Decent lock for bikepacking

[Catrike16]

Hi All,
Can anyone recommend a good lightweight lock for use when bikepacking?
locking outside a shop etc when popping in to buy stuff. Also, insurance, does anyone recommend it, I totally get it but most insurers require sold secure or Thatcham gold etc which are way too heavy to carry when bikepacking.
Any advice always appreciated.
Cheers

[woodsmith]

I use an Abus combination cable lock. It will barely stop anyone with a decent pair of nail clippers let alone a battery angle grinder. Most insurance requirements for bike locks will rule out bikepacking anyway whatever lock you use as they require indoor storage storage behind a locked door etc.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Flip open the hub QR (if you have them) and leave it in highest gear. All makes jumping on and pedaling off more awkward. Try not to forget when you get back on

[sean_iow]

I use a little 6mm cable lock, I think I was given it by a friend, they use them at Centreparks maybe?

I look at it this way, a proper bike thief can defeat any lock, but, they generally operate where there is more choice (railway stations, bike parking areas in big towns) and aren't waiting for someone to rock up at the Spar. So, I'm only trying to stop an opportunist who's passing but won't be tooled up, so as soon as they try and move my bike and discover it's locked to post they'll give up. It also stops falling over.

Another tip (which I'm sure you''ll know) is that if there are two of you and you lock your bikes together then have them next to each other and pointing in the opposite direction to each other, e.g. bars of one at the saddle end of the other. Join them together at the top tube with the mini lock. They cant be wheeled away as if one if going forwards the other is going backwards, so the cranks go round and get caught up in the other bike. Anyone stealing them has to pick them up and carry them. If anyone can run off carrying two loaded bikes they're probably of the build/strength you don't want to get in a fight with anyway and they can have the bike

[PaulB2]

I use a ziplock combo lock - won't stop anyone with tools but it'll stop someone just jumping on on a whim and riding off and it weighs nowt. I came across a bike yesterday that was shackled to railings in the centre of town with a gold certified d-lock. At least the frame was, because someone had nicked the wheels, seat post and handlebars, breaking the rear derailleur in the process.

[Dean]

I use an Abus combination cable lock. It will barely stop anyone with a decent pair of nail clippers let alone a battery angle grinder. Most insurance requirements for bike locks will rule out bikepacking anyway whatever lock you use as they require indoor storage storage behind a locked door etc.

My insurance has the following (I am insured for my commuting bikes as well):

Not covered if:
✘ you leave a pedal cycle somewhere other than an insured location for more than 18 consecutive hours

Not sure about everyone but I guess some people here have more monetary value in things attached to the bike than in the bike itself.

[fatbikephil]

The tale of the person who got her bike nicked travelling up to the Highland Trail was a bit sobering - she had parked it outside a pizza restaurant window, right where she was sitting. Ned one appears next to bike and she jumps up and heads for the door. Ned 2 is barring door from outside to prevent her getting out, whilst Ned 1 disappears on bike....

So even a cable tie round the wheel and frame, or attaching the bike to a pole of some sort would have stopped this. I've got a travel cable combination lock.

[firestarter]

I miss my rohloff for its antitheftness good word eh, stick it in easiest or hardest gear and then I disconnected the gear box with the thumb turn they'd have to run away with it

[Boab]

I use a couple of Z LOK's to lock up the bike outside shops; although depending on where I am, I sometimes don't bother. As has already been stated, it's more of a deterrent to the pissed up pub goer whose looking for an easy way home, they're not stopping anyone remotely determined.

As for in sewer ants, are you talking you causing an accident, or a replacement bike if it gets nicked...? I joined Cycling UK for the former, my bike's are not worth enough to stomach paying the premiums for the later; up to a certain amount they're covered by the household insurance anyway.

[Alpinum]

Highly versatile thanks to its two loop ends. Long enough to go through a bunch of bike etc.

https://eaglecreek.eu/ch_de/travel-nece ... cable.html

Lock itself was replaced soon with a more sturdy 3 digit lock in my case, obv. you can use it with almost any type of lock.

[benp1]

Abus combination cafe lock here, best balance of weight and protection

I have 4 retractable cable locks, as well as various other locks (spiral, long cable, D locks etc), but the abus is my favourite

Fits inside my tool bottle with my tools in so another bonus

[Specialist Hoprocker]

I have one of these:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accessories ... able-lock/

Not amazing but one step up from my old retractable combination cable.

