Hiplok, A Bike Lock That Doubles As A Fashionable Belt

STYLE

Everyday, I see bicycle riders pedaling away with a chain lock tied around their body.  And it looks horrible, apart from likely being dangerous (the chain can hook onto something during an accident, which can make its repercussions worse).   The Hiplok does away with the horrible part, having been intentionally designed to be worn like a belt when not holding your bike against a post.

A chain lock at heart, the accessory is made with heavy duty steel chain links, dressed up in a nylon sleeve that should make for less of an eyesore.  That way, you’ll look like you’ve got a half-decent fashion piece strapped around your waist, instead of the rusting chain or cable that you normally wear.

Since it’s meant for dual use, the Hiplok comes with two closures: a padlock for “Lock” mode and a buckle for “Belt” mode.  In the former, you simply hook the last link of one end of the chain through the hasp of the lock and close it shut; in the latter, a length of webbing is threaded through the buckle for cinching around your waist.

Aside from the obvious advantage of not looking like a punk rocker from the 80s with an industrial chain strapped to your body, the belt design also makes getting it on and off your torso a whole lot simpler.  No need to pull out a key like you would with regular bike locks — just pull the webbing off and it’s out.

The Hiplok comes in five color styles and is available now for £69.99 (around $115).

[Hiplok]

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7 Responses

  1. I do not agree that the usual steel chain lock looks ugly while you wrap it around your waist when you paddle the bicycle. On the contrary, I quite like the ‘punk rocker from the 80’s’ look. But that does not, in any way, mean that I do not like the Hiplok. I think this is a pretty cool urban accessory with some good purpose. It would look good buckled around the bicycle, but the question is, does your bicycle need this belt? The way I look at it, the special nylon cycle chain would attract undesired attention while the bicycle is unattended, and this is absolutely uncalled for. However, if the money they ask for the Hiplok is no problem, there is no reason to avoid buying it.

  2. Though horrible is too strong a word to describe the visual appeal of the chain locks that are used globally for ensuring the safety of the bicycles, the Hiplok does provide a more urbane solution to the same. It is basically the same thing, clad into a cool nylon jacket that hides the ‘not so good looking’ part. And just to make it more cool, the makers decide they want it to be actually used as a belt when you are not going to use it for binding your bike to a tree. I hope they could have posted in images of all the five colours. The black and green combination is nothing to croon over.

  3. The safety is there alright, but I have my doubts as to whether I would happily use it as a belt. Cool as it may sound to have a chain lick double up as a clothing accessory, but wouldn’t the locking buckle be a bit of a spoilsport? Though nothing is clear from the images, but there has got to be something odd about the broad green protrusion (in other words, the locking buckle) when you wear this thing as a belt. That’s just my opinion though.

  4. The bicycle does look a bit different with the Hiplok cool and swanky chain lock protecting it from forceful pedalling away. Not many would have imagined a chain lock would be able to give some additional value, that too as a clothing complement. But there is a risk that the nylon cladding would get dismantled at places, courtesy the abrasions inflicted upon it due to proximity to unforgiving and uneven surfaces such as the tree trunk, as evident in the image. And an even bigger inhibition would be the surprisingly overconfident price tag of the Hiplok. $115 for a chain lock?

  5. They do not stop at anything before throwing in the dose of good aesthetic value and multi utility. The next subject of the experimentation is the good old cycle chain lock, which would now play the role of a funky belt as well. The aggressive cladding of the heavy duty metal links would add some personality to your bike. And when you have the same rough and tough chain roped in as a belt around your waist, you certainly would not mind walking with the chest puffed up a little.

  6. Hey, the thought that a chain lock could end up being the reason for a bicycle crash never crossed my mind. This is so true, I mean the links of the chain could themselves get entangled in the tires, and the subsequent dynamics of the ride would be flesh ravaging to say the least! The idea behind making the Hiplok must have originated from somebody who thought it out this way.

  7. What a cool concept! And the manner in which the O of the Hiplok resembles a chain link is equally cool. I checked out for some online deals for the same, but without success. Buyers would have to part with $115 odd to get the Hiplok. But the research made me encounter some valid queries put by interested buyers. The biggest concern is that the belt might start working its way down the waist after it is first tightened. My mind is changed, just because one could get a separate lock and a good belt anyways for less than a hundred and fifteen dollars.

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