• Protector Security Chains - Range Overview **Video**
• The Ultimate Security Chains
• Mobile and Bicycle Security
• Magazine Awards
• Chain Lengths and Weights
• Security Approvals from Sold Secure and the Police
• Link Dimensions and Chain Concepts **Video**
• Noose Chains & Multi-Lock Options
• Important Advice - How to Use a Chain
• How to Fit the Lock to the Chain **Video**
• How to Choose the Right Length of Chain
• Chain Heat Treatment **Video**
• Buy online

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We offer a wide range of security chains, from portable but still tough chains typically for bicycles etc, right up through motorcycle security chains to military security chains! These are all made from high-grade alloy steel with specialist heat treatment and finishing done in the UK to our precise specifications. These are available individually and as Package Deals for the best pricing when bought in popular combinations. We also offer the Torc ground anchor, Double Doofer removable ground anchor, Shed Shackle and a wide range of padlocks.

Sold Secure and Police Approved: The Protector 11/13/16/19/22/25mm chains are all Sold Secure approved and accredited under the Police Secured-by-Design scheme. The Protector 16mm, 19mm and 22mm were the first high security chains to be genuinely Police-approved. We continue to lead the way with our wide range of top-quality chains and the independent approvals continue to prove that.

New: The Protector 25mm Titan Chain! Our Protector 22mm Titan chain was the first product to achieve the Sold Secure Motorcycle Diamond standard. It has now been superseded with the Protector 25mm Titan chain! Even tougher! Absolutely massive and only recommended for exceptional situations or where a succession of thefts have defeated lesser chains.

Protector chains are top of the tree according to Bennetts Insurance. Bennetts have done a lot of chain testing across many manufacturers and have created their own league table that shows how numerous products compare:
Click for the Bennetts league table.

Click for the Bennetts review of the new Protector 22mm Titan chain in conjunction with our RoundLock.
Click for the Bennetts review of the new Protector 22mm Titan chain in conjunction with the Squire SS80CS padlock.
(Protector 25mm TItan chain reveiws are pending publication by Bennetts.)

Click for the Bennetts review of the Protector 19mm chain in conjunction with the RoundLock.
Click for the Bennetts review of the Protector 19mm chain in conjunction with the Squire SS65CS-XLN padlock..

Click for the Bennetts review of the Protector 16mm chain in conjunction with the RoundLock.

Click for the Bennetts review of the Protector 13mm chain in conjunction with the DIB D-Lock.

RiDE Magazine Best Buy and Recommended awards for our Protector 19mm and Protector 16mm chains, respectively. More details below.

Video: Help on choosing the right chain: Protector Range Overview

The following video gives a quick visual overview of the whole Protector range of chains, from the ultimate Protector 22mm Titan chain, through to the Protector 11mm: (Updated video to be provided ASAP, to include the 25mm Titan chain.)

The Protector 16mm, 19mm and the 22mm and 25mm Titan chains are all guaranteed impossible to bolt crop by hand(*). A ground anchor/chain/lock combination is only as good as its weakest link (if you will forgive the pun!) and there are many inferior chains on the market. Be wary of chains that are described as "resistant" to bolt cropping.

We also offer the Protector 13mm and 11mm chains for situations where the largest chains are too big, too bulky, or simply unnecessary.

The Protector 11/13/16/19/22/25mmmm chains are all approved by the UK Police.

This page provides details on: the chain types & lengths available; link dimensions; how to choose the correct length; and how to fit the padlock to the chain.

(* - Impossible to bolt-crop by hand with standard manual croppers up to and including the Irwin Record 42".)

Protector 25mm Titan, 19mm and 16mm - The Ultimate Security Chains for the Most Demanding Applications

These high grade Protector 16mm, 19mm, 22mm Titan and 25mm Titan chains really are impossible to bolt-crop by hand. The thieves use Irwin Record 42" bolt croppers as their tool of choice. They are expensive, but of course they don't always buy them... The Protector 16mm and 19mm and 22mm and 25mm chains are all impossible to crop even with this powerful tool. Indeed, if you keep trying to crop one of these chains, it is likely to be the jaws of the bolt croppers that break! If you are considering a chain from another manufacturer, ask if they will guarantee it as impossible to crop with Irwin Record 42" bolt croppers. 

