The Hiplok Original is a great choice for short trips or ones with multiple stop-offs. It differentiates itself by being able to be worn and carried in a variety of ways. It’s well made and should last well, and this hi-vis Superbright option is genuinely useful. However, it is weaker against extended angle grinder attack than other locks.
The USP of the Hiplok Original is that it’s a wearable method of keeping your bike secure. Rather than having to mount it on your bike frame or carry it in a bag, you can wear it, as the name suggests, around your hips like a belt. It’s adjustable, with a very generous 34cm of Velcro, and according to Hiplok suits waist sizes from 28 to 44in.
The lock feels really beefy. It’s a high-quality item with some heft to it, weighing in at almost 2kg. The chunky chain measures 8mm across on each link, while the “belt buckle”, which is actually the padlock part of the Hiplok, feels solid, and is made of hardened steel covered in a tough plastic.
It comes with three keys, a lifetime warranty and a Sold Secure Silver rating.
Two versions are available, the Superbright hi-vis we have here, or standard black. Both are the same price.
This outer sheathing material is a strong 600D polyester, with reinforced stitching, and can be removed for cleaning. Undo a couple of hex key “buttons” to release it from the chain and it then slides off.
Because of the lock’s slinky nature, I found it easy to secure my bike to railings and Sheffield stands. With a double wrap I could get the bike frame really close to whatever I was attaching it to. This can make it harder for opportunist thieves to lever a bike away from what it’s attached to, and helps prevent attempts to break the lock by just snatching the bike away.
The two ends of the lock don’t leave much space in the small U of the shackle, so there isn’t much room to fit pry bars in there.
The shackle itself is nice and easy to open and close, and feels well made. It can be removed completely from the chain, which is handy – one side is curved to fit the waist, so should you happen to get it round the wrong way you can simply detach it and spin it round.
When wearing the Hiplok, you use the generous Velcro strap to secure it around your waist. Just pull it through and back to stick it in place. You can also wear it across the shoulder and chest, wild west bandolier-style.
If you don’t want to wear it, the Hiplok can also be wrapped around the seatpost, or placed in panniers or a rucksack.
I really liked this versatility of being able to carry it in various ways; it’s a great choice for taking to the shops.
> Which type of lock is best for your bike?
Wearing it around the waist was best for shorter rides. I’ve got a few different D-locks, weighing between 1.3 and 1.5kg, and at almost 2kg the Hiplok is a fair bit heavier – you can certainly feel it when wearing it. It also dissuades out-of-the-saddle efforts. I found my 10-mile commute too far for wearing it this way, but for an errands ride, where you’re popping in and out of few different shops, it’s absolutely ideal.
You will need to be careful not to get it near chainrings or your chain, so you don’t transfer any grease, lube or other road dirt to your clothes – something to be aware of if you are cycling in nice work attire. Locking it up via the top half of the seatpost was my preferred method, so as not to get anywhere near grimy bits of the bike.
> How to lock your bike when you’re out and about so it’s there when you come back
The hi-vis cover is excellent, it really lights up incredibly well with even just the smallest amount of light falling on it; it seems to glow as if battery powered. It’s a really useful addition to the Hiplok, and I would definitely plump for this bright version over the standard black one.
The shackle, chain and outer material feel very durable, and give me no reason to think they won’t last a long time in day to day use. I have friends and colleagues who have used Hiploks for several years, and they are a familiar sight in my bike sheds at work, sometimes left overnight for weeks on end and still going strong.
Under attack
As part of our big lock-busting test, we got our in-house criminal mastermind, Dodgy Dave, to have a go at cutting the Hiplok with some generic 600mm bolt cutters, the kind that a thief could conceal in a coat or backpack. The Hiplok survived this attack.
Dave then moved on to a battery-powered angle grinder. Unfortunately, the Hiplok only lasted 31 seconds against this, which was quite disappointing given the weight. Dave cut through the chain rather than the thicker shackle, as this was the thinnest point of the lock.
Value
For £74.99, the Hiplok Superbright is decent value, and its wearability and hi-vis differentiate it from the others – there is nothing else quite like it.
And while it couldn’t withstand the angle grinder attack, it did hold out longer than some more expensive locks. The folding Kryptonite Evolution 790, for example, is £129, with a Sold Secure Gold rating, but its steel links only lasted 23 seconds against Dave’s angle grinder, and the £125 Abus Bordo 6200K lasted only 13 seconds.
That said, the Master Lock U-lock and Halfords Advanced 23cm D-lock are both £50, and both stood up to the angle grinder attack longer – 42 seconds for the Master Lock and an impressive 94 for the Halfords. Both of those are Sold Secure Diamond rated, too, and lighter – the Master Lock 1.158kg, the Halfords Advanced 23cm 1.422kg.
Conclusion
Overall, though it’s not the most robust defence against theft, the Hiplok is a good, wearable option, ideal for short errand-filled rides. It can be carried in a multitude of ways, and its hi-vis Superbright cover is genuinely useful.
Verdict
Good lock that can be used and carried in a multitude of ways, ideal for short rides, with a genuinely useful hi-vis cover
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Hiplok Original Lock
Size tested: One
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
The Hiplok Original lock differentiates itself from the competition by being bike security that you you can wear. The version tested here is the Superbright hi-vis as opposed to the standard black. Its Sold Secure Silver rating claims that it is high security, and with its almost 2kg of weight and lifetime warranty, it feels like it should stand up well against attempted theft…
Hiplok says: “The world’s original wearable bike lock, Hiplok ORIGINAL is a high security chain lock with a Sold Secure rated hardened steel chain and 12mm hardened steel shackle. With Hiplok’s patented belt fastening it adjusts to fit the waist while riding without being locked to the body, providing an easy way to take a tough chain lock.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Hiplok lists:
Adjustable velcro strap to fit waists between 28-44 inches (71cm-111cm)
8mm hardened steel chain
12mm hardened steel shackle
85cm locking length
Sold-Secure Silver rated.
