On all the lists of recommended kit I’ve seen, I haven’t seen any bike locks.

So, if you’re riding solo, how do you get on if you have to go to the shops for more food or whatever? Even if my bike was in sight, I wouldn’t want to leave it unattended.

Is there some kind of bikepacking ninja I’m not aware of … like only taking water from streams and eating roadkill, to avoid shops?

I’ve got a cheapy halfords lock. Sometimes take it, some times not. Pick your place and pick your shop, and fingers crossed, nicked it’s not.

it’s a cable coil lock, but I deleted that part as it didn’t scan.

I imagine most people just risk it – if you’re stopping at a village store or petrol station in the middle of nowhere the chances of it going awol in the minute or two you’re in the shop seem small. You can often see it through the window of petrol stations.

I sometimes carry a very small cable and padlock which could be quickly chopped with a bolt cutter, but it is probably enough to deter a passing opportunist.

I use ZipTies.
I carry about 10 of them and they weigh nothing. If I’m popping into a shop I tend to walk in with the bike, they moan on occasion but I simply state I’m not leaving it outside unattended, once they’ve seen the kit on the bike often they give in.
But back to the ZipTies, if you link a few together they lock, don’t do them up tight unless you fancy cutting them off.. But if you zip them up loose they’ll hold any bike to a post or such whilst you pop into the shop, then just use the end of another ZipTie in the clasp of one of the ones you’ve used and it’ll open right up to be used again.
I put them into the bars on my bike using the bar end plug and a bit of tape to stop them rattling around.
Other than that I do have a Cafe’ lock, small and neat wire & coded lock that fits into the front bar bag, but even that isn’t robust enough to leave even for the shortest of times. I don’t tend to use this very often, it’s ok for remote places I guess but if you are staying over in a B&B or such and the landlady who said No to bringing the bike in the room I then take the wheels off & attach them and the frame and carry the whole lot into the room.
I’ve only been told not to do that once, whereby they locked the bike up in their garage which most folks do anyway.

Can’t say I’ve ever fancied roadkill.. but I have drank stream water with a steriliser tablet in..

I took a thin café lock on one trip, generally I was so tired that I didn’t care, which took a lot of the worry away. But as above you dont tend to go where its a risk… apart from the time I needed to use the toilet in a Manchester sports centre, but there was a whole different type of concern in that situation 😯

id take my front wheel with me- and i have done so in the past – i also got into the habit of clicking the gears to the opposite ends so that if anyone wants to jump on and ride off – they will end up in a heap. … but mostly where i choose to ride its a non issue.

i also have issue with leaving my bike out of sight.

I’m looking at this, as I’m riding the UK, and have had a bike nicked…

So far for ultra light there’s this: Titanium 0.4kg $129

Or imminent is this: 1.05kg £80 GOLD SOLD SECURE

My insurance would be valid with the latter, not with the first 🙁

Any one tried these?

I used to use a Knog Milkman, but recently stopped using this after forgetting the key but carrying the lock anyway! [for sale if interested]

I now carry an Abus combination lock with a retractable cable. Fine for popping in a shop or cafe

I’ve got one of these for the nip-in-for-a-pasty stops. Stops an opportunist but not much more than that.

I like the zip-tie approach – I clearly need to do more mindstretching to get myself fully into the lightweight zone.

Sorry my posts don’t scan like yours Ned, but I appreciate that yours do 🙂