The Protector 16mm, 19mm and 22mm Titan and 25mm Titan are the highest-approved chains on the market, being the only ones that have Sold Secure Caravan Gold as well as Motorcycle/ATV/Motor Scooter/Bicycle/Commercial Vehicles & Plant/Car & Van, plus Sold Secure Motorcycle Diamond for the 22mm & 25mm TItan chains. This is a reflection of the high grade raw material we use and the heat treatment etc processes we have evolved over several years. You can't buy better! There are videos on the Internet showing inferior, invariably Far Eastern-produced, chains being cut in seconds with bolt croppers. You won't see our Protector 16mm or 19mm or 22mm or 25mm chains being bolt-cropped, guaranteed!

The Protector 19mm chain is way too big for the 42" bolt cropper jaws to get even the slightest grip and it is so chunky that we now have Squire manufacture a special "XLN" version of their top-of-the-range SS65CS padlock to fit this monster chain! Don't worry: Both Squire and Sold Secure have confirmed that this special variant provides exactly the same security level as the standard SS65CS padlock! We also produce a special variant of our own RoundLock - the RL21A - to suit our 19mm chain!

The Protector 22mm Titan and the 25mm Titan chains are bigger still.

Protector 19mm Chain Selected by the MoD: We are proud that the UK Ministry of Defence has purchased a large number of our Protector 19mm chains with the special Squire SS65CS locks for some very demanding security situations. They reported that they were "Extremely impressed with the superb quality of the chain". We are not at liberty to disclose more details...

Protector 19mm Chain Selected by NASA: We are proud to be supplying NASA with our Protector 19mm chain. We don't think there are problems with security on Mars, yet...

Thinking about a 14mm chain? There are some 14mm mid-link chains on the market but the ones we have seen use a square-ish section with minimum thickness actually only 12.0mm (the maximum on the diagonal is 15mm, but the thickness varies due to distortion of the material during link formation as well as due to the non-round section). We believe that round section chains are the hardest to cut with bolt-croppers as it is harder to get the initial 'nip'; once you get that you are virtually halfway through. All of our Protector range uses round-section steel. Anything that is not round makes it more vulnerable, in our opinion. Suppliers also seem reluctant to disclose the source of the material or spell out the weights of the 14mm chains. Perhaps this is not surprising as weight isn't massively different to our Protector 16mm long-link chain, so why compromise?! If you really want to stop bolt croppers, you should use a 16mm chain as a minimum.

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Mobile and Bicycle Security

Mobile security has different priorities as it is often impractical to carry heavy locks/chains. Remember that over 80% of bike thefts occur from the home so security at home should generally be the first priority.

However, there are situations where the 16mm or larger chains and the locks that go with them are simply too bulky or too heavy. This is why we also supply Protector 13mm and 11mm long link chains. These are not as secure as the larger chains but they are by far the best of the rest. They are easier to handle and you can use a lighter-weight lock. Another option can be to use a short chain perhaps with the one or more of our DIB-Series D-Locks. Our DIB D-Locks and our 13mm and thicker chains all offer motorcycle-grade security. Some people like to use a motorcycle-grade D-Lock with our 11mm chain. The 11mm is not officially motorcycle-rated but it boosts the deterrent provided by the D-Lock significantly whilst keeping the weight more manageable.

Bicycle security is also frequently better handled with the 13mm and 11mm chains and/or a good quality D-Lock. The 16mm and larger chains will not always fit through the spokes of bicycle wheels and it is easy to damage a bicycle frame with a heavy lock. The lighter chains and smaller locks are generally better suited for bicycles and various medium-value items. However, high-value bicycles (e.g. £5,000+) are in the same theft realm as motorcycles and thus motorcycle-grade security does definitely become relevant. The DIB D-Locks can be useful for portable security at that level for bicycles such as this, either locked to a solid piece of the scenery or in conjunction with a chain, and these D-Locks can also provide a high level of security back at home, often paired with a heavier chain. Several customers choose to arrange something like a shelf bracket fitted to a wall above the bike(s) to take the weight of e.g. a 19mm chain, thus helping to alleviate concerns about damage to the bike. Chains larger than 16mm would normally only be worth considering for extreme risk situations for bicycles, such as where there has been previous theft(s).

