Squire SS50CS Stronghold Padlock

If you're investing in a big chain for your lockup to keep your bikes out of the hands of the thieves then you'll need an equally beefy lock: your security is only as strong as the weakest link. The SS50CS (catchy name) certainly isn't a weak link: it's a well-designed, heavily armoured lock that's an excellent partner to some heavy-duty chain.

At 650g the Squire certainly feels the part. It's engineered from a hardened steel billet with a 10mm shackle that's almost fully enclosed. The barrel is protected by another steel plate to protect against drilling, with the key turning just an eighth of a rotation to allow the protective sheet to cover more of the mechanism.

Mated with the 13mm Protector chain we've tested, the lock is almost impossible to attack. You can't get at the shackle or the lock mechanism to do any real damage and it resists twisting attacks on the chain too. We gave it five minutes with the standard tools but barely marked it, and short of a gas axe (there's not really any exposed shackle to angle grind) a thief is likely to be thwarted by this one.

Verdict

Really well designed and constructed padlock, a good choice for securing your bikes or your garage/shed door.