Security ratings for bike storage – primarily the Sold Secure Bronze, Silver and Gold framework – are independent third-party certifications awarded after standardised physical attack testing. They are not self-assessed and cannot be claimed without passing tests conducted by an accredited laboratory. For specifiers, they provide the only objective, comparable basis for assessing and evidencing the security performance of cycle storage products.
The Impregnable Cycle Shelter is the only cycle shelter in the UK to achieve Sold Secure Gold accreditation. That distinction stands as a statement about what independent testing at the highest level actually certifies. Understanding what that means, and what other security frameworks apply to cycle storage specification, is essential for anyone procuring or specifying secure bike storage for a commercial, residential or public sector project.
This guide explains the main security rating systems, what they test, when to specify each level and how they interact with BREEAM compliance and planning requirements.
Why Bike Storage Security Ratings Matter?
Bike theft in the UK is a persistent and well-documented problem. Rates are highest in dense urban areas, at transport hubs and in locations with poor natural surveillance. The financial impact is significant, but the broader consequence is a deterrent effect on cycling uptake: people who have had bikes stolen are substantially less likely to cycle regularly afterwards.
For developers and facilities managers, this creates a liability question. A development that provides cycle storage that is visibly inadequate, or that results in repeated theft claims, faces reputational risk and potential disputes with residents or tenants. For public sector clients, inadequate cycle storage can undermine active travel strategies and attract scrutiny from planning authorities and insurers.
Security ratings exist to resolve the ambiguity in what ‘secure’ actually means. Without independent certification, a manufacturer’s claim that a product is ‘high security’ or ‘robust’ is unverifiable. A Sold Secure rating, or Secured by Design accreditation, provides documented evidence that a product has been physically tested against a defined attack set, to a defined standard, by an independent body.
BREEAM and an increasing number of local authority planning policies now reference certified security as a quality criterion for cycle parking provision. Specifying uncertified products in these contexts is not simply a security risk, it is a compliance risk.
Premium Security Enclosure
The Sold Secure Rating System
Sold Secure is an independent UK testing and certification organisation that assesses security products against standardised attack methods. Its three-tier framework – Bronze, Silver and Gold – reflects increasing levels of tested resistance, with each tier defined by the tools used in the attack and the duration of rated resistance.
Testing is conducted by Sold Secure-accredited laboratories and involves physical attack using the tools defined for each tier. A product that passes the test receives certification for that tier. It cannot be self-certified; the rating is awarded only on the basis of the laboratory test result.
Sold Secure Tiers: What Each Level Means
| Tier | Tools Tested Against | Typical Application | BSC Product Example |
| Bronze | Hand tools: screwdrivers, pliers, basic leverage | Low-risk locations, short-stay, visitor parking | Standard open racks in supervised environments |
| Silver | Hammer, crowbar, manual bolt cutters, angle grinder (limited) | Commercial offices, campuses, residential compounds | Gas-Assisted Two Tier Rack, Semi-Vertical Rack |
| Gold | Heavy manual tools, light power tools, including angle grinders | Transport hubs, high-risk urban locations, high-value bike environments | Impregnable Cycle Shelter (the only cycle shelter to achieve this rating) |
It is also worth noting that Sold Secure rates the entire product, not individual components. A shelter or rack rated at Silver has passed the full attack test as a combined unit. Adding an aftermarket lock to an unrated product does not confer a Sold Secure rating on that product.
Secured by Design
Secured by Design (SBD) is a UK police initiative operated by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI) on behalf of the UK police service. It sets a framework of design and specification standards aimed at reducing crime through the built environment, and products or developments that meet those standards can apply for SBD accreditation.
For cycle storage, SBD accreditation involves both product certification – covering the physical security performance of racks, shelters and lockers – and design guidance for the wider installation, including siting, lighting, natural surveillance and access control. A product carrying the SBD mark has been assessed and approved under the Police Preferred Specification.
SBD is increasingly referenced in planning conditions, particularly for residential developments, transport infrastructure and public realm projects. Local planning authorities working with crime prevention design officers may require SBD-compliant cycle storage as a planning condition, particularly where cycle parking is a significant element of the scheme.
The Bike Storage Company’s Secured by Design range covers shelters and racks across the product line. Products in this range carry both SBD approval and the relevant Sold Secure tier certification, providing a single, auditable compliance route for projects where both frameworks apply.
British Standards Relevant to Cycle Storage
Several British and British-adopted European and international standards are relevant to the specification of secure cycle storage, covering both product manufacture and installation requirements.
As a result, e-bike storage solutions should be considered together rather than as separate elements.
BS EN ISO 1461:2022
This is the primary manufacturing standard for hot-dip galvanised coatings on steel products. All structural steelwork in our range is galvanised to this standard, which specifies minimum coating thickness and adhesion requirements. Galvanising to BS EN ISO 1461:2022 provides a substantially more durable corrosion-resistant finish than paint or powder coating alone, with a service life measured in decades under normal outdoor conditions. Specifying this standard in a product brief provides an objective, verifiable benchmark for coating quality.