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Magazine Awards

RiDE Magazine Best Buy and Recommended awards for our Protector 19mm and Protector 16mm chains, respectively. RiDE Magazine March 2014, Locks & Chains Product Test. RiDE Magazine's product test awarded a prestigious Best Buy for the Protector 19mm chain and Squire SS65CS-XLN lock for "its mix of usability and security", saying "This is a lock set good enough to be issued to the Ministry of Defence." "First stage attacks didn't touch the chain or the lock. Our mechanical attacks did get through eventually but had to make a lot of noise for some time in order to do so." The Protector 16mm gained a Recommended award "because it offers nearly as much security at the 19mm chains but being smaller it is easier to use and to insert through bikes and ground anchors."

What Mountain Bike "Beat the Thieves": Protector 13mm and Squire SS50CS: WINNER! 5/5 "Massively strong against any tools, but its weight means it's for home use only. After five minutes almost every tool we threw at it was well worn but the 2m chain withstood them all. The chain also beat our 5 minute power tool attack." What Mountain Bike September 2011, p69

Cycling Plus Magazine "Toughest Security Test Ever": Our Protector chains and Torc ground anchor are awarded Best Buys and Editor's Choice. "After five minutes almost every tool we threw at the Protector was well worn but the chain withstood them all. Massively strong. 10 out of 10 Best Buy" [Protector 13mm]; "At less than £100 this stands head and shoulders above its competitors; at under £50 it's simply astonishingly good value. Hands down the best chain you can buy for less than £50. 10 out of 10 Best Buy" [Protector 11mm, 1.2m, M50D lock] Cycling Plus, October 2010, p74

What Mountain Bike Magazine Awards our Protector Chains 5/5 in Mammoth Lock Test: The Protector13mm with the Squire SS50CS lock was the top-rated lock/chain on test, and the only one to resist hand and power tool attacks for the entire duration of the test. "This chain is awesome: the jaws of our croppers bent and blunted while the links showed almost no marking at all" "The toughest chain on test, and at a very reasonable price." The Protector 11mm chain with M50D lock was described as "Made of the same tough stuff, this is the best chain you can buy for under £50." (WhatMTB November 2009, p92)

Cycling Plus awards 10/10 Best Buy for the Protector range of chains! (Cycling Plus June 2008)

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Chain Lengths and Weights

Beware that our 16mm and larger chains are quite weighty - they are a fantastic deterrent to even professional thieves, but not suitable for all applications as a result of their size. The picture below gives you an idea of the size and thickness of the links of the Protector 11mm, 13mm, 16mm and 19mm chains, compared with a 50p coin. The 11mm chain is at the bottom right; 13mm bottom left; 16mm top left, and the 19mm is at the top right of the photo. (Please ignore the colour of the sleeves - colours do vary - most chains are now supplied with a bronze-coloured sleeve.) (**New image pending, to show the comparison including the 25mm Titan chain!**)

The following table shows the weights per metre for each of the Protector chains and the normal maximum length we can supply:

Chain	Weight per Metre	Max Length
Protector 25mm Titan Long Link	11.0kg	2.4m
Protector 19mm Long Link	6.3kg	6.2m
Protector 16mm Long Link	4.5kg	6.2m
Protector 13mm Long Link	2.9kg	6.2m
Protector 11mm Long Link	2.1kg	6.2m

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Security Approvals

Sold Secure is an independent British security testing and approvals organisation that awards Gold standard to the highest security products, with Silver and Bronze for lower grade products. Motorcycle Gold is a higher rating than Bicycle Gold; Caravan Gold is a higher rating than Motorcycle Gold. The Protector chains have been granted the approval ratings shown below.

Sold Secure Chain Ratings: The Sold Secure test regime has been updated to take account of the higher ratings achieved by the 16mm chains so many previously Motorcycle Gold-rated products have not achieved that level when re-tested. Be wary of chains that were granted Motorcycle Gold status prior to 2008 - a recent re-test is the only way to be confident of the grading relative to the current standard. We recommend that you use the best chain that is practical and affordable for your situation, bearing in mind the type of attack that is common for the items that you are protecting. Any application where boltcropping is a common form of attack should use a 16mm chain as a minimum.

