(Photos: Josh Ross/BikePortland)
As many of you unfortunately already know, there’s nothing worse than the feeling of coming out to the street, looking at the place you left your bike, and finding nothing but the remnants of a lock. The right lock is worth its weight in gold if it avoids that fate, especially as more people pony up for electric bikes that cost thousands of dollars.
I’ve had one in my hands for the last month and can confidently say it’s the nicest lock I’ve ever touched.
Hiplok is already one of the best companies in the space, and with their new D1000 they are promising the most capable lock ever made. They say it’s “The world’s first truly portable anti angle grinder lock.” I’ve had one in my hands for the last month and can confidently say it’s the nicest lock I’ve ever touched.
The basic premise of the Hiplok D1000 is that it solves the problems current u-locks present (Hiplok calls them “d-locks”). That basically means one thing: The D1000 is made to deter even angle grinders, which are probably more common among thieves then you think. That feature is the heart of what this lock is all about. It’s why it’s different and why it’s special.
For years we’ve been told cable locks are useless against determined thieves. What no one talks about however, is the fact that even the best locks, even when used properly, are vulnerable to a portable angle grinder attack. In less than two minutes a thief can free your bike even when you’ve done everything correctly.
The video below (from Hiplok) demonstrates:
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It’s this space in the market that the Hiplok D1000 looks to fill. The D1000 is a Diamond-rated Sold Secure lock that uses a material called Ferosafe instead of hardened steel like other locks in the same peer group. Ferosafe is a composite graphene material that resists an angle grinder while also keeping a silhouette recognizable as a standard u-lock. Outer dimensions are 225mm (H)x 155mm (W)x 40mm (D) with a weight of 1.8 KG (4 lbs) and an internal space of (I)H 155mm x (I)W 92mm.
While security is the most important feature of any lock, there are other considerations. One of the first ways that many locks fail over time is through water damage. Several of the u-locks we’ve used have locking mechanisms that have become rusty and require a spray of WD-40 every few months to keep them clean and moving freely. To combat this, and to keep the lock cylinder more secure, Hiplok sinks the key access into a plastic housing and seals it with a rubber cover. It’s easy to open, even with gloves, but ensures rain and weather won’t destroy the lock. The rest of the lock is then covered in a rubberized outer coating so that it will not scratch your frame.
Pricing and Availability
In these times of supply chain uncertainty Hiplok has chosen to pre-fund the D1000 through crowdsourcing. As of today (September 30th), you can pre-order the lock and enjoy early bird pricing. Production has already started and final delivery should be early 2022. Pricing is set at $207 (based on fluctuating currency rates from GBP) for Super Early Bird purchases through Kickstarter with eventual MSRP currently projected at $345. That will make this the highest-priced lock on the market. It’s a price that shows you how serious some people are about keeping their vehicles safe, and how serious the bike thief arms race has become.
Find more information on the Hiplok website. Or go directly to the Kickstarter page.
— Josh Ross, @josh_ross on Twitter
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Somebody call the Lock Picking Lawyer. 😀
I know he had a lot to say about the Ottolock.
I like the attention to detail with the water flap. When can we hope to see these in the LBS?
I honestly doubt these will ever show up in a local bike shop. I could be wrong but the high price of the inventory coupled with the fact that it’s unlikely to be a volume sales item makes me think it’s going to be something you have to order. I’d also guess that they hope to have them readily available for purchase by next summer.
As for the security, I wasn’t willing to destroy mine for the article but if you do some googling you’ll find others who have. It holds up to the claims.
“A pretty hentch option.”
https://youtu.be/GMg6zVdYI0g
You are correct, others have eagerly attempted to cut it! I’m convinced. I trust Cycling Weekly not to fake the test.
I’ll bet the LPL puts his angle grinder down, picks up his lock picking tools, and has this open in under a minute. That said, that guy can open anything so I’d hardly let that ruin the fun. That angle grinding resistance looks impressive.
He has had to manage expectations before, it’s not as easy as he makes it look. Although, it is good to be informed that there is a flaw. After all, and for those who are hearing this the first time, any lock can be defeated. All that is required is a sufficient amount of time. The idea is to make the time longer than the thief can budget.
Angle-grinder-proof is great, but what about other attacks like freeze then shatter, or using a jack to pry it apart? It has to be at least as resistant to those attacks as standard u-locks, or the bad guys will just switch up their technique
I read another article today that tries to break it a couple of other ways and it survives. I haven’t seen anyone try to pick the lock but I think the fact that it’s sunk down will help defend against that.
That’s good to hear. Honestly, I’m not that worried about the lock being picked. As long as it’s not a “you can do it with a Bic pen” situation, I mean. I think sophisticated lockpicking techniques are not really widespread among bike thieves.
I’ve played a lot of Skyrim. I bet I can pick that lock.
This is a very interesting development. I use a u-lock holster. Would this lock fit? It’s hard to tell.
There’s no tabs on the edges so I don’t think it has a way to stay in it. There is however an optional carry pouch that works for waist carry. Be aware though, it’s hefty.
That price is crazy.
