A Protector chain, secured with a Squire padlock, is a serious security option – back in 2008 we described them as the toughest chains we'd ever tested. The links of this two-metre chain are 13mm thick and formed from boron-hardened steel, but at 6.32kg for the chain and 680g for the padlock, it’s for home or van use only.
It’s available in 11 lengths between 0.8 and six metres. The two-metre chain is enough to lock four bikes together over a ground anchor. If your collection’s smaller, a shorter one will provide less slack for thieves to work with. One oversized end-link enables you to ‘noose’ the chain, however many bikes you have.
Tiny amounts of boron massively boost steel’s surface hardness, and this chain withstood all our assaults with hand tools (bolt croppers, hammer and chisel). The brave maniacs from sister mag Cycling Plus took almost four minutes to get through one side with a grinder, and had to change discs before hitting the other side.
Any thief determined enough to use power tools for 10 minutes is probably going to get your bike anyway, but if you live in a high-risk or isolated area, Pragmasis does 16mm and 19mm Protector chains that may sap their will to live.
It’s also worth investing in the appropriate Squire padlock. With one link almost filling this SS50CS Stronghold and tall shoulders rising from the lock’s body, it leaves almost no room to get a bolt cropper onto the shackle. Pragmasis can supply two or more locks so they work with the same key. For home use, we recommend the thicker 16mm chain and SS65CSS lock – at nearly 10kg of deterrent, it should put off all but the most determined parasites.