The HipLok Gold Bicycle Lock Review

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First Take On The Hiplok Gold

As the name kind of suggests, the HipLok Gold is a wearable lock (around your hip) with its patented carry system. Recently, I’ve been on the hunt for a very securable, yet easy to use bike lock as I’m making commuting to work more of a habit. As a triathlete, road, and gravel biker, I hadn’t really needed a lock. I would usually leave from the safe confines of my home, or take the bike from my car rack (see Yakima Hitchmount). Now that I commute and do not have a safe indoor space at the office, I need the security of a lock like the Hiplok Gold to keep my sentimental 70’s steel Gazelle from the low-grade bike thieves.

Technical Detail And Specifications

• 12mm hardened steel shackle
• 10mm hardened steel chain
• 3 x replaceable coded keys
• 85 cm locking length
• Sizing: waist 28” – 44″
• 2.4 kg / 5.3 lbs weight

Durability & Strength

At ActiveGearReview.com, we test and review gear from a multitude of angles. In this case, I will certainly let you know how I liked (or disliked) this lock from a user friendly standpoint. I’m not going to go all destructive on this lock to test it’s theft prevention legitimacy. The word out there is that any lock can be busted given the time and proper tools. I have a hacksaw, a sawzaw, a steel grinder, and bolt cutters, but I’ll leave those for the home improvement projects. I’m sure I could make my way through the lock…. That said, I won’t! I like it, and want to see how long I am able to use it while keeping my bicycles safe.

My commuter has some sentimental value, but I would likely not be able to sell it for more than a hundred bucks. The Hiplok Gold will definitely avoid any kind of opportunity theft. I would also certainly think that it will deter the “professional” bike thieves on the prowl.

I did troll the inter webs for someone who has done the more destructive kind of testing. With time,I suppose, any lock can be compromised. Bikes are usually locked up in public places where a thief looking for the opportunity theft isn’t going to spend the time and energy going full-on with the power tools.

I do realize in the age and rising popularity of e-bikes that the price tag for some commuters has gotten quite hefty. With that in mind, I did go searching for anecdotal safety and lock prevention data. Hiplok themselves has done their due diligence, but I wanted an independent third party to take a look. A publication in the UK, Cyclist, did such a study. See their results HERE. They concluded that the Hiplok Gold could withstand bolt cutter which I believe is probably the preferred method of going after locks, since they don’t make any noise. An angle grinder, on the other hand, does make it through. That said, none of the locks they tested can withstand that very noisy tool of destruction.

The Hiplok Gold’s Easy Of Use.

I am quite excited and curious as to how this lock will stand up to the Urban cycling scene. In addition, I want to see how user friendly the Hiplok Gold will be on the bike, as well as the efficiency and timing of locking up my bike. The Hiploc is a heavy duty piece of bike protection which carries some serious weight at 2.5 kg which equates to about 5.3 pounds.

I’ve got a 12 mile round-trip commute on most days which in city traffic takes anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes. I may make some detours and errand stops. Point being, that the extra weight better be worth the protection and piece of mind. I actually don’t mind the extra weight, but I did want to mention it to the weight conscious cyclist out there. My take is that this is weight training, and will only make me stronger.

The keys can even be registered at https://www.hiplok.com/. It took me a total of 2 minutes to enter my information, and get my keys registered. The Hiplok Gold comes with 3 different keys, so here’s hoping I don’t misplace all three. If I do, I suppose I have the ability to have them make and send me a replacement set. I like the design of the key as it does stand out from my other keys. That is ‘key’ when I am trying to quickly lock or unlock the Hiplok Gold. Fumbling around in the dark or cold is not ideal.

The strap is adjustable, and I do need to loosen and tighten it every time I wear the lock. That is a must as I need to securely wrap it around my waist. Not that big of a deal as it easily adjusts.

There is one thing to keep in mind which is quite important. The Gold wraps around your waist and buckles into one link of the lock. Technically, the lock is not actually locked around your waist. Heaven forbid, you loose the keys and you have a chain secured around yourself. When locking up your bike, make sure you attach the shackle to the two ends of the chain. In a hurry, I can easily see someone attaching the clasp to one of the links, and then the lock and your bike becomes an easy target.

Hiplok makes an black version and a Super Bright. The latter is the one for me! I figure that extra visibility is worth the extra $10 over the black one. With winter knocking fiercely at our door, the dark commutes are upon me, so lights and reflectors are a must in today’s disturbing car driver reality where they “must check my phone at all times”.

The Hiplok Gold is really one size fits all. The belt adjusts by simply pulling it tight. For my 32 inch waist, I pull the belt as tight as possible and it really fits well. One trick, I’ve figured out is that I don’t need to actually lock the belt when I’m riding. That’s 1 step saved! I merely looped the buckle through the link, and it doesn’t move or come off.

Final Thoughts For the Hiplok Gold

The Hiplok Gold is seriously strong, and I feel really good that my bike will be safe and sound when I leave it for the day. Yes, it is a hefty and weighty chain, but that’s a small price to pay for peace of mind and security. That said, because it locks around my waist, the distribution of weight is as if you’re not carrying a lock at all. No more stuffing a lock in my backpack. The reflective nylon chain cover is nice, because it provides padding and that extra bit of visibility to be noticed. The lock is probably worth more than my bike (in dollars and cents), but the sentimental value of my Steel Dutch Jalopy Bike (as I affectionately call her) is priceless. Hence, having the Hiplok Gold as my security system is worth its weight in …… well, Gold. For more information and purchase please visit www.rei.com/hiplok or www.amazon.com/hiplok.