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Sold Secure Bike Locks Explained

When you buy any type of bike, e-bike or motorcycle security, we always recommend you look for Sold Secure rated products. With the changes made to Sold Secure ratings in 2023, people often ask us what the ratings mean, and how to know what level is right for them. This article will take a dive into the world of Sold Secure, explaining exactly what it is, and giving you a good idea of what you need to look for in your next Sold Secure bike lock.

What Does Sold Secure Mean?

To give you a brief introduction, Sold Secure is the premier British testing and certification body for all security products. They work with the home office, police and insurers to set the industry standards for security product testing with the ratings Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond. Their purpose is to rate how tough security products are and make that information available to the customer.

How Does Sold Secure Rate Products To A Bronze, Silver, Gold And Diamond Standard ?

The short answer is lots and lots of testing. Products are rigorously tested against various standards and graded based on their resistance to a range of attacks. Their testing methods involve using all the latest tools and techniques used by thieves, giving each product an accurate rating of how they fare in real world situations. Only products which have been assessed to a satisfactory level are allowed to show the Sold Secure approved quality mark. For example, you can trust that a Sold Secure Diamond bike lock has been put through a very high level of testing, and come away with top marks.

Why Does Sold Secure Matter?

When buying a security product, be it a bike lock, motorcycle lock, or home security product, you’ll want to make sure what you’re buying has been certified and is fit for the task. If Sold Secure didn’t exist, it would be very hard to tell how tough each security product is, and what situations they should be used for. When you see a Squire product with the Sold Secure logo on it, you can be confident that what you’re buying is a quality product.

Another reason to choose a Sold Secure approved product is for insurance purposes. Many insurance companies will specify you use an approved product as part of their terms and conditions.

Generally, a lock rated by Sold Secure will offer a good level of resistance against lock picking, lock manipulation, drilling, cutting, bolt croppers, wedging and pulling, as well as angle grinders at the highest level of certification.

What Does Each Rating Mean?

The changes made to Sold Secure in 2023 introduced two new terms; “Pedal Cycle” and “Powered Cycle”. Pedal Cycle is the same as the old “Bicycle” category, essentially just referring to regular bicycles, be it road bikes, folding bikes, Dutch bikes, etc. 

“Powered Cycle” now refers to any two wheel vehicle powered with a motor. This encompasses e-bikes, motorcycles, mopeds and dirt bikes. There are also categories for home defence and other security purposes.

Each category contains ratings from Bronze to Diamond, which describes the level of security the lock provides. For example, a “Pedal Cycle Gold” rated product will be more resistant to attacks from thieves than a “Pedal Cycle Silver” product.

Because of the new change in categories splitting up e-bikes from pedal bikes, it’s no longer best to search for a “Sold Secure Diamond bike lock” or “Sold Secure Gold bike lock” when looking for your next bit of kit. Instead, try searching for Pedal or Powered Cycle rated locks, depending on the type of bike you have.

Take a look at the chart below for a summary of each Sold Secure Rating.

Sold Secure RatingDescriptionAttack Methods UsedExample Product
Pedal Cycle BronzeA good level of resistance against the opportunistic thief. For use as a deterrent in a low-risk area.1-minute attack with hand tools that can be concealed about the person.Folda FL/850
Pedal Cycle SilverA greater level of resistance against the more determined thief. For use in a medium-risk area.3-minute attack with a higher level of tools.Straplok™ 35/850
Pedal Cycle GoldA high level of resistance against the dedicated thief, For use in a high-risk area.  5-minute attack with an even higher level of tools.Hammerhead 290/10c
Pedal Cycle Diamond / Powered Cycle GoldAn extra high-security grade to deter the most dedicated attacks in the highest-risk environments.5-minute attack with an even higher level of tools, including some power tools and some machine-based testing alongside physical testing.Chainlok™ 10
Powered Cycle DiamondAn ultra-high security grade. For use in the highest risk areas to protect more expensive equipment.Same as Powered Cycle Gold, but with an even higher level of tools. Defiant®

To Conclude

At Squire, we display the Sold Secure logo on all our products which achieve it. We’re proud to have a range of bike and motorcycle locks which pass the rigorous testing that Sold Secure put them through. Hopefully, by reading this article, you now know what each rating means, and you’ll have a good idea of what to look out for when buying your next lock. You can check out our full list of approved products on the Sold Secure website, or look at Squire’s Sold Secure bike locks on our website. Stay safe.

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