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This page explains what governing bodies, standards bodies and road authorities publish. It is not a substitute for cycle training from a qualified instructor, for a qualified bike mechanic, or for medical advice.
Who sets the rating
One lock rating used in the UK comes from Sold Secure. In its own description, it was set up in 1992 by Northumbria Police and Essex Police with Home Office backing, and is now owned and run by the Master Locksmiths Association, a not-for-profit trade association, with test laboratories in Rugby. It says it writes its test specifications with the police, insurers and industry bodies. These are Sold Secure's statements about itself; we did not research other lock testing schemes, so this guide does not cover them.
The four pedal cycle grades
Sold Secure calls its bicycle lock ratings "Pedal Cycle" ratings. It says they were named "Bicycle" until 2022, when the name changed with no change to the ratings. From lowest to highest, it describes them like this:
| Grade | What Sold Secure says it is for | How Sold Secure says it is tested |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | Deterring opportunistic theft during short stops | A short attack with one easily concealed hand tool |
| Silver | Resisting more determined thieves | An enhanced list of tools |
| Gold | Resisting dedicated thieves; for high-value bikes or high-risk areas such as big cities | Heavy-duty tools |
| Diamond | Its highest pedal cycle grade | An extended list of heavier tools, including power tools, and machine-based testing |
Sold Secure's own pages do not say how long each attack lasts. A press summary gives times per grade, but we could not open it or confirm the figures with Sold Secure, so we leave them out.
E-bikes: the powered cycle rating
Sold Secure also rates locks for powered cycles. It says its Pedal Cycle Diamond test and its Powered Cycle Gold test use the same tools, attack methods and time limits, and it recommends a lock with a powered cycle rating for an e-bike. The e-bike batteries and fire safety page covers what fire services and regulators say about e-bikes more widely.
Insurers and the database
Sold Secure says insurers often name a required grade in their policy documents. A policy's own wording, not a general statement, decides what a particular insurer asks for. Sold Secure also says its product database is updated daily, and that products which no longer meet a grade have their rating amended, so a grade printed on old packaging can be checked against the current listing.
Lock types
Sold Secure's product categories name D-locks (also called U-locks), chain locks, cable locks, folding locks, disc locks and ground anchors. We did not find an independent source comparing the types, so this guide does not rank them. Each lock's grade is listed product by product.
What a rating does not say
- A grade reports a laboratory attack test under defined conditions. Nothing we read from Sold Secure promises that a lock cannot be defeated.
- A grade is about the lock, not about what it is locked to or how; this guide gives no advice on locking technique.
- Ratings can change, as Sold Secure says products that no longer meet a grade are amended.
Our picks by category
Bike locks
For commuters, shoppers and anyone who parks a bike in public. A Sold Secure grade on the packaging can be matched to the use Sold Secure describes: Bronze for short stops against opportunistic theft, Gold for high-value bikes or high-risk areas, Diamond as its highest pedal cycle grade. For an e-bike, Sold Secure recommends a lock with its powered cycle rating. If the bike is insured, the policy wording decides which grade is required.
Best for: Every rider who leaves a bike out of sight