Portable angle grinders are increasingly becoming the tool of choice for bicycle thieves and, sadly, there are very few compact bike locks that can withstand sustained attack from a 'grinder blade.
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00:00I don't know about you, but one of the major deterrents from using my bike for commuting
00:03is fear of having it stolen. It's a horrible feeling returning to your bike to find that
00:09it's no longer where you left it. When we talk about bike locks, we very often have to caveat
00:13what we say with the fact that most of them are deterrents. Though quality bike locks are
00:19generally rated by independent companies sold secure, it's usually bronze, silver, or gold.
00:24Gold rated locks are very, very robust, but they are rated upon how long it took to get
00:30through the lock and what tools were required. The most robust tools, example being angle grinders,
00:36will usually get through really any lock. That was why I was extremely excited to get a press
00:41release from Hiplock about its new D1000 lock. Launched via a Kickstarter today, this lock is
00:48reportedly angle grinder resistant. I was even more excited about this because I also have an
00:54angle grinder. Of course, there are angle grinders and angle grinders. They do come with different
00:59ratings. This one isn't the biggest of the bunch. However, it's still a pretty burly tool
01:04and you have to be quite a determined thief to be traveling around with one of these in
01:08your backpack. What is it that makes this lock apparently resistant to this? According to Hiplock,
01:16it's used a material called a ferro safe, which is a graphene composite that Hiplock says is
01:21resistant to angle grinders because of its physical and chemical properties. In terms of actually how
01:26to lock this lock, it uses a lock-end key. Also, a rubber coating on top, which serves to protect
01:33your bike if you're going to mount this lock directly to it. Of course, it does way more than
01:38a standard lock. This one comes in at 1,942 grams. In order to provide a comparison, Hiplock also sent
01:46its D-Lock. This one weighs in at 1,001 grams, so it is significantly lighter and is silver rated by
01:54Sold Secure. It is still a pretty hench lock. It would take a pretty determined thief to get through
02:00it, but it's not angle grinder proof as per the vast majority of locks on the market. The Hiplock
02:06D-1000 is diamond rated by Sold Secure. Diamond is a rating that's usually attributed to caravans or
02:13cylinder locks, so it is a pretty hench option. Now, angle grinders are pretty significant power tools,
02:21so I've roped in the Stig to give me a hand here.
02:43So, there you have it. We did eventually get through this lock. However, we had a plug-in angle grinder. Most
03:08thieves are probably not going to have access to a plug socket. We had the benefit of a vise,
03:13which made the whole process quite a lot easier. It took us well over 20 minutes, and we went through
03:19one, two, three, four, five cutting discs. We also had plumes of smoke, which wasn't really all that
03:25pleasant. It would definitely draw public attention. So, would you trust this lock with your pride and joy,
03:31or would you rather have something lighter weight that's easier to carry, but not so robust? Let us know in
03:37the comments. And if you enjoyed this video, please do hit subscribe.