Padlocks, chains and ground anchors carry stickers with metal names: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond. This article explains what those grades mean according to Sold Secure, the product-testing scheme behind them. All facts here come from Sold Secure’s own published pages (“About us”, “Sold Secure Ratings Explained”, “Pedal Cycle” ratings and “Why do we test?”), so they describe how the scheme presents itself; they are not an independent evaluation of it or of individual products. The scheme operates in the UK and the article is written for householders securing bicycles, sheds and garages. This is general information, not a product recommendation.
Who runs Sold Secure
Sold Secure says it was established in 1992 by Northumbria and Essex Police, with the backing of the Home Office, by combining two initiatives, Partnership Against Car Theft and Sold Secure. It says it is now owned and administered by the Master Locksmiths Association, a not-for-profit trade association, from a purpose-built laboratory in Rugby. It describes its work as assessing security products through manual attack testing, and says products that pass may carry its Approved quality mark. Its stated reason for testing is that manufacturers make many claims about security, and standard test specifications, developed with stakeholders such as police, insurers and industry bodies, give the public an understanding of how a product performs. The site’s explainer on Secured by Design covers a different police-backed scheme.
The four grades
Sold Secure says each grade shows how well a product resists specific threat levels and attack methods, and that products are certified according to how long they can withstand specific tools and common theft techniques such as bolt cropping or lock snapping, depending on the specification. It says not every specification has all four levels. Its general definitions are:
- Bronze: tested against a basic tool list, aimed at preventing opportunist crime, for a normal-risk environment.
- Silver: tested against an enhanced tool list, aimed at more determined thieves, for a higher-risk environment.
- Gold: tested against a dedicated tool list, aimed at dedicated attacks, for a high-risk environment.
- Diamond: the highest level, tested against a specialist tool list and aimed at the most destructive attacks that could include angle grinders.
It adds that not all product categories are tested to Diamond; the highest available rating for a smart lock, for example, is Gold.
Pedal cycle locks
For bicycles the scheme has its own page. It says pedal cycle products are rated Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze and describes the rating system as working like Olympic medals. Its pedal cycle definitions are:
- Bronze: a short attack with a single, easily concealed hand tool, suited to leaving a bike for a short time in a low-risk place such as a café or shop.
- Silver: an enhanced tool list, described as ideal for lower-value bikes in a medium-risk area such as a town centre.
- Gold: an extended attack with heavy-duty tools, suited to a high-value bike or a high-risk area such as a big city or university town.
- Diamond: an extended tool list including power tools and machine-based testing, for very high-value bikes in very high-risk areas.
The page says that for e-bikes, mopeds and scooters, a powered cycle rated lock is recommended, and that Pedal Cycle Diamond is equivalent to Powered Cycle Gold.
Sheds, garages and ground anchors
Sold Secure says a number of bicycles are stolen from insecure garden sheds or garages, and that it has tested ground anchors, shackles and security posts for this setting. Its approved product search lists specification categories that include ground anchors and security posts (Bronze, Gold and Diamond), padlocks and fittings (Bronze to Diamond), domestic buildings (Bronze and Silver), key safes (Silver and Gold), fencing and gates (Silver) and lock cylinders (including Diamond). One caution appears in its own text: extra cables that come attached to D shackles are described as accessories and are not covered by the approval, providing only minimal extra security for other items such as wheels. The guide to shed, garage and garden security covers wider layout and habits.
Insurance and the grade to buy
Sold Secure says that many insurers state that a Sold Secure rated lock must be used, and that it is a good idea to check with the insurer before buying because providers often specify the grade required. It says approved product information is circulated to Crime Prevention Officers, insurers, the media, the Home Office and the public, and recommends looking for the Sold Secure logo or checking its approved-product search when buying. The site’s article on BS3621 and insurer-approved locks covers the equivalent question for door locks.
What the grades do not say
The grade describes resistance to a defined list of tools for a defined time, in a laboratory. It does not describe how a lock is fitted, whether a bike is locked to something solid, or whether a thief will have tools beyond the list. A high-grade lock on a weak fixing is only as strong as the fixing.
Common questions
Is Diamond always the best choice?
Sold Secure says Diamond is the highest rating and recommends it for high-threat environments, while lower grades are described as suited to lower-risk places. The right grade depends on the value of the item, where it is kept and any insurer requirement.
The bottom line
Sold Secure’s Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond grades describe increasing resistance to defined lists of theft tools, and are run by a not-for-profit body owned by the Master Locksmiths Association. Householders protecting bikes, sheds and garages should match the grade to the risk, check the grade their insurer specifies, and remember the scheme’s own caution that accessory cables are not covered.