Gone in 80 seconds – the peril of bicycle cable locks
November 8, 2013
![D-lock and cable set|cable lock being cut](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/640ee4b2979c11d46a70fafa/669e91949ccd5b43f83f8cef_Sold-Secure-web.webp)
An increasing number of cyclists are falling victim to theft because the flimsy cables they use to secure their bikes can be cut in seconds.
Good quality, Sold Secure-rated D-locks are commonly sold with a cable accessory – a length of flimsy, plastic-coated metal cable intended to secure quick-release wheels and not the bike itself. Problems arise because it is easy to mistakenly assume the cable has the same security rating as the D-lock with which it is sold. The lock packaging does little to explain that the cable element is not security rated and must not be used to secure the bike.
![cable lock](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/640ee4b2979c11d46a70fafa/669e91949ccd5b43f83f8cef_Sold-Secure-web.jpeg)
Even Sold Secure, the independent organisation that tests bike locks in Britain, rarely makes clear that its rating applies only to the D-lock in such cases.
Securing a bicycle with a cable accessory, using the D-lock as little more than a padlock, makes it incredibly easy to steal and falls foul of cycle insurance policy requirements. As demonstrated by our film, the cables can be cut in a second. Even a junior hacksaw, which can be bought for £1, can cut through the cable in only 80 seconds.
Bicycle thief vs cable lock
https://youtu.be/SMEQRV_TnbA
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How can I tell if my lock is secure?
Most good locks sold in Britain have been tested by Sold Secure and awarded a rating of either bronze, silver or gold. Using a Sold Secure-rated lock when a bike is left in public is a staple requirement for most cycle insurance policies.
Unfortunately, when a D-lock and cable set is marked as Sold Secure, the rating applies only to the D-lock element.
Use cables with care. They can be useful to secure quick-release wheels, but they offer very little security and if used incorrectly, invalidate cycle insurance.
A fully-comprehensive cycle insurance policy will cover quick release wheels against theft and not specify that they be locked with a cable.