On track testing with the CG-Lock
cj hubbard writes:
A little earlier, but essentially this time last week, Dan and I were rocking up to Oulton Park circuit for a Renaultsport trackday, bringing with us a pair of CG-Locks to test.
Picture: Dan Trent
This didn’t get off to an immediately great start, since it turned out Dan’s was faulty. This may or may not have had anything to do with letting one C. Knapman from Performance Car touch the device as soon as it came out of its box. We’re guessing not – even if the company claims it’s only had about 10 faulty CG-Locks in four years. The problem? Too much sideways movement in the main shaft, allowing the spring that keeps everything tight to slip its moorings.
Picture: Riad Ariane
So, what with Dan being the hardcore track driver, no way to validate the ‘1 second a lap’ performance gain claims – though since we were at a public trackday official timing wasn’t really on the agenda. Doesn’t go down well with the circuit’s insurance company…
However, I can give you my impressions. And the first thing to say is that the CG-Lock doesn’t work quite like I thought it did.
Picture: Dan Trent
It bolts on to the back of the seatbelt buckle – expect teeth marks in your plastic, but that’s a small price to pay – then clamps over the top of the seat belt as it heads across your body back to where it meets the B-pillar. The lever on the side releases the tension, allowing you to pull the belt tight. Release the lever again, and the Lock, well, locks, keeping the belt taut.
Picture: Dan Trent
Or at least, it keeps the lap portion of the belt taut. This certainly has its benefits, but the CG-Lock doesn’t do anything to stop your shoulders moving against the inertia reel. In the Renaultsport Twingo Cup this meant it was easy to slouch, perhaps countering the company’s claims about its posture benefits. I’m continuing to test this aspect of the device, however, and what I can say is that having the lap belt pulling your hips tight against the back rest most definitely does serve as a constant reminder to sit up straight. On top of which, the CG-Lock is sold and approved by numerous back specialists, and the company has many testimonials from satisfied customers who say it has helped to relieve their back pain.
On the track, the idea is that the CG-Lock keeps you snug in the seat so you can concentrate on driving properly – which is to say as hard as possible. And in this regard it worked brilliantly.
Picture: Dan Trent
Admittedly, the Twingo Cup has got pretty decent figure hugging chairs, even as standard (Dan’s mate Danny, owner of a Clio 182 affectionately known as the Baked Bean – would you guess it’s orange? - commented on this almost instantly during a passenger ride).
But with the CG-Lock hauled on as tight as I could stand it, I cannot consciously remember any instance during the day where I found myself forced to hang onto the steering wheel, or brace my knee against the door trim to stop myself sliding in the seat. I can’t think of any normal car on the market that has seats capable of achieving the same results alone during serious track driving. Well worth the £40.
As for on the road, the CG-Lock is so easy to use it quickly becomes second nature to slip the lever and tug the belt tight as you plug the buckle into its socket. The added security it provides to your location in the car seat has got to be good for safety, right? And after several days doing exactly this in the Twingo, then moving onto a new Volkswagen Polo without fitting the Lock (it’s going into my Mazda), it actually feels kind of odd to be without it.
The testing continues, but for the money it’s hard to see at this point how you could go wrong.
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Links:
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CG-Lock, trackday, safety, seat belt, Renaultsport, Twingo, Cup, On the Road, Gadgets and Gizmos, Inside Track
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Posted: November 24th, 2009 under Gadgets and Gizmos.
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