Customer Comment: "Guys at our work had to move all our bikes to a new compound and they cut everyone's chains in order to do that. Everyone's except my Protector 13mm, that is, where they obviously decided it was easier to cut the Sheffield stand it was attached to instead!"

Chain	Security Approval
Protector 25mm Titan	Sold Secure Motorcycle/Caravan/ATV/Motor Scooter/Bicycle/Commercial Vehicles/Car & Van Gold Police Preferred Specification Sold Secure Motorcyle ("Powered Cycle") Diamond
Protector 22mm	Sold Secure Motorcycle/Caravan/ATV/Motor Scooter/Bicycle/Commercial Vehicles/Car & Van Gold Police Preferred Specification Sold Secure Motorcyle Diamond - The first product to gain the new Diamond approval!
Protector 19mm	Sold Secure Motorcycle/Caravan/ATV/Motor Scooter/Bicycle/Commercial Vehicles/Car & Van Gold Police Preferred Specification
Protector 16mm	Sold Secure Motorcycle/Caravan/ATV/Motor Scooter/Bicycle/Commercial Vehicles/Car & Van Gold Police Preferred Specification
Protector 13mm	Sold Secure Motorcycle/Bicycle Gold (see below) Police Preferred Specification
Protector 11mm	Sold Secure Bicycle Gold/Motor Scooter Silver Police Preferred Specification

The Protector 13mm chain has been regraded as Motorcycle Gold in the 2018 annual audit at Sold Secure and this means it should officially satisfy insurance company requirements for motorcycle security (we always recommend checking with your own insurer to be sure). However, we still recommend that you use a minimum of a 16mm chain to secure a motorcycle at home, for instance. The 13mm can be excellent as a carry chain, where weight prevents the use of larger chains, but a thief may often have more time and less chance of detection if he is attempting to steal a bike from inside a garage at home, for example. You should always use the best deterrent that is practical and affordable for your individual situation.

Police Approval: The Protector 11/13/16/19/22mm chains are all accredited under the UK Police Secured-by-Design initiative. They are all Police Preferred Specification.

We have our Sold Secure and Secured-by-Design certificates available online so you can print your own copies, should you need them to prove certification for your insurance company etc.

Thatcham is another independent test organisation that is used by some vendors. We respect Thatcham gradings on alarms, immobilisers and similar devices. We do not regard them anywhere near as good as Sold Secure for physical attack testing, such as is appropriate on locks & chains. Some organisations have commercial reasons for using Thatcham (such as a higher profile in other countries), whereas some revert to Thatcham when a product is unable to achieve Sold Secure certification.

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Link Dimensions and Design

This video explains key concepts in how we describe our security chains, including chain 'gauge' or 'bar diameter', link 'pitch' and Long Link vs. Short Link. The jargon can be confusing so this should help:

All of the 11mm through 19mm Protector chains plus the 25mm Titan chain are all long-link designs so there is no need for a special elongated end link.

Beware that the largest chains here are too big to fit many 'ordinary' ground anchors. The 19mm and smaller chains fit all our ground anchors, but the 25mm will only fit the Torc Mega anchor plus the Sub Major out of our range, for example. Note that the 25mm is not recommended with the Maxi as it is very tight fit and manufacturing tolerances mean it is unwise to expect it to fit.

Chain	Gauge or Bar Diameter (D)	Internal Length or Pitch (P)	Internal Width (W)
Protector 25mm Titan Long Link	25mm	140mm	40mm
Protector 22mm Titan Short Link	22mm	66mm	34mm
Protector 19mm Long Link	19mm	100mm	25-33mm
Protector 16mm Long Link	16mm	100mm	30-32mm
Protector 13mm Long Link	13mm	80mm	22mm
Protector 11mm Long Link	11mm	64mm	20mm

The Protector 25mm Titan chain has the following link dimensions (nominal): 190 x 90mm outside; 140 x 40mm inside, throughout its length (an elongated end link is not required). It is constructed from 25mm diameter bar. The sleeve is usually a bronze colour (adding about 4mm maximum to the width noted above). Un-sleeved chains are available for plant security and other typically outdoor/muddy applications.

