Tested: Pragmasis Protector 19mm chain & Squire SS65CS-XLN-R1 padlock review

Date reviewed: October 2017 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £202.95 | Weight: 11.71kg | https://securityforbikes.com/

Available in sizes 1.0 to 6.0m, the Pragmasis 19mm hardened boron steel chain comes with a tough sleeve, zip-tied at either end, to protect your bike’s paint. Keep in mind that, like most sleeves of this design, they hold water, so if transporting it’s worth having a plastic bag.

This is a hefty chain, designed for where security is more critical, and you’re less likely to need to transport it.

Our 1.5m package includes the Squire SS65CS-XLN lock, which has a plastic sleeve and a rubber cover over the key hole. As reflected in other lock packages in our test, the cover can be quite fragile – once the retaining strap breaks, it’s easy to lose. Two keys are supplied.

Both the chain and padlock are approved to Sold Secure Motorcycle Gold.

Size and weight

When rolled up, the chain covers a diameter of approximately 32cm, and weighs 7.09kg/m. Our 1.5m sample weighs 10.64kg, while the padlock adds 1.07kg, making for a total of 11.71kg.

It’s worth noting that the 19mm chain can also be used with a version of the excellent Pragmasis RoundLock that we tested with the 16mm chain. This doubles as a disc lock, weighs just 0.53kg, and proved practically unbreakable in our tests.

Resistance to attack: chain

The round links, which have a typical thickness of 19.2-19.5mm, displayed nothing more than minor surface marks when we attempted to cut with 42” bolt croppers.

Using a sledge hammer, we gave up after five minutes of constant attack, the chain only deforming on the surface. Keep in mind though that, like most other chains, if a thief uses freeze spray correctly, they can seriously compromise a chain’s resistance to a noisy hammer attack, so it’s important that you still always try to keep your chain and lock off the ground.

Using our mains-powered angle-grinder with a 1.2mm cutting disc, cutting the chain took an above-average amount of time. We use a mains grinder as a benchmark – a battery grinder is impractical for multiple cutting tests – and this is ideal conditions, with easy access to the chain. Always keep any security product as inaccessible as possible.

Resistance to attack: padlock

Using an improvised anvil, the lock can be broken in three minutes using a very noisy sledge hammer attack – keep it off the ground and a thief will be defeated here.

Using an angle grinder, with plenty of access, we got through the shackle but it’s more difficult to grind than the chain, and is also very tricky to get good access in order to be able to remove the link after cutting.

To understand how best to use your lock, click here

BIKESOCIAL TEST RESULTS

Product: Pragmasis Protector 19mm chain & Squire SS65CS-XLN-R1 padlock

Size tested: 1.5m

Weight as tested: 11.71kg

Rolled diameter: 32cm

Bolt cropper attack: GOOD

Sledge hammer attack: AVERAGE

Angle grinder attack: GOOD

Conclusion

We were very impressed by this chain – the hardening process creates a steel that’s unbreakable by sledge hammer or bolt croppers, while still being very resistant to angle-grinder attack.

You would struggle to carry such a large chain, but for home use it’s excellent, and unlike the largest 22mm chains available at the time of writing, it fits a larger number of typical ground anchors. Bear in mind though that it’s still a big chain, so do check what you’ve got at home.

The Squire padlock supplied is good, only weaker than the chain in a sledge hammer attack. Keep it off the ground and this isn’t an issue, though it’s worth noting that the Pragmasis RL21A Roundlock package,has the advantage of a more compact and transportable lock that doubles as a disc lock, while being highly resistant to all forms of attack, and costing a total of £169.95. Overall, an excellent package that offers superb resistance to attack at a very good price.

This chain’s resistance to hammer attack is so good that there’s less need to worry about keeping it tight and off the ground. Still, that is possible if you pull the sleeve back and expose the end of a link anywhere on the chain (the two attached to it will drop to the bottom). Then you can pass the end link over this and secure it. For more information, see the useful videos here.

To see the other chains and locks tested by BikeSocial, click here

Ratings explained

Bolt cropper

Up to one minute = Poor

Over one minute = Average

Unbroken = Good

Sledge hammer

Up to one minute = Poor

Broken in more than a minute = Average

Unbroken = Good

Angle grinder

Up to 12 seconds = Poor

Up to 20 seconds = Average

Over 20 seconds = Good

Find out how and why we did this test

Consumer editor John Milbank explains how you can get the best out of your chain and lock, and how this test was done