LTN 1/20
LTN 1/20 is the Department for Transport’s design guidance for cycle infrastructure, including cycle parking. It sets requirements for locking point geometry, minimum dimensions, weather protection and security classification. While not a British Standard in the formal sense, it is the primary design reference for local authorities and BREEAM assessors when evaluating cycle parking provision. Compliance with LTN 1/20 is increasingly a prerequisite for BREEAM Tra 03 credit and planning approval.
How to Match Security Level to the Environment?
The right security specification is determined by the risk profile of the location, not by a default standard applied across all installations. A threat assessment – however informal – should inform the product and tier selected for each installation.
Public Realm and Transport Hubs
Publicly accessible, unstaffed locations with extended dwell times represent the highest risk profile for cycle storage. Sold Secure Gold is the appropriate starting point for enclosed storage in these environments. The Impregnable Cycle Shelter, as the only cycle shelter to hold Sold Secure Gold certification, is the benchmark product for transport hub and public realm specification. Access control, CCTV coverage and good natural surveillance should be specified alongside the product.
Commercial Offices and Campuses
Workplace cycle storage typically operates in a lower-risk environment than public realm, with access restricted to employees and some degree of natural surveillance during working hours. Sold Secure Silver represents an appropriate baseline for most commercial office specifications, with access control providing an additional layer of deterrence. Our Gas-Assisted Two Tier Rack and Semi-Vertical Rack both carry Sold Secure Silver accreditation and are suited to workplace cycle hubs of all scales.
Secured by Design Gold Impregnable Cycle Shelter
Residential Developments
Residential cycle storage presents a mixed risk profile. Communal bike stores in apartment blocks are accessible to residents but may have limited oversight at night. Individual lockers provide the strongest security for high-value bikes in residential settings, with each unit independently lockable and fully enclosed. For communal compounds, access control and Silver-rated racks provide a proportionate baseline for most residential schemes.
Schools and Education
School cycle storage requires a balance of security, accessibility and anti-vandalism performance. Sold Secure Silver is appropriate for most educational settings, with welded steel construction, mesh panels that prevent interference from outside and fixing specifications that resist both vandalism and unauthorised removal. Access segregation – separate compounds for staff and students – is good practice and reduces the risk of opportunistic theft during changeover periods.
Work With Us
The Bike Storage Company manufactures and supplies secure bike storage solutions independently certified to Sold Secure Silver and Gold standards, with products approved under the Secured by Design scheme. Our range covers shelters, racks and lockers for all development types and risk environments, with full documentation provided to support planning applications, BREEAM assessments and insurance requirements.
Whether you are specifying lockable bike storage for a residential scheme, a transport hub or a commercial campus, our team can advise on the appropriate security tier, product configuration and installation specification for your project.
Get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Sold Secure Gold Mean for a Cycle Shelter?
Sold Secure Gold is the highest tier of the Sold Secure independent security certification framework. A product rated Gold has been physically tested against heavy manual tools and light power tools, including angle grinders, by an accredited laboratory. The Impregnable Cycle Shelter is the only cycle shelter in the UK to hold this certification. It provides a documented, independently verified basis for specifying the product in high-risk environments, including transport hubs and public realm locations where the product may be left unsupervised for extended periods.
Is Secured by Design the Same as Sold Secure?
No. Sold Secure is a product testing and certification framework that rates the physical attack resistance of individual products. Secured by Design (SBD) is a UK police initiative covering both product performance and wider design guidance for crime prevention through the built environment. Products can hold Sold Secure certification, SBD approval or both. Our Secured by Design range carries both SBD approval and the relevant Sold Secure tier, providing a single compliance route for projects where both apply.
Do Planning Authorities Require Certified Secure Bike Storage?
Increasingly, yes. Local planning authorities, particularly in urban areas and for larger residential or transport-related schemes, reference Secured by Design or LTN 1/20-compliant provision in planning conditions for cycle storage. BREEAM Tra 03, which awards credits for cyclist facilities, also evaluates the quality and security of provision – uncertified products may not satisfy the quality threshold required for higher credit scores. It is worth confirming the specific requirements of the relevant local authority and BREEAM assessor at the design stage.
What is the Minimum Security Specification for BREEAM Cycle Storage Credits?
BREEAM does not specify a mandatory Sold Secure tier for Tra 03 credits, but the quality assessment references LTN 1/20 compliance, which sets design requirements for security and locking point provision. In practice, independently certified products are more straightforward to provide evidence to a BREEAM assessor than uncertified alternatives. Our team provides BREEAM statement templates and specification documentation as standard to support Tra 03 submissions.
Can I Specify Secure Bike Storage Without an Independent Security Rating?
You can, but doing so creates gaps in your specification that may be difficult to close later. Without independent certification, there is no objective basis for comparing the security performance of different products, no documentary evidence for a planning authority or BREEAM assessor, and no verified baseline for insurance purposes. For any commercial, residential or public sector project where security of tenure and compliance are relevant, independently rated products provide a significantly cleaner specification route.
