Hiplok V1.50: The Wearable Bike Chain Lock

The Hiplok V1.50 is the first bike lock designed specifically to be worn around the waist while riding.  It has an 8 mm hardened steel chain, a 12 mm hardened steel shackle in the buckle and weighs about 4 pounds.  With a flat padded nylon sleeve over the chain to provide a comfortable fit, it also prevents scratches when locking your bike.  It's fully adjustable and one size fits all that should accommodate waist sizes from 24 to 44 inches.  There are a variety of colors to choose from (All Black, Black/Green, Black/Grey, Black/Yellow/Purple) and some have a reflective Hiplok logo for extra visibility at night.

I first became aware of the Hiplok V1.50 at Interbike 2013 and thought to myself, "What a great idea, finally a lock you can wear."  Since getting one I no longer lug that U-lock around anymore.  I simply strap on the Hiplok and go.

Though at first it felt heavy when putting it on around my waist, the weight is supported by the hips and feels much less noticeable once wearing it.  I did move the the buckle shackle to the side instead of in the front for a more comfortable feel when riding.  The hook and loop fastener on the strap ensures a proper fit and keeps it from moving around whether wearing a jersey or bulkier winter riding apparel.  Shortly into a ride, I barely notice I have it on.  I've worn the Hiplock V1.50 on washboard gravel roads, even bumpier MTB singletrack and around town and never had any problems with it slipping, it simply stays put.

The Nylon sleeve covering the chain does make it comfortable to wear and did prevent scratches to my bike's paint job when locking it up.  With a chain that measures 32", it was long enough to go through my bike frame, front wheel and around a bike rack without any problem.  It removes quickly from the waist to lock up in a matter of seconds.  I now wear it whenever I have stops to make along a ride that require securing my bike.

While no lock is theft-proof and there are better ones out there, this Sold Secure Silver rated lock provides a medium/high risk security level and does protect from the opportunistic thief.  Overall, I like the Hiplok V1.50 a lot and would recommend it to any cyclist that is looking for a secure and convenient lock that is easy to take with them.

The Hiplok V1.50 is available for around $100 from Hiplok, REI, Amazon and other online retailers. 

Disclosure:  Hiplok provided the review sample for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Interbike 2013 Cool Bike Gear-Part 4

After five days in Las Vegas for Interbike, I have seen anything and everything bike related.  There was so much to see that it took all three days at the show and both days at the Outdoor Demo to take it all in.  I felt like a kid in a candy store and there were many things that caught my eye.  This is the final installment of four posts highlighting some of the cool new products at Interbike 2013 that are now available, available soon or are coming to a bike shop near you.

Abus Bordo 5700

From Abus comes a new lock in their uGrip Bordo line, the Bordo 5700.  It has 5mm steel bar link construction that folds up into a small package and can be mounted to a bike frame with non-slip velcro straps or using the bottle cage bolt holes.  The premium cylinder safeguards against picking and the lock can be snapped shut without having to turn the key unlike previous models.  It comes in a variety of colors (black, pink, lime, blue and orange) and has a secure rating of 7 on Abus' own security scale of 1-15 (higher is more secure).  The Bordo 5700 folding lock has an MSRP of $69.99 and will be available at your local bike shop in Spring 2014.

 45NRTH Fasterkatt

45NRTH introduces a second boot to follow up the huge success of the Wölvhammer.  The Fasterkatt is designed to keep your feet warm and dry in cold, wet or muddy conditions in the 25° to 45° range.  With a waterproof breathable membrane and water resistant zipper, there is no more need for shoe covers with the Fasterkatt.  It is SPD compatible, has a sealed cleat pocket and a Hypergrip micro-glass outsole for extra traction on slippery surfaces.  The insole is made of waffled foam, wool felt and reflective aluminum to to keep your feet warm.      

The Fasterkatt comes in mens standard widths from size 38 to 50 (no size 49) and will begin shipping to authorized retailers the week of October 21st.  MSRP $225.

Scosche BoomBOTTLE

Scosche introduced its new rugged weatherproof Bluetooth speaker, the BoomBOTTLE at Interbike this year.  It is designed to fit in a water bottle cage or cupholder so you can take your music with you on your bike rides.  It has an omni-directional speaker cone that includes 2-40mm drivers and passive subwoofer to deliver rich sound.  The Lithium polymer rechargeable battery will provide up to 10 hours of continuous music playback on a single charge.  Integrated music controls allow the user to play, pause or forward tracks and adjust the volume.  With a built-in microphone, turn your smarthpone into a speakerphone and take calls without getting off the bike.  Wireless, it has a 33 foot range or can be used with non-Bluetooth devices with its built in auxiliary jack.  Color choices for the BoomBOTTLE include grey, blue, yellow, green, pink and are now available for $129.99 from the Scosche website.