The Protector 22mm Titan chain. This is a short link chain are: Nominal dimensions of 110 x 78mm outside; 66 x 34mm inside. This chain is offered in three variants: With an Elongated End Link, forged out of 24mm diameter bar, to allow use with Squire SS80CS and Abloy PL362 padlocks; an alternative with specially-machined end plates to suit our RoundLock, and another version with bare ends that can only be locked with our Super, and Super Dooper Anti-Pinch Pins. Some extreme applications are best served with the bare un-sleeved chain but this chain is normally supplied fitted with a protective fabric sleeve (to protect your bike/other valuables; not to protect the chain!). The sleeve is usually a bronze colour (adding at least 4mm maximum to the width noted above).

The Protector 19mm chain has the following link dimensions (nominal): 138 x 63-71mm outside; 100 x 25-33mm inside, throughout its length (an elongated end link is not required). It is constructed from 19mm diameter bar. The smallest rectangular hole it will fit through is about 75 x 44mm, but that would be a tight fit and a little more space will make it easier to feed through. All but the end links are surrounded with a protective fabric sleeve (again, to protect your bike/other valuables; not to protect the chain!). The sleeve is usually a bronze colour (adding about 4mm maximum to the width noted above).

The Protector 16mm chain has the following link dimensions (nominal): 132 x 62-64mmmm outside; 100 x 30-32mm inside, throughout its length (an elongated end link is not required). It is constructed from 16mm diameter bar. The smallest rectangular hole it will fit through is about 65 x 34mm, but that would also be a tight fit. It is again fitted with a protective fabric sleeve, usually a bronze colour (adding about 4mm maximum to the width noted above).

The Protector 13mm chain has the following link dimensions (nominal): 106 x 48mm outside; 80 x 22mm inside. It is constructed from 13mm diameter bar and has a fabric sleeve that is usually bronze in colour (adding about 4mm maximum to the width noted above). If you've got a round hole 52mm diameter, the 13mm chain should slide through OK. It will also fit through a rectangular hole, e.g. 52mm x 35mm, but that requires the links to settle against each other, and more closely as the slot gets narrower, down to the absolute minimum of around 52mm x 30mm high (where it would be quite fiddley to get it to go through).

The Protector 11mm chain has the following link dimensions (nominal): 84 x 42mm outside; 64 x 20mm inside. It is constructed from 11mm diameter bar and usually has a bronze coloured fabric sleeve (adding about 4mm maximum to the width noted above). It will fit through a round hole about 46mm diameter, or a rectangular hole around 45 x 26mm.

Chain lengths overall are also nominal and subject to manufacturing tolerance as well as being potentially up to a link over- or under-length, relative to the descriptive length assigned. This is because a whole number of links will invariably not be an exact number of metres or half-metres overall, for example.

Note: All of these dimensions are nominal and they can vary a little from batch to batch. If you are particularly tight in terms of the precise link dimensions or the precise length of a chain, please contact us and we will do our best to clarify from current stock.

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Noose Chains & Multiple-Lock Options

We used to manufacture Protector 16mm, 13mm and 11mm chains in a Noose chain form, meaning that they could have an over-size ring on one end only so that you could make a loop at one end of the chain without using a lock, and then you would typically make a loop at the other end of the chain and use a single lock to secure it around an item to be protected. This approach became unviable for us to continue manufacturing lots of different gauges and lots of different lengths with all of them specifically in the Noose form so we have changed strategy and now offer new Chain plus Multiple-Lock Package Deals instead. A chain paired with two DIB D-Locks, for instance, allows each lock to be treated in a similar way to a Noose but without needing any adjustments to the chain sleeve at the other end of the chain. Plus, the chain is far better fixed compared to the potential risk of misusing a Noose where a thief might be able to loosen the loop of chain and get sufficient freedom of movement to remove it from an item of property. The disadvantage compared to the previous Noose approach, however, is that an extra lock is heavier.

This chain-plus-multi-lock idea is often very helpful when you are thinking of a long length of chain, but also with short chains it allows you to use a single thickness of chain to cover the majority of the distance, and locking-off the chain with separate locks at each end.

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Important Advice - How to Use a Chain

It is important with any chain and lock to keep it off the ground. This is more important with long link chains as the longer sides of the links can be more vulnerable to hammer attacks. The solution: Simply keep them off the floor to make attacks like that impossible! Whatever the chain and whatever the lock, you should always keep them off the floor to get the maximum attack resistance.

