>>1812524A padded case is a good idea. Also, consider how you'd package things if you were going to ship them via post - getting bounced around in panniers or in a backpack is like being bounced around in a parcel truck, so put your fragile items inside good packaging and they'll be safe.
>>1812480Where are you going where you need a u-lock but don't also have panniers or bags on your bike?
>>1812473The answer is that it's a combination of the appropriate gear, a bike that's not a rolling trash heap, and not smelling worse than is expected of someone exercising that sets a cyclist (or just a regular person on a bike) apart from those ill favored souls.
>>1812424For 15ish years I've had one of these as my home truing stand. It's not as nice to use as a shop tier stand, the indicators are trash, and you can't trust it for dishing - but it gets the job done if you know what you're looking for as the wheel goes round and don't need something to fit thru axles:
https://www.performancebike.com/spin-doctor-pro-truing-stand-sd-ts/p914520 