Hiplok Gold Superbright

Hiplok's Gold Superbright is a well-designed and well-thought-out wearable lock that also provides some strong reflective qualities. Security seems good when locked, while adjusting it, putting it on and taking it off, is hassle free.

Using your bike as transport in an urban setting has some considerable differences to riding on country lanes, one of the main ones being that you almost always need to have some kind of lock with you. Heavy D locks can be carried on your bike if they have brackets, but otherwise are either uncomfortable to hook to your belt or you need to carry it in a bag. Hiplok, as the name suggests, has been attempting to solve this problem with its range of wearable locks.

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There are two main elements to the Gold Superbright. The first it that it is one of Hiplok's most secure locks, with a Sold Secure Gold rating. In order to get this rating level, it is tested by Sold Secure and carries the logo showing it's been tested to the gold standard. It is practically impossible for a review to show whether or not this is accurate, we'll have to trust Sold Secure on that one. From a completely non-scientific perspective, the lock didn't budge one bit from pulling, hitting and even striking it with a hammer, so in my book, it seems safe enough.

It has a locking circumference of 85cm, which is enough to get around almost any post plus frame and wheel. The 10mm hardened steel chain is locked through a 12mm hardened steel shackle with a Steel Impact resistant lock body with a super-tough nylon case. Surrounding the chain is a removable 600d ultra-reflective, water-repellent outer sleeve, which can (after unscrewing two Allen key bolts on either end) be removed from the chain.

This outer sleeve is the second main element to the lock: it is very high vis. It really does shine out when the light hits it, making it really useful to wear in the dark. It does have a slight drawback though, in that if/when you get oil on it, it shows up very clearly, and for a lock it's something that happens fairly frequently.

The wearable element works well, with a clip on one end of the lock itself that connects to an adjustable seatbelt-like belt. It means the chain doesn't need to be connected in order to be worn and the belt element doesn't get in the way when trying to lock it. It is simple to adjust with an easy-to-use pull-through design such as you would find on a rucksack strap. It can also be worn in a couple of ways, either as a belt or over the shoulder. I preferred to wear it over the shoulder as it is quicker to remove when locking the bike, although it didn't tend to slip down when wearing as a belt and was just as comfortable.

It weighs in at 2.4kg, so you do notice when you are riding with it, but on short urban rides it arguably makes little difference. I wouldn't want to climb the Galibier with it, but that's not what it's designed for. It is simple to get everything out of the way when pedalling and at no point did I find that bits were prodding me or becoming uncomfortable.

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In terms of pricing, its RRP of £89.99 fits in at around the same price as other similar locks, such as the Kryptonite New York Noose, which is £10 more expensive but has a longer chain. For a gold standard lock that has the wearable advantages this has, I'd say it's a fair price.

Overall I was really impressed with this lock. The wearable element works well and locking it to things and around a wheel is not a problem. It also feels safe, backed up by the gold standard, and would certainly be difficult to get through. The high-vis element is also effective, the only downside being how easily it shows any oil that gets onto it.

Verdict

Strong, high-visibility lock that does exactly what it needs to without any hassle