HipLok and Fabric Horse–making bike locks portable

 

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find transporting the necessary evil that is a bike lock a bit of a pain. I usually commute on my road bike, and lacking a rack, have to use a rucksack. By the time I’ve packed a change of clothes, a waterproof and my sarnies, there’s nowhere to squeeze my heavy duty lock. If I try to follow Leicestershire Police’s advice to use two locks, I’m stuffed! Over the last few weeks I’ve been testing a couple of solutions to this problem – solutions that come at the problem from completely different angles.

 

A lifetime on the hips

First up is the Hiplok. This innovative product, the brainchild of Ben Smith and John Abrahams, recreates an idea from my childhood, albeit in an altogether more satisfactory way. When I was a nipper out riding on my Grifter, I used to wear my combination lock around my waist. It was very convenient, but at that age it never occurred to me the problems that the emergency services might have faced should I have done a wheely too far and come a cropper. Hiplok have solved this problem with an ingenious padlock that doubles up as a buckle for a tough Velcro strap attached to the heavy duty chain. This allows the lock to be worn as a belt - adjustable to between 26 and 44 inches.

 

 

Importantly, it is not necessary to lock the chain to keep it round your waist. It’s a weighty lock, given a Sold Secure Silver rating and with a 90cm circumference, it’s long enough to fix your bike to lampposts as well as railings. Despite its weight, it’s comfortable to wear and once you’ve got riding, it’s easy to forget it’s there. The padlock/buckle is easy to use and looks really tough – a good visual deterrent. One minor problem I discovered was that if oil or mud gets on the lock from your bike, it can get transferred to your clothes when worn. Hiplok have thought of this and made the cover removable and washable. I found that being careful when fastening the lock and wearing it over dark clothing made it less of an issue. With ScotchLite lettering thoughtfully applied on the back and available in six different colours, it’s a high quality bit of kit – reflected in the price tag of £69.99 (but keep watching daily cycle for an exclusive offer!)

Horses for courses

Fabric Horse are a small Philadelphia based company making bike luggage by hand from recycled materials. The U Lock Holster is made from old seatbelts and is simplicity itself. Slide your belt through the loops on the back and the holster will securely hold a standard U-lock safely in place without damaging your trousers. It’s a great idea, backed by an excellent design ethic – the Fabric Horse badge stitched in the middle of the holster must be one of the best logos in the business. Carrying a U lock is surprisingly comfortable and it’s a doddle to remove and replace it when required. One slight snag was that the longer “U” part on my lock occasionally caught on the tip of my saddle when I stood up on the pedals, but only until I got used to it. At just £10.95, it’s a bargain solution to the lock carrying problem. There are four sizes to fit different U-locks and it’s possible to have a holster custom made - it’s worth checking the excellent website to see which one your lock requires. The holsters are available in the UK from Urban Hunter.

 

The Perfect Match?

Both of these products are excellent and solve my problem very effectively. As for which I would recommend, it probably comes down to whether you prefer a chain or a U lock to secure your bike. You could take a leaf out of Leicestershire Police’s book and carry two locks. It found it very easy to use the Hiplok and the Fabric Horse together – the perfect solution to my bike lock dilemma.

 

Pictures from Hiplok, Fabric Horse and Overly Curious Bystander’s flickr photostream.

Discount Code

If you fancy a Hiplock at a discounted price you can buy one until January with the following code: DACY12