Bike lock: D-lock, folding, chain or frame
Choose a bike lock according to the value of the bike, where it stays parked and for how long. A high-security D-lock or folding lock serves as your main lock, a chain wraps around thick anchor points and a frame lock immobilises the rear wheel during short stops. To compare, rely on independent ratings such as Sold Secure rather than on manufacturers' scales alone.
Which bike lock for which bike and which parking spot?
- The café stop on a road or gravel ride: a light lock, cable or mini folding lock, deters the opportunist during a stop where you keep the bike in sight, without weighing down your pocket.
- The daily commute: a certified D-lock or folding lock for the day at the office, backed up by a frame lock for quick errands.
- The e-bike or cargo bike parked for a long time: two locks of different designs, a D-lock combined with a chain of at least 10 mm, or an angle grinder resistant model, attached to a solid fixed object.
- The mountain bike at a trailhead or on a bike rack: a long cable and a thin chain link several bikes together or to the rack during a break.
D-lock, folding, chain, cable or frame lock: the strengths of each type
For the same weight, the D-lock, also called a U-lock, provides the highest resistance, all the more so when its shackle is thick and its opening small. The folding lock, made of hinged plates, stores compactly on the frame and unfolds around wider stands. The sleeved chain, heavier, wraps around posts and railings; you carry it across your body or in a bag. The cable, easy to cut, is only a complement, for the front wheel or the saddle. The frame lock, fixed near the rear wheel, locks in one movement and often accepts a chain that plugs into its lock.
Two options strengthen protection: an audible alarm, built into some D-locks and folding locks, goes off when someone tampers with the lock; angle grinder resistant locks combine treated steel with a composite material designed to slow down the disc of an angle grinder.
Security ratings: what they prove
Manufacturers' scales, from 1 to 15 at Abus or from 1 to 10 at Kryptonite, compare models within the same brand. Independent certifications let you compare brands with each other.
In the UK and Ireland, the reference is Sold Secure, a British testing and certification house that rates bicycle locks Bronze, Silver, Gold or Diamond, from the lowest level to the highest. If your insurance covers theft, read the level of lock required in your policy before buying.
Locking your bike properly and keeping it traceable
Pass the lock through the frame and a wheel, around a fixed stand or a post that it cannot slide off. Fill the free space inside the shackle with the bike and the fixed object to prevent the use of a lever, and keep the lock away from the ground. Note your bike's frame number, keep the invoice and register the bike with a bike registration scheme where one exists: it makes it easier to return a recovered bike to its owner.
Lighting and safety equipment
A well-protected bike also needs to be well seen: bike lights and reflective accessories complete the equipment, and mirrors and bells make riding in town easier. Bike locks are also presented by type in the bike locks category, and everything together in safety and visibility.
Bike lock brands
Abus, a German lock manufacturer, rates its locks from 1 to 15: the Granit range sits at the top of the scale, and the Bordo folding lock comes with a frame mount or a built-in alarm, like the Bordo Alarm 6000KA.
Kryptonite, an American brand from Massachusetts, gives each lock a level from 1 to 10; its Evolution and New York series, in D-lock and chain form, are aimed at the most exposed parking spots.
Auvray, a French specialist in two-wheeler locks, offers its Xtrem range of D-locks and chains, D-locks with an alarm and anchor points to fix to a wall or the floor.
Seatylock designed the Foldylock Forever, the first folding lock rated Gold by Sold Secure, made of six sleeved plates of hardened steel.
Axa, a Dutch bike security specialist, made its name with the frame lock: the Solid Plus accepts a plug-in chain that locks into its own lock.
Hiplok protects its D1000 and DX1000 D-locks with a graphene composite, Ferosafe, designed to resist angle grinders; the D1000 is rated Diamond by Sold Secure.
Bike locks on sale
Black Friday arrives just in time to get equipped before the long winter evenings. Locks leaving the catalogue are offered in safety and visibility clearance, and the most recent models in new arrivals.
Frequently asked questions
Which bike lock should you choose for an e-bike?
Its value justifies a high-security main lock, rated Sold Secure Gold or Diamond or at the top of the manufacturer's scale. Add a second lock of a different design. Remove the battery and the display when you park for a long time, and lock the battery left on the bike with its own key.
Do insurers require an approved lock?
Some policies make compensation conditional on an approved lock, sometimes with a minimum rating. Check the exact reference of the lock, because certification is awarded model by model, and keep the invoice.
How do you change the code on a combination lock?
On most resettable models, the code is changed with the lock open, using a lever or a reset button described in the instructions. Some codes are fixed and cannot be changed: check this before buying if you share the lock.
Is a cable lock enough to protect a bike?
No, a cable can be cut in a few seconds with simple cutters. It complements a D-lock or a chain to secure the front wheel or the saddle, or protects a bike during a very short stop where you keep it in sight.
Why register or mark your bike?
Marking links a unique identifier engraved or stuck on the frame to your contact details, recorded in a database. After a theft, a recovered bike can then be returned to its owner, and the identifier makes resale harder.