Lightweights Power Reflectors

Lightweights Power Reflectors are powerful, high visibility reflectors made from 3M Scotchlite™ that can be applied to just about anything.  The reflective properties of this product are amazing and they can be seen from very long distances.  Stick them on clothing, bikes, helmets or backpacks to greatly increase being seen at night.  They come in many varieties including dots, tape, flex tape, shaft wrap, for clothing & gear and for wheels.  There is a multitude of color choices in many of the varieties to match or accent whatever they are being applied to.  I like the stealth appearance of the black tape that I applied to match the foam vents on the back of my helmet.  You don't even notice it in the daylight, but at night they reflect a very bright diffused light appearing larger than the applied piece.  Lightweights Power Reflectors can be purchased at Lightweights.org or from select retailers.

Giro Feature & Feather Helmets

I had a chance to demo one of the new helmets from Giro at the Outdoor Demo at Bootleg Canyon in 100° temps.  The Feature is a low profile enduro-style helmet designed for long-travel trail riding.  I was surprised at how lightweight and comfortable it was.  After a while I hardly noticed I was even wearing a helmet.  It has twelve vents with internal channeling to draw heat up and out of the helmet and kept me cool in the desert heat.  It comes with an adjustable moto-style visor and dial adjustment on the back of the helmet for a perfect fit. There are seven color choices to choose from.  

The Feather is part of the Women's Series Collection and has the same styling of the Feature helmet in a Womens-specific design.   It also comes with an adjustable moto-style visor and dial adjustment on the back of the helmet in five color styles.

Both helmets retail for $75 and are available direct from the Giro website or look for them at your local bike shop. 

Interbike 2013 Cool Bike Gear-Part 3

After five days in Las Vegas for Interbike, I have seen anything and everything bike related.  There was so much to see that it took all three days at the show and both days at the Outdoor Demo to take it all in.  I felt like a kid in a candy store and there were many things that caught my eye.  This is the third installment of four posts highlighting some of the cool new products at Interbike 2013 that are now available, available soon or are coming to a bike shop near you.

Hiplok V 1.50 & Lite

Hiplok is a unique lock and chain from the UK that is designed to be worn around the waist while riding.  The original Hiplok V 1.50 has an 8 mm hardened steel chain, a 10 mm hardened steel shackle in the buckle and weighs about 4 pounds.  It is adjustable, should fit waist sizes from 20 to 46 inches and has a Sold Secure Silver rating.  Retail price around $100.

The Hiplok Lite has the same design but in a smaller package with a 6 mm hardened steel chain, an 8 mm hardened steel shackle in the buckle and weighs in at around 2.2 pounds.  It fits waist sizes from  24 to 44 inches and has a Sold Secure Bronze rating.  Retail price around $65.

Both of these models have a flat padded nylon sleeve over the chain to provide a comfortable fit around the waist and prevent scratches when locking your bike.  They come in a variety of colors with a reflective Hiplok logo for extra visibility at night.  Both can be purchased on Amazon or select bike shops.

Camelbak Podium & Podium Chill

The Camelbak Podium Series of water bottles have been re-engineered for 2014 with a new bottle shape and a new jet valve cap.  The bottles are shorter and now have twisted velocity ridges making them easier to grab and squeeze.  The improved larger diameter opening on the jet valve cap now contains the blue valve unlike the previous design and has tabs for easy removal for cleaning.  Look for the Poduim & Podium Chill models to start showing up in bike shops in late October or early November.   

ESI Grips Silicone Wraps & Grips

From ESI Grips comes a line of colorful 100% silicone washable grips and bar wraps that are easy to install and provide plenty of shock absorbing grip.

The RCT Wrap for road, cyclocross and triathlon bikes has opposing bevels for easy installation and they are reversible.  They conform to your hands for comfort and provide excellent grip while reducing vibration.  Each set comes with two long and two short silicone wraps, two silicone tapes and two end caps.  I tried wrapping the demo bars at the ESI booth at Interbike and found it very easy to do.  Each set retails for $39.88 and can be purchased from the ESI website or at select bike shops. 

The ESI line of mountain bike grips come in a wide variety of colors and several styles to choose from.  The "Extra Chunky" (for those that like an extra chunky grip) has an installed diameter of 34mm, weighs about 80 grams and retails for $22.99.  The "Chunky" ($18.99) has an installed diameter of 32mm, weighs about 60 grams and can be used with grip shifters.  For those that like a thinner grip there is the "Racer's Edge" ($16.99) that weigh in at around 50 grams and has an installed diameter of 30mm.  These were my favorite, but a thin grip is my personal preference.  Custom models are also available in "Chunky" ($20.99) and "Racer's Edge" ($18.99) in a variety of two and three color combinations.  All mountain grip models can be purchased from the ESI website or at select bike shops.

