Fidlock has been around for a while, and until recently its connectors and clasps have been used by plenty of manufacturers for bags, helmet straps and more.
You’ll find Fidlock's Monkeylink clasp system, which has a one handed operation that combines a slot and magnet for the closure, on plenty of other manufacturer's urban helmets, but Fidlock has now designed its own system, the Twist, which it will sell itself. It's the first time Fidlock has branched out to design a standalone product.
The Twist has a snap and connect closure that combines a keyed slot shape with high-power magnets.
The bottle and cage system is similar to those from Fabric and Vincero Design, but the Twist system is a little more refined: simply hover the bottle over the base unit and the magnet pulls it into place, this then automatically locks and can only be released by quarter turning the bottle clockwise.
It’s a neat and simple idea that minimises the cage and looks particularly suitable for small frames.
Fidlock has also rolled out a range of accessories using the system: a standard boss mounting base unit, base units that can be attached anywhere (with a reusable ratchet strap system), an expandable bike bag, saddlebag system, and even mini-bottles designed for kids' bikes.
Fidlock plans to roll out the Twist's lock design to lots more accessories, although information is pretty scarce on availability and pricing so far.
I was impressed with how well it works and the wide range of applications it could potentially be used for.