Yes, but look at the video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMg6zVdYI0g
The price is definitely a consideration. Put it into context though, there are a couple of locks in the $250 range and they don’t protect against an angle grinder. There is only one other lock that claims to defend against an angle grinder and it’s a massive thing that’s $300. Also, if you can actually grab it around $200 that’s a steal.
Composite graphene is expensive. I think this lock makes sense for some of the higher-priced E-bikes that people are riding around town. A $200 lock for a $4000 bike is the same as getting a $50 lock for a $1000 bike.
Give it a few weeks/months, a local bike chop shop entrepreneur will figure out how to defeat it.
On a related topic, it’s depressing how many bike thieves are out there, but you figure they steal multiple bikes and then they must sell them, right? Or else why would you steal it? So……..who are all these people (many times the number of bike thieves) who are buying stolen bikes? How do they not know? Where are they buying them? It seems like we’re always focused on one part of the problem. If no one is buying, few would be stealing. How else can we go at this problem?
I’ve sold four used bikes in my life. The people I’ve sold to responded to an ad on Craigslist and they never questioned the provenance of the bikes or how I acquired them. As far as I know, none of them cross referenced the serial numbers to see if they were listed as stolen… Until the people purchasing bikes collectively start demanding a paper trail or evidence that they were legally obtained, it’ll be too easy to sell a stolen bike.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/colnago-introduces-blockchain-frame-technology-to-futureproof-onward-sales/
That’s pretty cool. I bet the cost of monitoring sales of bikes like that is negligible, once you set up the system.
So what’s the paper trail for a bike bought used at a yard sale/thrift store, or built up from parts bought at Community Cycling Center Salvage Sundays? The receipt isn’t even going to say bicycle on it.
Take ten minutes and peruse Offerup. There’s your answer.
Register your bike at project529.com and bikeindex.org
If everyone did it bike theft would plummet.
Half a pound lighter than my Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit Mini and can resist an angle grinder much better (1:10 vs 20-plus minutes). On the fence about whether any of my bikes are worth that $200 (or $345!) price tag, but this is enough to make me take notice. If I didn’t already have the Fahgettaboudit, I’d seriously consider buying this instead.
edit: Oops, looks like the $207 option is sold out on Kickstarter, so $270 is the price now.
The Kryptonite NY locks are still the best value. My guess is that thieves will move on to other bikes or even other bike racks if they see a Kryptonite NY lock.
It even took Lock Picking Lawyer well over 2 minutes to pick this.
https://youtu.be/Iaj6Hh2kr9E
Isn’t the danger of such an indestructible lock is that if you or someone trying to steal your bike somehow manages to mess up the locking mechanism with say acid, liquid nitrogen, or a cutting torch, (or you simply lost the keys), no one (including your local police and fire department) will be able to remove the lock and bike from the bike rack without cutting the bike frame itself?
And it of course begs lots of other questions:
– Assuming a lock cost represents 10% of the overall cost of a bike, why you are carrying around a 4 pound lock with your $3,000 18-lbs Specialized?
– And why are you locking your expensive custom electric bike in such a theft-prone area in the first place? Wouldn’t you take it inside? Or ride a much less expensive bike, one that you wouldn’t have a heart attack if it got stolen?
– Is your frame really that valuable? Aren’t the parts more valuable? So why would any thief try to cut the lock – wouldn’t they be better off cutting your frame, wheel and the pole that it’s locked to?
Reminds me of the TiGr lock with a similar kickstarter story behind it. It might not be as indestructible as the Hiplok but its much more affordable and a great design (light, easy to use).
Disclaimer: I own a TiGr lock 🙂
TiGr locks are a great idea in places where bike theft is not much of a concern. I’d probably get one if they weren’t so susceptible to bolt cutter attacks.
As documented by wirecutter even the smallest bolt cutter could easily cleave through the section that narrows near the lock.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bike-lock/
I use my tigr locks (including the new “blue” hardened steel variety) exclusively as very expensive wheel locks now. What a waste of money.
Did you get this lock for free? Any payments to you from company?
Thanks!
This really needs a citation. I would love to know the true incidence of angle grinders among bike thieves and I don’t know of any trustworthy statistics on the matter. However, everything I’ve heard from police, bike thieves, and sketchy parts buyers (i.e. all anecdotal) suggests that angle grinders and similar powered cutting tools are a negligible, verging on nonexistent, part of the bike theft scene. If you know otherwise, please share. It would force me to dramatically change my assessment of the threatscape.
Given how much the rest of the article sounds like an advertisement, I’m inclined to think the author just took some marketing fill from Hiplok without verifying it and pasted it in.
Why are they using proper angle grinding technique and a new cuttoff wheel with the junk u-locks, but not their own? A stationary grinder will absolutely cut slower than one where you are moving it around on the piece you are cutting irrespective of not being able to determine how much pressure is being applied as well. Smells like Ottolock 2.0, overpriced alternative with questionable performance and a marketing budget that’s too deep.
So if a thief invests in one of these and puts it on your bike, how can you get help from the fire dept to remove it?
What good is bragging about a product, when you cant obtain it? Cant find these things fir purchase ANYWHERE.