Review | Hiplok MD1000 disc lock

British bike security innovator Hiplok has made its name with its range of anti-angle grinder locks and ground anchors, the clever graphene composite material used in the 1000-series products earning top ratings from independent testing bodies and determined destruction testers alike. We’ve already tried the DX1000 D-lock and ground anchor combo and, having locked up various fancy looking bikes outside Autotrader’s central Manchester office, can report none have fallen victim to power-tool wielding bike thieves!
While reassuringly burly the D-lock is a hefty thing to slip into a work bag, though. So, news Hiplok has adapted the tech into a more portable disc lock design caught our attention, ditto for the fact it includes commuter-friendly features like a free carry case and neat magnetic ‘reminder’ tags so you don’t forget to remove it before riding off. This MD1000 is joined by a simpler and more cost-effective MDX, which doesn’t get the full anti-angle grinder tech but still looks solid enough to deter all but the most determined thief.

The Hiplok DX1000 shackle we’ve been using is a solid piece of kit, and its portability has been helped with the addition of the optional padded carrying sleeve to protect whatever else is in your bag from dirt and oil picked up in use. But, best will in the world, while it’s obviously better to immobilise the bike by looping the lock round something solid it can be hard to find street furniture of the right size to fit within the shackle. Meaning, more often than not, we’ve ended up using it as a glorified disc lock when out and about.
Much smaller and, at just over a kilo, less than half the weight of the DX1000, this MD1000 is much easier to slip into a bag, pocket or under-seat compartment on your bike but has the same level of anti-angle grinder protection. Supplied with the carrying case, three coded and replaceable keys and a couple of magnetic tags you can stick to your bars or tank to remind you to remove it before setting off, the MD1000 package has been thoughtfully conceived, to the point you can even order it together with a DX1000 with a shared key. Neat. The 12mm pin is too chunky to fit into drilled discs but there’s enough clearance to slip it securely within the braking surface and within the mounting hardware. Available in black or yellow we’d probably take the latter to act as a visual deterrent to thieves … and reminder to remove it before riding away. We’d probably add a more conventional reminder cord to go from the lock to the bars to those ends as well, the magnetic tags a neat idea but not as foolproof to use and too easily lost, though it’s neat the way it fits around the lock and holds itself in place with the magnets.

We haven’t the time or patience to set about the MD1000 with an angle grinder to really test its strength, but other testers who’ve done the same with the DX1000 D-lock made from the same stuff have found it very tough to crack. Not impossible. But hard enough that most will give up long before they’ve cut through. Which is certainly a reassurance if, like us, your commute means parking up in busy city centres. This peace of mind doesn’t come cheaply given the £179.99 rrp. But better than the alternative. The simpler MDX version made of regular hardened steel is also available, this costing a more reasonable £89.99. For the ultimate protection the extra cost of the MD1000 feels worth it, though.