Value: £19.99
Weight: 0.7kg
Shackle Thickness: N/A
Locking house: 430 mm diameter
Cable period: 50 cm
Safety Certification: N/A
Whether or not you’re new to biking or a seasoned vet, there’ll all the time in the end come a time to analyze the most efficient motorcycle locks, looking for one thing to fit your wishes.
It’s no secret that there’s an amazing quantity to make a choice from at the present time, together with a wealth of various kinds of locks. From weighty however tremendous protected chain locks and D-locks, to extra easy however much less powerful cable locks, there’s an choice for each situation.
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo would fall into the class of one of the most best possible light-weight motorcycle locks, because it’s necessarily a brawny cable tie with a mix lock at its centre. Whilst it comes and not using a Bought Safe score to talk of, it guarantees ease of use and comfort over heavy accountability safety, in order that’s how I put it to the check.
Over a few weeks in a balmy <5ºC local weather, I took the Z Lok Combo with me on a large number of outings with other motorcycles, to look how properly it served in numerous other eventualities, in opposition to quite a few anchor issues. Those ranged from inside town jaunts with a completely loaded commuter motorcycle, to weekend jollies on a steel-framed unmarried velocity with a a lot more streamlined setup.
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo is compact and light-weight, and operates like a cable tie. (Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)Design and aesthetics
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo is simple to have a look at, and notable for the way compact and light-weight it’s. Consistent with the logo, the design was once impressed via a bike owner who introduced a cable tie on their rides to protected his motorcycle when he left it. Hiplok took this rudimentary idea and evolved its Z Lok line, which is basically a reusable zip tie, albeit thicker, with a strengthened metallic core and a mix locking mechanism.
The Z Lok Combo strap is ready a centimetre thick and gives a locking diameter of about 43cm, which is considerably smaller than, say, the Hiplok DX D-lock, despite the fact that if anything else that demonstrates the adaptation in its function.
It feels actually cast and powerful, even if it’s versatile sufficient to supply some give, making it a flexible choice for becoming round an ungainly anchor level, supplied it’s lengthy sufficient for the task.
At one finish is the mix lock unit, with a big plastic slider to free up the mechanism, entire with a ridged floor to push your thumb in opposition to. On the backside edge there are 3 very small numbered dials, making an allowance for a three-digit PIN.
The whole lot feels actually well-made and durable in hand, and whilst its design was once impressed via the common-or-garden cable tie, it’s transparent that that is in a miles upper league. The strengthened metallic core lends a powerful really feel to the Z Lok Combo. It’s visual thru an uncovered panel, and throughout the slatted design should you hang it at an attitude, and general it’s a actually great taking a look piece of apparatus. The pattern I examined got here in black, which provides it a slick aesthetic and was once adequately subtle to mix in whilst secured to my motorcycle.
For individuals who would favor a brightly colored lock to make use of as a deterrent, or just who revel in opting for their favorite color equipment, the Z Lok Combo additionally is available in red, teal, inexperienced and yellow.
Safety
Symbol 1 of two
3 tiny dials and a press free up button perform the locking mechanism(Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)
The strengthened metallic core is visual thru a number of home windows within the outer casing.(Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo is a later evolution of the unique Z Lok style, and provides a mix lock for added safety. For somebody who frequently loses keys or resents having so as to add but any other one to their keychain, the mix lock will have to imply rather less trouble.
There’s additionally a reset serve as in case you wish to have to switch your authentic PIN, and you’ll sign up your code on-line with Hiplok, when you omit it. Having mentioned that, should you’re anything else like me, it’s possible you’ll discover a three-digit PIN isn’t somewhat sufficient. I struggled to select a three-digit quantity I’d take into account that wouldn’t be simple to bet, and want there have been 4 dials, as we’re all a lot more used to remembering four-digit numbers in our day by day lives. Nonetheless, it’s a small gripe when the lock itself is so flexible.
Along with locking up your motorcycle, there are many different at hand makes use of for it, like attaching your helmet to the motorcycle whilst you lock up and don’t need to take it with you, locking your motorcycle to a automobile rack, or securing your bikepacking luggage close in a single day.
In fact, once we’re speaking about general safety, the extent on be offering this is minimum. This lock isn’t designed to protected your motorcycle in a single day, or in a high-risk robbery house, and that’s mirrored via the loss of a Bought Safe score. That doesn’t wish to be a deal breaker, despite the fact that.
With its small locking diameter and cinching design, you’ll get a detailed are compatible to a slim anchor level and defy maximum opportunistic slicing assaults. What’s extra, the strengthened metallic core is there to stop any actual harm from knives and scissors. It’s extra of a deterrent in low-risk eventualities, like cafe stops the place your motorcycle isn’t too a long way away.
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo is sufficiently small to protected a wheel to a stand with little room leftover. (Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)Efficiency
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo is amazingly easy to make use of. It really works similar to a cable tie: You thread one finish throughout the different and pull it tight, then scramble the mix dials to fasten it in position. It’s conceivable to cinch it tremendous tight, all the way down to a locking diameter of round 5cm, which will also be actually at hand should you’re securing one thing small on your body, or the use of it to fasten your motorcycle as much as a slim anchor level and need to depart as little room as conceivable for motion.
I discovered the mechanism to be actually clean and simple to perform, even one-handed from time to time. It additionally springs open in a actually pleasing approach whilst you press the discharge button.
The combination lock unit itself may be very small, and the dials are beautiful tiny. It’s value taking into consideration that there’s a big distinction between protecting it to your fingers and running it, to actual international use the place you’re bent over your motorcycle in low mild on a iciness’s night.
I will’t fault the portability of the Z Lok Combo. It’s extremely light-weight and simple to pop right into a pocket or a bag. You must even lock it round a rear rack or to a part of the motorcycle body to stay it in position till you wish to have it.
Symbol 1 of three
Whilst clean to perform, the mix dials are fiddly to make use of, particularly in chilly climate.(Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)
The zip tie-esque operation manner you’ll cinch it great and tight.(Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)
There is little or no house left between the motorcycle and the anchor level.(Symbol credit score: Mildred Locke)Verdict
The Hiplok Z Lok Combo is very best for temporary and low-risk safety. Whether or not it’s cafe stops on a highway experience, or leaving a helmet locked on your body. It’s light-weight and compact sufficient to hold in a again pocket, protected sufficient to prevent a passing opportunist from making off together with your motorcycle ahead of you’ll succeed in them, and has the added bonus of now not requiring an additional key for your keychain.
Then again it does have its barriers, particularly in iciness. You’ll need some kind of mild to polish on it should you’re unlocking at midnight, and also you’ll wish to have some endurance running it with gloves or numb hands.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyTesting scorecard FeatureRatingNotesSecurity5/10No Bought Safe score and best just right for low-risk temporary eventualities, however the tight cinching and durable construct are reassuring.Construct Quality9/10Feels powerful in hand, with a strengthened metallic core and strangely weighty locking mechanism.Ease of Use7/10Operating it’s as simple as the use of a cable tie, then again the tiny dials make it difficult to make use of in chilly climate and occasional mild stipulations.Portability10/10Small sufficient to slot in a jersey pocket or a small bag, it’s extremely simple to hold round, and weighs lower than a kilogram.Value9/10Very reasonably priced, or even is available in multi-packs.Overall40/50Row 5 – Cellular 2
