The Hiplok is a bike lock and seatbelt in one
Whenever I see somebody riding with a bike chain slung around their body, I wince. Whether it is encircling their waist or slung diagonally across shoulder and torso, I imagine what could happen if things went wrong.
A simple crash could turn into a body-halving catastrophe if the chain were to get caught on a speeding car. A neck could be broken. The bike itself could get caught up and pulled along with you instead of just falling safely away.
Enter the Hiplok, a bike chain designed to be worn around your waist, but without locking in place. It works a lot like an airplane seatbelt. The padlock itself has an extra rectangular loop on its base, through which you thread a seatbelt webbing strip joined to the end of the chain. The padlock is similar to a belt buckle.
It’s adjustable, to suit any girth, and can be had with its clothes-protecting nylon sleeve in bright, reflective material. While this may not be as safe as having nothing around your body, at least it’s easy for the paramedics to remove. And carrying weight around your waist when riding makes the weight disappear — you don’t really feel it at all.
I want to see this lock tested, or to check its sturdiness out in person before laying down £70 ($113). I’m also thinking hard about modding my existing bike chains to work like this. Maybe I’ll even put in a special loop to carry my hipster D-Lock (where “D” stands for “douche”), the Kryptonite Evo Mini.
Hiplok product page [Hiplok via Urban Velo]
See Also:
- Hands Off! With the Kryptonite Evolution Mini
- LockWhip Bike Tool Demoed by Rider with a Deathwish
- Bike Locks for the Theft-Averse
- Custom Bike Features Built-In U-Lock
- Knog Demonstrates Keyless Electronic Bike Lock
- Photos: Tiny Smart Car Secured with Giant Bike-Lock
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