Bikmo bike lock choice

Our cycle insurance partner Bikmo shares their tips for choosing a bike lock to keep your bike safe and sound on your travels.

D locks come in many different sizes, materials, toughness ratings, and price ranges, so choosing the best D lock for your bike can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. 

That's why our insurance partner Bikmo has written this blog to help you decide which D lock to buy, and why it matters when it comes to insurance.

Why choose a D lock over other types of lock?

The first line of defence against the nightmare of bike theft is a solid and dependable bike D lock. D locks, or U locks, are similar to a traditional padlock, resembling the letter ‘D’ when the retaining bar is locked in place.

The D lock comes out on top because of its:

• strength - a Gold standard D lock is often stronger than a cable lock
• portability - compact and easy to carry in a bag or on a bike
• weight - lighter than most other locks

The second line of defence is knowing how to lock your bike properly, so thieves can’t make away with your frame and leave you with a sorry-looking wheel. 

How to use a D lock

The downside of the D lock shape is that it can only fit around thin racks and on-street lamp posts.

That’s why most come with a cable to secure the wheels as well as the frame. The cable is easier to cut with hand tools that fit in your pocket however, so always make sure you secure your bike frame to an immovable object rack (and not just the wheels) as a bare minimum. 

The best option if you have space and a big enough ‘U’ on the lock is to secure your frame and a wheel to the rack. 

If you’re securing your bike at home outside overnight or for long periods, a heavy chain and Gold or Diamond-rated mini D lock will offer the highest protection, as long as it’s secured to a Sold Secure-rated ground anchor. 

Sold Secure is the premier testing and certification house for security products. As such, Bikmo and most insurance companies use their ratings system as a minimum requirement for a lock used to secure a bike 'away from home'.

For more information on this, check out Bikmo’s blog: Top 3 tips for locking your bikes.

Tip: If you’re looking at buying a lock and don't know if it’s suitable for purpose (or if you want to check the rating of your existing bike lock), you can check using the Sold Secure Approved Product Search.

There are some main players in the bike security market, and Kryptonite and ABUS locks feature heavily in the Bikmo list of the best bike D locks for 2024. 

D locks with a Bronze Sold Secure rating will cover bikes on a Bikmo policy (and, we believe, those of most other insurance providers) up to the value of £250. However, you can usually find a Silver- or Gold-rated lock offering better protection for a little more in cost, so it’s worth shopping around. If you do choose Bronze, this is Bikmo’s pick:

Kryptonite Original Keeper D-Lock - RRP £19.99
Weight: 1.09kg 
Dimensions: 4” x 8” (10.2cm x 20.3cm)
4/10 Security Rating

This is an affordable D lock with a compromise on strength for low to moderate crime areas. The 12mm hardened steel shackle on the Kryptonite Original Keeper D lock will resist the hand tools in the pocket of the opportunistic thief. Get the Kryptonite Original Keeper D lock at Halfords for £19.99.

D locks with a Silver Sold Secure rating will cover bikes on a Bikmo policy (and, we believe, those of most other insurance providers) up to the value of £1,500 new. You can usually find Gold-rated locks for the same price or a little more, so it’s always worth seeing if you can get more protection for your budget. This is Bikmo’s top pick of the Silver-rated locks:

Kryptonite Keeper 12 (The new Keeper) - RRP £29.99 
Weight: 1.09kg
Dimensions: 10.2cm x 20.3cm
5/10 Security Rating

The Kryptonite Keeper 12 (with Silver Sold Secure rating) features a new hardened double deadbolt design, with anti-rotation resist against twist as well as handheld tools. Get the Kryptonite Keeper 12 on Amazon for £30.89.

D locks with a Gold or Platinum Sold Secure rating will cover bikes on a Bikmo policy (and, we believe, those of most other insurance providers) over the value of £1,500 new. These are Bikmo’s top picks for these strengths of lock:

Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit - RRP £119.99 
Weight: 2.06kg
Dimensions: 8.3cm x 15.3cm
Security Rating: 10/10

The New York Fahgettaboudit is the strongest D lock made by Kryptonite and scores 10/10 on their security rating. The 18mm hardened max-performance steel shackle and small ‘U’ area resists bolt cutters and leverage attacks, and is pick and drill resistant. 

The oversized, ultra-strong crossbar uses Kryptonite’s patented hardened steel sleeve and offers double security; it comes with three keys (which you can register for replacements in case you lose them). The Fahgettaboudit lock comes in a mini size or you can get the Kryptonite New York Standard lock, which is also Gold-rated. Get the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini on Amazon for £108.98, and get the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Standard from Halfords for £109.99.

Kryptonite Evolution - RRP £69.99
Weight: 1.59kg
Dimensions: 10.2cm x 22.9cm
8/10 Security Rating

The Kryptonite Evolution D lock is Bikmo's second best pick in the best Gold and Diamond standard D locks, featuring a 14mm hardened max-performance steel shackle and patent-pending hardened double deadbolt design for additional protection against twist attacks. The new smaller crossbar design is a bit more portable than the New York, and you get three keys with this lock too that you can register in the Key Safe Program. Get the Kryptonite Evolution D lock on Amazon for £46.28.

Hiplok DX - RRP £79.99
Weight: 1.1kg
Dimensions: 8.5cm x 15cm
Security Rating: Maximum 

Now Diamond-rated, the Hiplok DX D lock is the Hiplok D’s maximum-security upgrade. This compact D lock is super portable, using the same patented CLIP+RIDE system to clip onto belts and bag straps, and a 14mm premium hardened steel shackle and anti-rotation locking system has withstood the toughest of attacks to gain the highest Sold Secure rating. Get the Hiplok DX lock from Halfords for £74.99.