Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Hot!
• Securely holds bikes horizontally or vertically
• Includes Hiplok’s quick and easy Z Lok Combo
• Fits most bikes (accepts tires from 20 – 75mm wide)
• No-tools adjustment
• Only $29.99
Not!
• Included mounting screws were poor quality
Company: Hiplok
Product: Jaw+
Includes: Jaw and Z Lok Combo
Website: https://hiplok.com/product/hiplok-jaw-plus/
Price: $29.99
How acquired: sample from the company
RBR advertiser: No
It’s been my experience that if you wait long enough, someone will usually come along with that better mousetrap you’ve been dreaming about inventing. That’s what happened to me with Hiplok’s new Jaw+.
The problem-solver I’ve been contemplating for way too long is a fix for my ride routine. Here’s what happens – more often than I care to admit: I’m out the door with my bike and ready to hit the road when I realize I forgot something. That means going back inside the house.
And that’s where the problem comes in. I’m only going to be inside for 30 to 90 seconds usually to grab whatever it is I forgot. But, if I leave my bike outside for even only a few seconds, it could get stolen. Sure, I can bring my bike back inside with me. But, I kept dreaming of some quick way to park and lock the bike right there out front.
Rack & lock
So, I was really happy to see Hiplok’s Jaw+ because it does exactly that. It consists of a heavy-duty plastic adjustable tire/wheel wall-mount clamp (the “Jaw”) and one of Hiplok’s Z Lok Combos (quite a bonus because the Z Lok Combo alone sells for $24.99).
The Jaw’s jaws slide in and out and lock in place to grip tires from 20 to 75mm (.79 to 2.9 inches) wide. No tools are required to change the adjustment and it can be done in seconds so it’s easy to set it for different bikes.
Once the jaws are set for the tire width, you simply push the tire into them and they “bite” and hold your bike upright by its wheel. The jaws are narrower at their tips so that bikes can’t come out on their own. Also, in the unlikely event your tire is narrower than your rim, the jaws will hold by the rim, too.
Holds Bikes Down and Up
I put the Jaw low for parking my bike by the rear wheel. For this you mount the Jaw at the same height as the axle. You can also mount it higher to park bikes standing on their rear wheels and held by their front wheel in the Jaw. You can put as many Jaws as you like on a wall to park all your bikes. You could put some low and some high as a potential way to get even more bikes in a small space.
Since I wanted to lock my bike, I got the Jaw+, which includes the Z Lok Combo (the $24.99 Jaw does not come with a lock HIPLOK JAW – Hiplok). Hiplok’s Z Loks work like ratcheting zip ties that you can unlock and open, so they’re easy and quick to use. Here’s a review of these simple and convenient locks Hiplok Z Lok Review – Road Bike Rider Cycling Site.
Now, with the Jaw+ attached to the side of my garage, when I have that forgot-my-bottle, keys, computer, light or other essential, I back my bike into it and secure it with the Z Lok. I know that a resourceful thief has the means to violate such a simple security tie. But, it’s up to me to never leave the bike unattended long enough for that to happen.
Conclusion
Overall, I think this is another winning product from Hiplok and I’m delighted to have it. I can now stop trying to make my own! The only caveat is that the screws included with my Jaw+ were poor quality. I snapped the heads off two of them with little effort. Not a good thing for a security device. It could just be mine. But, be sure to check yours and if they’re bad, too, replace them.
Hiplok Video
Ride total: 9,948
Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. He has been a pro mechanic and cycling writer for more than 40 years. He’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Check out his “cycling aficionado” website at http://www.jimlangley.net, his Q&A blog and updates at Twitter. Jim’s cycling streak ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.
Love the concept, great way to make good use of space. However, I would question the security. With QR wheels, you are locking the wheel not the bike.
Good point, Bob. I lock the rear wheel. With this type of lock you are hoping that the thief is not a mechanic and that they struggle with opening the QR or unscrewing the through-axle; getting the rear wheel out of the dropouts; and disengaging the chain.
Thank you!
Jim