3 keys, and a small keyring loop included (replacement keys can be supplied from Hiplok)
Lifetime warranty
The Hiplok feels beefy. It’s a high-quality item; weighing in at almost 2 kilos it has some heft to it. The chunky chain measures 8mm across on each link. The “belt buckle”, which is actually the padlock part of the lock, feels solid, being made of harden steel covered in a tough plastic.
The outer material sheathing of the Hiplok is 600D polyester, with reinforced stitching. There is a generous length of Velcro, too: 34cm. The material can be removed for cleaning by undoing a couple of hex key “buttons” to release it from the chain; it then slides off.
Very easy to secure my bike to railings and sheffield stands without issue, because of its flexible nature. With a double wrap I could pull the bike frame close to whatever I was attaching it to. The two ends of the lock don’t leave much space in the small U of the shackle, so it should be hard to get a pry bar in.
The shackle itself is easy to open and close and well made. It comes completely away from the chain, making it easy to ensure the curved side is against your waist.
When wearing the Hiplok as a belt, you use the generous Velcro strap to secure it around your waist. Just pull it through, pull it back to hold in place. It’s also possible to wear across the shoulder and chest, like a bandolier. Also simple to just wrap around the seatpost, or place in panniers or in a rucksack. Really good and versatile for multi-stop errand riding.
Be careful not to get it near greasy chainrings or chain during use; it wipes down easily, but it’s something to be aware of if you are cycling in nice work attire. Locking it up via the top half of the seatpost is a good bet to not transfer grease or lube to it.
The hi-vis version is excellent, it really lights up incredibly well. I would definitely pick this over the black version.
As for its ability to stand up against attack, it withstood the bolt croppers, but only lasted 31 seconds against the angle grinder.
The shackle, chain and outer material feel very durable, and I can’t think why it won’t last a long time in day to day use. However, it’s not the most durable under attack.
It loses out a bit to its D-lock competition. I’ve got a few different D-locks, weighing between 1.3 and 1.5kg, and at almost 2kg, the Hiplok is a fair bit heavier. You do feel it when wearing it around your waist and it does dissuade out-of-the-saddle efforts. I found my 10-mile commute too far for wearing it all the way around my waist. For waist-wearing, it better suits short commutes of a couple of miles.
Feels quite heavy worn around the waist for more than a couple of miles. Better for short, multi-stop errands.
There are both cheaper options that last longer against attack, and more expensive options that are defeated sooner, so overall, with its heft, high-quality construction and multitude of ways to use and carry it, I think the Hiplok is decent value for £74.99.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
The Hiplok survived attack with some generic 600mm bolt croppers, but against a battery-powered angle grinder the chain only lasted 31 seconds. That was quite disappointing given it’s the best part of 2kg in weight. The attack was through the chain rather than the thicker shackle, as the chain is the thinner of the two.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Multitude of options for carrying it – round the waist, over the shoulder, wrapped around the frame or in a bag.
The reflectivity is excellent, really glows up with the tiniest of light sources.
Lots of options for locking bikes, due to its flexible nature.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Long rides make it too heavy to wear around the waist for extended periods, and it makes riding out of the saddle uncomfortable.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
For £74.99, the Hiplok Superbright is decent value, and its wearability and hi-vis differentiate it from others; there is nothing else quite like it.
The Kryptonite Evolution 790 folding lock is a more expensive pick at £129, and Sold Secure Gold rated, but its steel links only lasted 23 seconds against Dave’s angle grinder. The £125 Abus Bordo 6200K lasted even less time, 13 seconds.
Both the Master Lock U-lock and Halfords Advanced 23cm D-lock are cheaper at £50, and both stood up to the angle grinder attack longer – 42 seconds for the Master Lock and an impressive 94 for the Halfords. Both of those are Sold Secure Diamond rated, and lighter – the Master Lock 1.158kg, the Halfords Advanced 23cm 1.422kg.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
The Hiplok Original Superbright is a good choice for shorter trips, or ones with multiple stop-offs. It differentiates itself by being able to be worn and carried in a variety of ways, which adds value – along with its hi-vis cover, which is genuinely useful. Although it can stand up to bolt croppers, it is vulnerable to angle grinder attack.
About the tester
Age: 43 Height: 181 Weight: 92 Kilos
I usually ride: GT Grade My best bike is: Boardman ASR 8.9
I’ve been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb, Zwifting
5 thoughts on “Hiplok Original Lock”
You really should not be
You really should not be wearing this unless you want a significant injury.
I tripped on a step today due to walking boots with a thicker sole than I’m used to. Managed to roll onto my back but the small, plastic bottle (80 to 100 ml) in my pocket dug into my thigh.
I dread to think what the lock would do to soft tissue and internal organs.
Absolutely, I know you know
Absolutely, I know you know this but worth repeating for anyone who hasn’t seen me say it before, I knew someone who had to have her spleen removed following a motorcycle crash because she came down on a disc lock in her back pocket which ruptured the organ. It seems extremely irresponsible of the manufacturers to sell a product which when used as intended places a large solid padlock exactly where it could do really significant harm in a crash.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Occasionally, it helps to have your spleen removed:
https://uss-la-ca135.org/60/1960Judkins-Knott.html
(slightly long read, but quite astounding)
Very interesting indeed,
Very interesting indeed, possibly just a bit niche…didn’t make me think it might be worth having mine taken out just in case I was in that situation!
“Locking it up via the top
The seat tube presumably?!