Hiplok Switch 105 vs Urban D: E-Bike Lock Test
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- Hiplok Switch 105 is a folding lock weighing 1.18 kg (2.6 lb) with 105 cm of locking length, rated SOLD SECURE Bronze and priced at $129.
- The Switch 105's holster includes a swappable adapter plate that lets riders alternate between mounting the lock and a water bottle holder without tools, a feature the author highlights as unusual among folding locks.
- The Hiplok Urban D is a U-lock (or D-lock, per Hiplok's preferred term) with a 13 mm hardened steel shackle, SOLD SECURE Gold rating, 1.29 kg weight, and a $89 price tag, making it cheaper than the Switch 105 despite its higher security tier.
- The Urban D's 105 mm internal shackle width accommodates the chunkier tubes typical of e-bikes, while its uncommon cylindrical key profile makes picking less likely, according to the review.
- The author previously tested Hiplok's angle grinder-resistant D1000 U-lock, burning through three cutting discs and reaching only halfway through the shackle before conceding, context used to frame what Gold-rated locks like the Urban D can and cannot stop.
- The review concludes that no single lock covers all scenarios, with U-locks limited by their fixed length and folding locks limited by lower security ratings, so combining the two gives the most locking-location freedom and protection.
Why it matters: E-bike owners face higher theft risk because e-bikes cost more and are heavier to secure with a single lock; this review hands them a concrete two-lock strategy (a Gold-rated U-lock plus a flexible folding lock) totaling 2.47 kg and $218, with a specific bottle-cage swap trick that solves the common 'lock or water bottle' frame-space dilemma.
