers, providing an easy way for you to compare locks from different manufacturers whose internal security ratings might differ.

Sold Secure specialise in testing locks, and they test a wide range from various brands. Manufacturers submit their locks to Sold Secure, who then test how long it takes to break into them and rank the locks accordingly into four categories: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond.

You can check a product’s Sold Secure rating on their website. Note that not all brands and locks are necessarily included. If you can’t find the lock you’re looking for on the Sold Secure site, you can still consult the brand’s own security ratings, explained later in this article.

Note that as a general rule, U-locks and chain locks are highly rated. Frame locks and cable locks are most often found in the medium security levels. And cable or spiral cable locks usually have a lower security level.

In order to assess whether your bike lock is secure enough, you should answer the following questions:

• Where is my bike usually left unattended?
• How long is it typically left there?
• How much is my bike worth?

Consult the table to check if your bike lock is secure enough.

Note: Most bicycle insurance packages require you to use a high-security bike lock in order to be covered for theft. The lock must be in the upper third of the manufacturer’s security scale (see below for more info) for the insurance to pay out in the event of theft.

Most insurance companies issue lists you can check your bike lock against. They may also specifically require a lock that’s been rated by Sold Secure.

To prevent theft, bear in mind that we recommend always using a second lock for security. For this purpose, a basic or medium-security lock is suitable, because the second lock serves primarily as a deterrent.

In addition to Sold Secure ratings, individual manufacturers of bike locks tend to maintain their own security ratings to show how their products compare against one another.

These security ratings differ between brands. The various manufacturing companies work with different criteria to judge the security level of their locks, and the number of levels on the scale also differs. Some companies have 15 security levels, others only 6.

Because of this, these ratings are best used to compare different locks from the same brand, while Sold Secure ratings are usually best for comparing different brands.

However, the table below gives a rough indication of how the different brands’ security ratings compare to each other and to the Sold Secure ratings. Note that these comparisons are approximate, as different organisations test and rate product security in different ways.

Read on to find out more about the security ratings of individual brands.

Trelock bike locks work with a so-called parking meter scale, consisting of security levels 1–6.

The longer you park your bike for, the higher the safety level you should go for. A rating of 4–6 is recommended for leaving your bike anywhere overnight, in order to optimally protect against theft.

Locks with security level 1 or 2 are mostly cable locks or spiral cable locks. Some examples are the KS 106 and the SK 210. The folding lock FS 580 (security level 5; Sold Secure Gold) and the chain lock BC 680 (security level 6; Sold Secure Gold) offer a particularly high level of security. The UL range of U-locks, available in security levels 4 to 6, is also popular.

As with AXA, Abus locks have 15 different security levels.

If you usually park your bike in a rural area, village or small town in quiet places during the day, a basic lock with security level 1–4 is sufficient. For example, the Abus Combiloop 205 cable lock.

If your bike is parked outside unattended for a long time at night, you should think about a lock with security level 5–9. The Abus Centuro 860/85 cable lock is rated at security level 7 (though Sold Secure only gives it Bronze).

If you park your bike in the big city, in particularly lively places for long periods of time or even at night, a bike lock level from 10 to 15 is recommended. Use this safety level especially if your bike has a very high value. A particularly secure Abus U-lock is the Abus Granit X-Plus 540, with the highest security level, 15, and a Diamond rating from Sold Secure.

XLC ratings

XLC bike locks, like those from Kryptonite, are available in 10 different security levels. However, in contrast to Kryptonite, there is an additional distinction between levels 4–5 and 6 at the medium security level.

The simplest bike locks from XLC have security levels 1–3. A common lock here is the XLC coil cable lock.

With medium-security locks, a distinction is made between levels 4–5 and level 6. With a level 4 or 5 lock, it’s not possible to secure your bike to a lamppost, fence or street sign. This security level is suitable for bicycles with only a minimally increased risk of theft.

From security level 6, your bike can also be connected to lampposts, etc. If your bike is at an increased risk of theft due to its value or location, XLC recommends at least security level 6.

A distinction is also made between levels 7–8 and 9–10 within the highest security level. Level 7 or 8 locks reliably protect against theft, preventing quick opening with light tools. Level 9 or 10 locks usually prevents a break-in completely, as the lock is very difficult to crack even with heavy, specialised tools and ample time.

From security levels 6 to 9, the XLC Cosa Nostra Plus chain locks, available in various diameters, are very popular options to protect your bike against theft.