How to Choose a Bike Lock: Matching Security to Your Bike, Where You Park and How Long You Leave It
The right bike lock isn’t the most expensive one, or the heaviest. It’s the one that matches what your bike is worth, where you leave it and for how long, and that you’ll actually carry every time you ride. Get that balance right and you make your bike a much harder target than the one parked next to it.
This guide walks through the main lock types, what the Sold Secure ratings on the packaging mean, and how to lock up properly. Every lock we mention is one we currently list, with prices correct at the time of writing.
Start with three questions
- What is the bike worth? A £300 hybrid and a £4,000 e-bike don’t need the same level of protection. A common rule of thumb is to spend around 10% of the bike’s value on security.
- Where will you leave it? A busy railway station rack, a town-centre high street and a café where you can see the bike through the window are very different risks.
- For how long? Five minutes while you grab a coffee is not the same as all day while you’re at work, or overnight.
The longer, the more often and the less watched the bike is, the higher up the security scale you should go.
What Sold Secure ratings mean
Sold Secure is an independent UK test house that attacks locks with tools and grades them on how long they hold out. For bicycle locks, the Pedal Cycle grades run Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond, with Diamond the toughest. The rating applies to the lock itself, so an extra cable sold in the same box isn’t necessarily covered.
It’s also worth checking your home or cycle insurance. Many policies set a minimum standard of lock for theft claims away from home, and the wording matters, so read it before you buy.
U-locks: the everyday choice for most riders
A U-lock (also called a D-lock) is a solid hardened-steel shackle. It’s rigid, so it’s hard to lever or cut, and it’s the lock we recommend most for day-to-day use. The trade-off is that it only fits around fairly narrow objects, so check the size against the stands you normally use.
The Oxford Sentry 2.0 U-Lock (£26.99) has a 13mm shackle, a weatherproof key barrel shield and a Sold Secure Pedal Cycle Silver rating. It’s a strong starting point for commuting and shopping trips.
If you want to secure a quick-release front wheel or saddle too, the Oxford Sentry Duo U-Lock 320mm + Cable (£36.99) pairs a Silver-rated 12mm shackle with an extender cable. Oxford is clear that the cable isn’t part of the Sold Secure approval, so treat it as protection for parts, not the main lock.
Prefer not to carry keys? The Oxford Combi Shackle 12 (£29.99) is a 320mm U-lock with a resettable four-digit combination and a carry bracket.
Folding locks: U-lock strength that’s easier to carry
Folding locks use hardened steel plates joined by rivets. They pack down small enough to sit on the frame, then open out to wrap around thicker posts and railings that a U-lock won’t reach.
The Oxford LinkLock GL (£89.99) is rated Sold Secure Pedal Cycle Gold and has a 900mm perimeter. It’s a good match for pricier bikes and e-bikes that get left in public, and its carry pouch fits most frames.
Chain locks: maximum security, best kept at home
Heavy chains are the toughest locks you can buy, but they’re also the heaviest. Most riders keep a big chain at home or at work, where it never has to be carried, and use a lighter lock on the go.
The Oxford Chain 12 Chain & Padlock (£79.99) is a 12mm square-link chain, 1.5m long, with a cloth sleeve to protect paintwork and a concealed-shackle padlock. It carries Sold Secure Pedal Cycle Diamond, the top grade.
For lighter, quieter carrying, the Acid Corvid C100 (£26.95) is a 1m combination chain lock with a textile sleeve and rubberised lock body, designed not to rattle or scratch your frame. We’d use it for shorter stops rather than all-day parking.
Cable locks: light, flexible and best as a second lock
Cables are light and long, which makes them handy for looping through wheels or locking up for a moment outside the shop. They’re much easier to cut than solid steel, though, so on their own they’re best for quick, watched stops or as a partner to a U-lock.
- The Oxford Barrier Armoured Cable (£24.99) is a 25mm, 1.4m cable with an armoured layer over its steel core, plus a key replacement service.
- The Oxford Combi 15 (£22.99) is a self-coiling 1.5m combination cable with a quick-release carry bracket.
How to lock your bike properly
- Lock the frame, not just a wheel, to something solid and fixed that can’t be lifted over or unbolted.
- Fill the lock. The less space left inside a U-lock, the harder it is to get a tool or jack in.
- Keep the lock off the ground, where it can be braced and hit.
- Use two different types of lock for longer stays, such as a U-lock plus a cable or chain. A thief then needs two different tools.
- Choose busy, well-lit spots and, where you can, park near other bikes with better locks than yours.
- Take quick-release items with you: lights, bags, computers and, on many e-bikes, the display or battery if it’s designed to come off.
- Register and record your bike. Note the frame number, keep a photo and your receipt, and consider registering it with a police-supported scheme such as BikeRegister, which helps get recovered bikes back to their owners.
Securing your bike at home
Sheds and garages are a common target, so it’s worth giving your bike a fixed point to lock to there too. The Oxford Anchor 10 Ground & Wall Anchor (£24.99) is a hardened-steel anchor that bolts into a suitable floor or wall, with its fixings hidden once a lock is in place. It’s Sold Secure Pedal Cycle Silver approved and takes Oxford chains up to 14mm, so it pairs naturally with the Chain 12 above.
A quick match-up
| Your situation | What we’d suggest |
|---|---|
| Quick, watched stops on a lower-value bike | A cable or light chain such as the Combi 15 or Corvid C100 |
| Daily commute or shopping trips | A Silver-rated U-lock such as the Sentry 2.0, plus a cable for the wheels |
| Expensive bike or e-bike left in public | A Gold-rated lock such as the LinkLock GL, ideally with a second lock |
| Overnight at home, in a shed or garage | A Diamond-rated chain such as the Chain 12 with a ground or wall anchor |
You’ll find the full range, from small cable locks to heavy chains, in our bike locks collection. If you’re buying a commuter bike through salary sacrifice, our Cycle to Work guide explains how locks and other accessories can be part of the same package.
Get the right lock for your bike
Bring your bike in and we’ll check which locks fit your frame and the bracket mounts, show you how each one works and help you pick the right level of security for how you ride. We stock locks at every price point, from quick-stop cables to Diamond-rated chains.
Visit Les’s Cycles, 365 Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JQ, call 01268 695877 or email sales@lescycles.co.uk.