[redefined_cycles]

A few zip ties, reusable ones in about 40cm length. Very light and effective when your bike isn't too far from you. Add to that maybe one or two Voule straps and you have plenty attachment points for a theif to try and figure out. Works well for me

[Lazarus]

Z LOK cable lock- would not rely on it for anything other than nip into local rural shop/incredibly safe area.
Tiny combination lock through rear disk and round chain stay [ bike cannot be wheeled away and done on side away from thief so would not be spotted]

personally i take it into shops with me, even supermarkets, and prefer to not lock it up, If i really have to the chain comes off and gets used as an additional lock [ with an actual padlock where quick link went] and anything detachable [ light GPS etc] comes with me
I dread to think how much money i have in kit, bags, electronics and bike so I prefer to not let it our my sight/take it with me.

[rudedog]

Watched a YouTube vid of a guy testing various locks. I was really surprised at how easy some of them were to break. The combination locks didn’t even need snips - they just broke apart when the gave the bike a swift pull.

[jameso]

I have a Kyrptonite 525 75cm loop-end cable with a tiny Abus 'Titalium' padlock, it's about 190g. One end is crows-footed around the seat stay, the other loop goes around something solid then locked back to the cable. I keep it wrapped around the seat cluster and it's quick and easy to use.

I wanted to try a pair of Z-Locks but I'm happier going into shops in towns + cities or a large supermarket where it'll take me 10 mins if the bike's locked to something using a slightly heavier duty lock. The size and weight of a Z-Lock is tempting though I'm not sure if they're really secure enough for those shop stops - perhaps no real difference since the 525 cable isn't that much either.

[godivatrailrider]

Hiplock POP wearable... alleviates the carrying issue as it just goes around your waist and you don't know it's there really. Enough for a shop visit.
Plus one of their metal ziptie z-lok locks

[Lazarus]

I wanted to try a pair of Z-Locks but I'm happier going into shops in towns + cities or a large supermarket where it'll take me 10 mins

I just walk round with the bike in a supermarket, no one seem to care and never been challenged
Co ops I just pop it inside the door and lock it to something with the z lock
All your bags are unclipped in seconds , and a lock does not protect them. Think if i was leaving it outside for 10 mins it would not have both wheels on it and all the bags would be in a trolley.
YMMV - not sure reading this if I am paranoid or everyone else is lax.
Rural idyll, with nothing about, and I am a lot less concerned

[dlovett]

I use my bike for delivery work so it's locked up many times a day in some nasty urban areas. I've been using a bluetooth lock alarm like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antitheft-Alar ... C76&sr=1-4

Yes you could cut through if you really wanted to but it's strong enough to need a decent set of cutters to get through it. The second you touch the bike it makes a loud beep and if you touch it again within a few seconds it goes bat sub standard crazy. It's a very, very loud siren. Also if you are in bluetooth range, your phone gets and alert from the first touch and constant alerts if it goes off, but trust me even inside a building you would hear it clearly. I've only had it triggered once by somebody and they legged it immediately the siren went off. Not too big and heavy to fit in a bag.

I have two of them one for the frame/thing locking to and one for the front wheel/frame/thing locking to. You can also sync them to auto lock and unlock as you approach them with your phone.

Mine are 5+ years old and have been in the rain etc with no issues, just replace the batteries every few months if being used multiple times a day.

[Shewie]

I have a 5ft length of Amsteel with fixed loops on the ends and a wee Yale combi lock, I rarely use it but it's nice to have it on board

[due]

Just got to make peace with the fact that if someone is tooled up then nothing short of a hefty D lock and chain will slow them down anyway

For actually locking my bike to something I'm just aiming to stop someone with a set of hand snips or yanking the bike, I reckon a Kryptonite cable and padlock is the lightest solution here (same as Jameso)

2x black Z Loks are good for locking wheels to frame while you nip into the shops, not because they are mega strong but because you can tuck them away and hopefully cause a bit of confusion/make them awkward to get at

[Mart]

I had a combination cable lock until forgot about it and cycled off - the lock just broke.
I now use of of these, in bright yellow so it reminds me I’ve locked it
https://hiplok.com/product/zlokcombo1/

[Leerowe76]

Hip lock for me, only had to use a few times as my bike is never far from me to worry about anyone taking off on it. It works well and is light and small enough to pack away.