Serfas Thunderbolt

A new addition to the Serfas lighting line is the USB rechargeable Thunderbolt.  It comes in a front (USL-6) and rear (UTL-6) model that has a light silicone body and unique mounting system.  The Thunderbolt Headlight throws 90 Lumens of  non-directional light from a strip of micro LEDs and has a run time of 1½ to 9 hours depending on the setting.  The Thunderbolt Taillight emits 35 Lumens of  non-directional light also from a strip of micro LEDs.  Run time for the taillight is 1¾ to 9½ hours depending on the setting.  Both models can be seen from a long distance and have High, Low and two flash modes.  These lights have the flexibility to be placed in many locations on a bike.  Each retails for about $45 and can be found at local bike shops and the Serfas website.

Smith Optics Forefront 

Smith Optics has created a lot of buzz by entering into the helmet market with the introduction of its new mountain bike model at Interbike.  The Forefront is very lightweight at 285 grams and is said to have a 30% reduction in energy transmission (than traditional EPS foam helmets) with its patented honeycomb material called Koroyd.  This honeycomb design transfers air through hundreds of holes all around the head to help keep you cool.  It has an integrated mount for a camera or light on the top and GoPro and Light & Motion are said to be manufacturing mounts specifically for it.  The Forefront is scheduled to hit bike shops in March, 2014 with three sizes, ten color choices and will retail for $220.

Interbike 2013 Cool Bike Gear-Part 2

After five days in Las Vegas for Interbike, I have seen anything and everything bike related.  There was so much to see that it took all three days at the show and both days at the Outdoor Demo to take it all in.  I felt like a kid in a candy store and there were many things that caught my eye.  This is the second installment of four posts highlighting some of the cool new products at Interbike 2013 that are now available, available soon or are coming to a bike shop near you.

Kryptonite Evolution LITE Mini 6 U-Lock

New in the Kryptonite line for 2014 is the Evolution LITE Mini 6 U-Lock.  This is their lightest weight u-lock at 1.65 lbs. (747 grams) which is 16% lighter than their Evolution Mini-5.  Its design implements the New MAX-Performance steel shackle  material which provides high security with a smaller shackle diameter.  It also has a new key design with a replaceable LED key fob and a new patent-pending hybrid cylinder technology for increased security.  It's small enough to fit in a pocket or can be attached to a bike frame using the optional Transit FlexFrame-U Bracket.  Look for it coming soon to a bike shop near you.

Hydrapak Soft Flask

For 2014 from Hydrapak comes a new version of the Soft Flask in three new sizes, 350 (12 oz), 500 (17 oz) and 750 ml (25 oz) bringing the line to five choices.  The original tube version of the Soft Flask was meant to be used with energy gels but this new design is larger, has a wider cap, a hardened rounded bottom and will work great as a soft collapsible water bottle.  It comes with a shut off valve to prevent leaks, has a high-flow bite valve and it collapses as you drink from it.  When empty, stow it away using minimal space by simply scrunching it up.  The Hydrapak Soft Flasks will start shipping out in October and retail for $11.99 to $20.99.

Hero Kit

The Hero Kit is a bike rescue kit that helps get a cyclist back up and riding and avoid that long walk of shame.  These kits will give cyclists of all abilities the tools and instruction for the most common problems they may face out on the road or trail.   They were designed with the help of expert riders and mechanics to include the necessary tools and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions to get even the novice of riders out of a jam.  Its small package size can easily fit into a jersey pocket, seat bag or top tube bag.

There is also a Super Hero Kit for Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and Extreme for Mountain Biking with a spare tube, tire pump and seat pack (Road Cycling) or top tube bag (Mountain Biking).  “A Hero Kit is more than just a bag of tools,” says Hero Kit's founder Jason Berv. “It’s confidence in a kit, empowerment to ride a trail that you’ve never ridden before, knowledge that you have what you need, including tools and how-to and support, to get you back to the trailhead safely."  Hero Kits are now available and may be purchased from Herokit.com. 

Nite Rider Lumina Flare

New for 2014 from Nite Rider is the Lumina Flare.  This light features 650 Lumens to penetrate the darkness and integrates a 1W red taillight on the other end to alert those behind you.  It contains an internal USB rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that will deliver a run time of 1:30 hours on High (650), 3 hours on Medium (350), 5½ hours on  Low (200) and 18 hours on Walk (40) and also has a flash mode.  The Lumina Flare can be mounted on handlebars but is most effective when helmet mounted for use of the rear taillight.  Its one piece design is a great choice for commuters looking for a headlight/taillight combination.  Look for it coming to your local bike shop sometime this fall.  MSRP $169.99.  

A'ME Heated Grips

For cyclists that want to keep their hands warm when riding in cold conditions there is the A'ME Handlebar Thermal Wrap System and Heated MTB Grip.  These thermal grips feature bluPulse™ ‘Adaptive Thermal Regulation’ technology with six different temperature settings that can be selected by pushing a button.  Both units run on a 11.1 volt Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery Pack that can be mounted to a frame tube or handlebar stem and it has watertight connectors.  The MTB grips are available in three styles for $199 and the Road Bike wraps for $199.  All come with a  6 Month Grip Replacement on Manufacture Defects and a 2-Year Half-Price Replacement Warranty on grips for damage due to fall or excessive wear.  Available now at amegrips.com.