Tips to Prevent Your Bike from Getting Stolen

Although not a high-security device, a lightweight immobilizer is ideal for cafe stops as it's small and very transportable. Breaking it would be simple, but for quick stops where your bike is in sight it's a handy gizmo. Bike theft is nearly always an opportunist crime, so never leave your bike without locking it.

It may also be worth investing in a frame-fitted immobilizer (or loop lock), which loops around the wheels to prevent the bike from being ridden away. It is common in Europe and is favored by numerous British police bike squads for their own steeds.

Cheap locks

A cheap lock is better than no lock. So, do you get what you pay for? The answer of course is that there's an awful lot of margin in a lock -mainly for the shops. Most come out of China with a unit price in pence. Most of us wouldn't expect much from a cheap lock but bump up the price and, well, it might be okay... At least most of the expensive locks work and their manufacturers can part justify the cost in terms of covering their R&D budgets and building their brands. And bike thieves are branding conscious too. An Abus or Kryptonite logo can be as much of a deterrent as the actual lock.

What to buy

There are three things to bear in mind when buying portable security devices: first, you get what you pay for. Cheap locks offer cheap security: most are little more than a visual deterrent, which is not to say no deterrent (a cheap lock is better than no lock) but should a dedicated bike thief take an interest in your bike, say goodbye to it.

Second, cable locks that are light enough to be portable are also light enough to be broken - easily. Only use them in conjunction with a good U-lock to secure extra bits of the bike or stuff like your helmet.

Three, less is NOT more. Unlike most other bike accessories the performance of a cycle security device increases in proportion to its weight. So when it comes to portable locks it's a trade-off between how much peace of mind you want and how much metal you are prepared to lug around.

Sold Secure

Many manufacturers have their own security ratings and these can be a useful indicator of the expected level of performance. Even better, though, is a Sold Secure rating. Most of the major lock makers now submit their products for testing by Sold Secure: an independent non-profit-making organization, which was originally set up by Essex and Northumbrian Police with the backing of the Home Office, and is now administered by the Master Locksmiths Association which test the locks and certify them. There are three levels of Sold Secure rating: Cold, Silver and Bronze, which denote the length of time a lock will hold out against escalating levels of attack. A Bronze rating indicates that a lock will hold out for one minute of attack using basic tools; a Silver rating denotes three minutes against more sophisticated weapons; and a Gold rating shows that the lock will last five minutes against a full tool list as used by the dedicated/ professional thief. Gold rated locks can be more expensive but it is worth noting that some cycle insurers will insist on a Sold Secure Gold rated lock as a condition of their cycle insurance.

The largest manufacturers also have their locks accredited in other countries - the German and Dutch standards are both particularly worth looking for.

What else to look for

Warranty: an extended warranty is always good. It's not going to cover you against theft but it should be a sign that the lock won't fall apart or seize up on you.

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Anti-theft guarantee: basically a form of insurance pioneered by Kryptonite. These inevitably bump up the price, but they definitely add peace of mind to the package.

Will it fit? There's no point buying a shackle lock that is too small to go around your bike. On the other hand, too big means you are going to have difficulty filling the shackle, and it's going to be awkward to carry around. A longer shackle should be easier to twist, easier still if it isn't filled.