Tested: Pragmasis 22mm chain and Squire SS80CS padlock review

Date reviewed: September 2018 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £374.95 (1.5m) | Weight: 19.8kg (1.5m) | https://securityforbikes.com

NOTE: This chain has now been replaced by the Pragmasis Protector 25mm Titan chain reviewed here.

This Pragmasis 22mm chain is designed for home use, with huge links wrapped in a heavy-duty sleeve (zip-tied at either end) to help protect your paintwork. One end link is longer than all the others, allowing the opposite end of the chain to poke through and secure with the heavy-duty Squire SS80CS-R1 padlock.

The lock has a tough plastic body with a rubbery cover on the bottom (this flap is a little fragile as it can tear or drop out) and it comes with two keys and a security card – required for copies – offering a very high level of protection.

Size and weight

The Pragmasis 22mm chain and Squire SS80CS-R1 package is available in lengths from 1.0m (£294.95) to 3.0m (£514.95) in 0.5m increments. Keep in mind though that the shortest length will struggle to secure most motorcycles to a ground anchor. Also make sure your anchor is large enough to take the chain.

Rolled up, the 1.0m length covers a diameter of around 28cm, and weighs 11.8kg, meaning the 1.5m that’s our testing standard comes in at 17.6kg – with the 2.2kg padlock, that’s a total of 19.8kg.

Resistance to attack: chain

It’s generally important to be able to keep a chain as tight around the bike as possible, to help prevent a sledge-hammer attack. As this is a short-link chain (except one end), it’s not possible, but as we couldn’t do anything beyond putting light surface dents into it with a prolonged attack (on an anvil), it’s irrelevant. Even with freeze spray, this chain could not be smashed.

Bolt croppers are useless with this Pragmasis as it won’t fit in the jaws of even the largest, 42mm tool.

An angle-grinder is the only practical method of attacking this chain – using a mains-powered grinder with a 1.2mm cutting disc, it took a long time to cut through. While a determined thief will still be able to cut this product, they’ll be attracting a lot of attention for a relatively long period.

Resistance to attack: padlock

Bolt croppers are irrelevant with this well-made lock, and a sledge hammer does nothing more than distort the body. An angle-grinder could cut through the thick shackle, but the chain gets in the way of this form of attack; the chain is what a criminal will target.

It’s very unlikely that any motorcycle thief is going to attempt to pick a lock, and even a very highly skilled one would struggle with this Squire SS80CS-R1, but a higher-spec SS80CS-NW4 padlock is available with a ‘dimple’ cylinder for an extra £50.

To understand how best to use your lock, click here

BIKESOCIAL TEST RESULTS

Product: Pragmasis 22mm with Squire SS80CS

Size tested: 1.5m

Weight as tested: 19.8kg

Rolled diameter: 28cm (1.0m)

Bolt cropper attack: GOOD

Sledge hammer attack: GOOD

Angle grinder attack: OUTSTANDING

Conclusion

If you need the highest level of security, a hefty chain like this is about the best you can get. This is the joint-toughest combo we’ve tested so far, matched only by Pragmasis’ 22mm chain with RoundLock.

With its high level of resistance to an angle-grinder, as well as the fact it can’t be smashed with a sledge hammer (some other hard chains can), it’s well worth considering, though keep in mind that the RoundLock version is cheaper, and has the benefit of the padlock also doubling as a disc lock when you’re out on the bike.

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

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