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How to Fit the Lock to the Chain

All good quality security chains follow the principle of passing the link at one end of the chain through the link at the other end of the chain, and fixing the lock to the bit that pokes through. I.e. the lock goes on a single link. The following video shows this and various advanced locking techniques:

The Protector chains all use long links throughout their length and this helps to reduce weight while giving more versatility (see below). Any chain designs that don't interlock at all force you to put two links through the lock and this makes the combination much more vulnerable as it typically requires you to use an open shackle padlock or one that has a long and potentially exposed shackle (see * below for exceptions to this). Open shackle padlocks have an unprotected shackle and the shackle is invariably the thinnest component of all. There is no point in having a ground anchor with a 20mm shackle and a chain with a 16mm or thicker link if you have to use an unprotected 10 or 12mm shackle on the padlock - the thief will attack the obvious weakest point. It is sensible to have all elements of your security in balance so that there is no obvious weak point.

The end link of the Protector 16/13/11mm long link chains can also be looped through any intermediate link along the length of the chain. You will need to cut a slit through the sleeve if you wish to do this but it gives the major advantage of being able to lock the chain tight against the item you are protecting, helping you to keep it off the floor. All of this makes it much harder to attack. (Note: This intermediate link interlocking trick will not work in quite the same way with the Protector 19mm chain. That chain needs a different approach whereby an intermediate link is flipped outwards and the end link is then looped over that. The general idea does work, but it is slightly more awkward.)

The lighter Protector chains are more compact and therefore easier to route through narrow spaces and may be more suited to fragile items (e.g. racing bicycles). They can also be used with lighter padlocks, again reducing the risk of damage to a carbon fibre bicycle frame if you were to drop it!

The Protector 25mm Titan chain can be locked with a special variant of the Squire SS80CS lock (the standard SS80CS lock is too small to accept it!). We offer this special "SS80CS-XLN" lock for sale with these chains. It can also be locked with the SS100CS lock.

The Protector 19mm chain can be locked with our own RoundLock with RL21A optional socket combo, or with a special variant of the Squire SS65CS lock (the standard SS65CS lock is too small to fit). We offer this special "SS65CS-XLN" lock for sale with these chains. It can also be locked with the SS80CS lock.

The Protector 16mm chain can be locked with the standard RL21 RoundLock or with our DIB D-Locks or with the Squire SS65CS lock. It can also be locked with the Squire SS80CS lock.

The Protector 13mm chain can be locked with the SS50CS lock or with our DIB D-Locks or with the Eiger Mini disc lock. It can usually also be locked with our RL21 RoundLock - there is a close tolerance between 13mm chain the the RoundLock so when we have a batch of chain that fits, we show the corresponding package as in stock.

The Protector 11mm chain can be locked with the Squire SS50CS, SS50S, or SS50P5 padlocks, or with our DIB D-Locks or Squire's Eiger Mini.

In general, the best security is given by a closed shackle lock rather than one with an open shackle, but whatever type of lock, if it will accept two links of the chain then do it that way rather than leaving a lot of open space under the shackle. A D-Lock should always have a shackle that is at least as thick as the thickness of the chain.

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How to Choose the Right Length of Chain

It is a shame that manufacturers of bikes, quads, etc, do not make life easy when you want to keep these items safe. It is also surprising how long a chain needs to be in order to secure what you want!

We recommend that you put your item to be secured & ground anchor/Shed Shackle/Maxi Shackle in a trial position and then loop a piece of rope through and measure the length. Bear in mind that chains are quite bulky and it is often impossible to pass them through the frame of a sports-style motorbike or off-road motorbike, but you must instead go through the swingarm/wheel and/or over the saddle. A chain and lock should ideally be held off the ground for best security (a lock that is on the ground can be hit with a sledgehammer whereas it will move out of the way if it moves feely in mid-air). Remember also that a chain looped over the saddle may seem ideal but component thieves may push the bike over on its side and drag it clear of the chain if it becomes loose - they don't mind damaging part of the bike if they get most of it quickly and easily! Conversely, if you can position the bike and ground anchor such that they obscure the chain and the lock, you can make them very difficult to attack. The Torc anchor folds so it makes it easier for you and a tougher target for the thief! The Shed Shackle and Maxi Shackle are usually fitted such that chains and locks are well clear of the ground - again, this makes it easier for you and tougher for the thief!

