U-lock

At a whisker under £25 the Buffo isn't the most expensive U lock out there and in this case it's very much a case of you get what you pay for: resistance to attack is decent rather than exceptional and it's an acceptable deterrent for your town hack, but I can't help thinking you'd be better off throwing an extra few quid at your bike's security.

The entry price point for proper U-locks seems to get lower every year, and this unit from Master Lock at £30 (less online) is a great piece of entry level security, resisting attack with the tenacity of steel costing twice as much.

The Street Fortum is well constructed from hardened steel, with a shackle that goes right through the locking bar helping to anchor it in place. It's finished in orange plastic and frame-friendly rubber, and you get four keys and a fairly bog-standard frame mount that does the job without any fuss.

At just over £40 (less online) you'd expect mid-range performance from a U-lock but the Brute proved itself to be a tough cookie and it's a great lock to sling in your bag for the daily commute. You'll need a bag, as there's no bracket supplied, although one is available.

The Kryptonite New York 3000 isn't top of the range but is plenty tough enough to repel most criminals and is a good choice for everyday use where bike security is a necessity.

The New York features a 16mm hardened steel shackle and a disc-style cylinder with three keys supplied. The shackle locks at both ends into the base, and the lock mounts onto your bike with a metal sleeve on the shackle which slots into a resin bracket. The lock stayed put well over rough roads, and the LED key is a nice, if increasingly common, touch.