Winter Cycling - Locking up when the cold wind blows

Ok, so here's another "how'm I gonna deal with THIS part about winter commuting" question (and by "winter" I mean anything colder than 25F for the next 5 months):

My regular lock-up routine is to put a U-Lock around the rear wheel, seat post, and the bike rack (at work, I have one like this company makes (http://www.dero.com/rolling_rack.html), sort of a rolling wave, where you place your bike between the waves and lock up to the vertical portion to either side). For added security, I also carry an On-Guard cable lock with combination. This I weave through the rear wheel, around the rack, through the frame, through the front wheel, then back through the frame to make a figure 8 with each loop holding a wheel and part of the bike frame AND going once around the rack in addition to the U-lock.

I COULD get locking skewers, but I still want to be locking my bike up with two different types of locks.

Here's the rub (or rather two rubs): 1.) My fingers feel like they're getting frost bitten as I try to lock/unlock the cable w/combo lock since my gloves don't allow me to work the combo very easily. 2.) The cable itself gets very stiff in the cold. This makes it difficult to manipulate, especially to work it into a coil to put back in my panniers. More than once that stiff coil even whips loose if my grip on it slips (cold cold hands) and I've whacked myself places I don't want to describe :eek: .

How many people still use multiple lock types during the winter? What works best for you?

I suppose I could probably put locking skewers on, but I have a generator hub up front. That makes it more valuable, but also harder to remove and lock up with the back wheel. (Can you even get a locking skewer through a generator hub, or is that pretty much a solid unit?) Besides, I don't want to be resting my steel fork on the ground all day long during the winter. So in this case, which wheel would you suggest locking with the U-lock if I'm only going to use that one, but with new skewers?

I'd have to guess that removing the front wheel to lock up to the back (if that's what you're suggesting?) would be just as much of a PITA as the problems with your combo lock. I only use one coil combo lock where I live but when I lock it up I rotate all/most of the rings together. Probably because I'm lazy. But it has the side effect that when I come back to unlock, I have very little work to do to get the combo again, and I do appreciate this in cold weather.

My gut reaction would be that bike theft would be rarer at the temperatures you describe, and if the bike was stolen you could find it not to far away... by the thief's frozen remains. :D

I could be wrong.

I've only been cycling in winter conditions for the past week or so, but I bring a separate pair of gloves to lock up my bike that are not as bulky as the mitts I wear while cycling. As soon as I get to the bike rack I take my bulky mitts off and put the thinner gloves on to do the lockup routine (1 chain, 1 u-lock, 2 cable locks... completely overkill, but I don't care). I store the gloves with the locks inside my panniers. This has worked for me for the past week of commuting, during which the temperatures have ranged from 6F to 20F.

As for the cable lock dilemma, maybe just get an extra cable lock and/or one that uses a key instead of a combination? They're inexpensive (even for a guy like me). That way you don't have to make complicated figure-8 loops or fumble with the combo when it's freezing outside.

I hope that helps.

I bring a separate pair of gloves to lock up my bike that are not as bulky as the mitts I wear while cycling. As soon as I get to the bike rack I take my bulky mitts off and put the thinner gloves on to do the lockup routine (1 chain, 1 u-lock, 2 cable locks... completely overkill, but I don't care).

I agree, I use thinner liner gloves under my lobster mittens. With those touching cold metal is not quite bad.

I chose my most inexpensive bike for winter commuting. That way, I feel okay with just using one U-lock (less handling in the cold). I leave the U-lock locked to the bike stand over night - one less thing to care about, when I pack my panniers in the morning.

Peter White cycles has pitlock skewers that work with the Schmidt dynamo hub and all sorts of other parts on your bike, I suspect it work with the Shimano dynamo as well.

Maybe try one of those real small u-locks that fit around your front rim and downtube, a neighbor keeps his track bike on the street with a normal u-lock around a lamp post and the smaller one on his front wheel.

Good luck and good riding.