Large faired motorbikes may need a figure-of-8 arrangement with a 2.0m chain around the bike and a shorter chain to loop down to the ground anchor with a single lock locking them together. The Protector 16mm design allows you to join two or more chains with a single lock and you can get the chain tight against the bike by passing the end of the chain through an intermediate link (after cutting a slit in the sleeve). It is important that you are sure you are looping the chain through a structural part of the bike - the frame if at all possible - and not through something that can be removed or broken off easily. The frame is much better than the wheel - wheels can be removed!

Off-road motorbikes are frequently targets for thieves and they can be awkward to secure because they often have no opportunity to go through the frame, and the saddle & rear of the bike are so compact that removing the rear wheel would allow the chain to be slipped off. Removing the rear wheel is a quiet thing for a thief to do and it barely takes a minute; compressing the suspension is also easy and that could make the chain go slack. Those bikes that have a gap through the frame or swingarm are much easier and can be secured with a single chain. If your bike has no structural path for the chain like that, we recommend that you look for narrow parts of the bike that are still structural. The headstock area behind the handlebars is sometimes the best with a figure-of-8 approach - a short chain tight around the bike headstock and a long chain looping down to the ground anchor, with a single padlock locking them together. Off-road bikes vary a lot so you need to do some homework to get the best combination. Our Anti-Pinch Pin may give a useful opportunity to lock the heart of the bike.

Quad bikes/ATVs are usually easier to secure than 2-wheel motorbikes but, again, you have to be careful that you really are looping the chain through something structural and not removable. E.g. the rear axle looks appealing but it's no good if the thief can slip off the chain simply by removing a wheel! Suspension wishbones etc are attached with a couple of bolts that can be easily removed. Most quads do have frames with structural members that are suitable but you have to look for them, and ideally loop the chain through several of them.

Bicycles can often be locked with a single short chain as you can easily loop it through the centre of the frame, above the bottom bracket. However, beware that many high-end modern frames are so strong that they can be sawn through, a chain slipped off, and the bicycle then ridden away! The frame may then be worthless but the components can still be very valuable. The best approach is usually to loop the chain through the centre of the frame and the chainstay area (if possible), and through the wheels too if there is sufficient space between the spokes. This can result in the chain not being so short after all but the cost of the chain is usually a very small fraction of the cost of a performance bike! Beware that the Protector 16mm chains are often too bulky to fit between the spokes on bicycle wheels and the SS65CS padlock could easily damage a bicycle frame if it was dropped. The Protector 11mm and 13mm chains with the lighter SS50CS padlocks are generally more suitable for securing bicycles.

Summary: Use a piece of rope to help you find the length of chain, or chains, that you require. Remember the trick of cutting a slit in the fabric sleeve of a Protector 19/16/13/11mm chain in order to lock an intermediate link and thus get the chain really close - if you order a longer chain you can always make it behave like a shorter chain with this technique and you get flexibility with positioning the bikes - you don't want it so precise that you have to spend ages repositioning things to get the lock on! If it's so difficult for you that you don't bother one night, that could be the night the thief gets lucky. The figure-of-8 approach often helps with awkward shapes and can keep the chain and lock off the ground and harder to attack (but this will not work with the Protector 19mm chains). If you have major security worries, the Protector 19mm and even more so the 22mm Titan chain are the ultimate! They are bulky and heavy, but the most secure of all!

If you are securing bicycles in a wooden shed or metal shed/bike store, the Shed Shackle may allow you to use a shorter chain whilst still keeping everything off the floor. The Shed Shackle is usually positioned around cross-bar height for bicycles so you can use a short chain or D-lock if you only want to lock the frame (and maybe the rear wheel). A longer chain will allow you to lock the frame and both wheels. Something like a 2.0m/6' chain will often be sufficient for 2 bicycles and all 4 wheels. Please refer to the Shed Shackle information page for more information about its use.

A bit of time spent now will result in much better security and a much harder time for the thief.

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Chain Heat Treatment

This is a short and hopefully informative video about the importance of heat treatment when manufacturing security chains, including what can go wrong:

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Buy Online

The Protector chains are available in our online shop, and also in several Package Deals with recommended locks and also with ground anchors.

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