If the policy says Gold
If your policy names Gold, look at the Evolution Mini-7. If a Mini will not reach, look at the Bordo 6500K.
If the policy says Diamond
If your policy names Diamond, look at the Litelok X1, the Pitbull STD if you want a frame clip, or the D1000 if 92 × 155 mm will close.
Checklist
- Read the wording you signed — Gold or Diamond, ordinary bike or e-bike.
- Open the insurer’s approved-lock list.
- Match the model, not just the badge.
- Check the marking on the lock you actually receive.
Three locks that can meet a typical policy
Litelok · D-lock
Litelok X1
Sold Secure Diamond
When the policy names Diamond and you still need a weekday carry, start here — about 1.7kg.
1.7kg · 101×197 mm · 21 mm
Read the reviewNot currently available on Amazon UK
Kryptonite · D-lock
Kryptonite Evolution Mini-7
Sold Secure Gold
The straightforward choice for a weekday commute when Gold is enough. It has a frame mount and cable and weighs 1.61kg.
1.61kg · 83×178 mm · 13 mm
Hiplok · D-lock
Hiplok D1000
Sold Secure Diamond
For high-theft streets — but only after you have measured the stand and confirmed the small shackle will close.
1.9kg · 92×155 mm · 20 mm
Less suitable if: We do not sell insurance, and we do not keep a live list of approved models.
Read the wording you signed. Many UK household cycle policies still say Sold Secure Gold. Some e-bike and high-value policies ask for Diamond, and some name the e-bike grade rather than the ordinary-bike grade.
Then open the insurer’s approved-lock list. A lock can be Gold in Sold Secure’s database and still missing from one brand’s list. The grade is required, but it is not always enough.
On the locks we reviewed: Evolution Mini-7, the Bordo 6500K and the New York Mini are Gold for ordinary bikes. Litelok X1, Hiplok D1000 and Hiplok DX1000 are Diamond for both ordinary bikes and e-bikes. The three OnGuard Pitbulls are Diamond for ordinary bikes on our records; we do not have an e-bike grade listed. The ABUS 540 is Diamond for ordinary bikes and Gold for e-bikes, so it does not match an e-bike policy that asks for e-bike Diamond. The New York 1410 and 1415 chains have the same split: Diamond for ordinary bikes, Gold for e-bikes.
Sold Secure is independent. Your insurer does not have to accept every lock that carries the badge. Many policies ask for a minimum grade and then publish a list of approved models. Both checks matter. A Gold badge on a lock that is missing from that list can still be a problem at claim time.
We do not keep that list current, because insurers change it. Open the document that came with your policy. If it names models, match the model — not just “a Gold D-lock”. If it only names the grade, the Sold Secure marking on the lock you buy still needs to match.
E-bike policies are where people get caught. Some name the e-bike grade rather than the ordinary-bike grade. A lock can be Diamond for an ordinary bike and only Gold for an e-bike. The ABUS 540 is Diamond for ordinary bikes and Gold for e-bikes. The Litelok X1, Hiplok D1000 and Hiplok DX1000 are Diamond for both. The OnGuard Pitbulls are Diamond for ordinary bikes on our records; we do not have an e-bike grade listed for them.
If the policy already names Diamond and you are comparing locks sold against grinders, see what to look for in an anti-grinder bike lock. Policies often care how you locked the bike as well as the grade — frame to a fixed object, not a wheel alone. Read those lines before you upgrade on thickness alone. Basics of grade, fit, and carry: how to choose.
If the policy names Gold and you will carry the lock every day, start with the Evolution Mini-7: 1.61kg, a frame clip, and a cable in the box. The cable is not Gold. If a Mini will not reach and Gold is still enough, look at the Bordo 6500K. If the policy names Pedal Cycle Diamond and carry weight is the limit, look at the Seatylock Mason 140 (about 0.97kg — measure 140 × 85 mm). If you need Diamond for ordinary bikes and e-bikes and will carry 1.7kg, start with the Litelok X1. If you need Diamond with a clip, that is the Pitbull STD. The D1000 is Diamond too, but only after you have measured 92 × 155 mm.
Do not buy the ABUS 540 to satisfy an e-bike Diamond line. On our records it is Diamond for ordinary bikes and Gold for e-bikes. Use it when a compact D-lock will not close and the ordinary-bike grade still matches.
The two New York chains follow the same split. Sold Secure lists the New York 1410 (100 cm) and the New York 1415 (150 cm) as Diamond for ordinary bikes and Gold for e-bikes. Either can meet an ordinary-bike Diamond line at home. Neither meets a policy that names Powered Cycle Diamond.
We are not your broker. How we treat grades and what we will not claim: how we research.
Common questions
If it is Gold, am I covered?
Only if your policy names Gold and, where the insurer publishes a list, the exact model is on that list. A Sold Secure badge is not the same as being on the list.
Ordinary-bike Diamond or e-bike Diamond?
E-bike policies sometimes name the e-bike grade. The X1, D1000 and DX1000 are Diamond for both. The ABUS 540 is Diamond for ordinary bikes and Gold for e-bikes. The Pitbulls are Diamond for ordinary bikes on our records; we do not have an e-bike grade listed.
Does a cable in the box count?
Usually not. On Kryptonite’s Mini-7 notes the cable is not part of the Sold Secure approval. The D-lock is the graded product. Do not lock the bike with the cable alone and expect the policy to treat that as Gold.
Will you tell me which insurer accepts which lock?
No. Lists change, and we do not sell insurance. Read the list that belongs to your policy. Then match the model.
How to choose a bike lock · Best of · Reviews · Mini-7 vs D1000 · D1000 vs DX1000 · D-lock vs chain · Compact locks for flats · Delivery riders and e-bikes · Ground anchors · How we research