Lock frozen... again..
 

I have a junker that I keep outside with a u-lock that froze over once. So now, ever time I go outside to ride, I gotta bring a bottle of hot water out to defrost it which promptly refreezes again.

Any tips?

found this:
give it a read

http://www.tufoil.us/lubit8.htm

Use a deicer like Landrover said, and don't use water to get your lock open. You are only making your freeze problems worst. The hot water may work in a pinch but some of it stays inside your lock. If you use water over and over it is only adding to your problem. One more thing bring the bike and lock inside place your lock over a heat source to dry it out. Then lube it up you should have no problems after that.

Try using some rubbing alcohol.
I used it in a pinch .
Keith

I keep a very small bottle of wd-40 handy.

I couldn't find tufoil at the local hardware store but I'll try the other suggestions.
Tried rubbing alcohol, it's 70/30 mix and still freezes since it gets down to about 5F sometimes. Will try flushing it out and spraying it with wd-40 and chain lube.

Does chain lube freeze up?

I have been using Finish Line chain lube in my Ulock and and also a cable lock that sits outside always. It has been out in about 0f weather and not frozen. What is freezing, the key part or where it actually locks? Bike grease may work as well. I have found WD-40 washes out quickly, so you will need to redo it regularly.

Both the key part (I can't even stick the key in) and the part that locks inside (I can't turn the key even if it goes in).
:(

carry a lighter.

So, your not a smoker?

no, i don't smoke, but you'd be amazed at how many times i've been able to put the zippo i carry with me to good use.

I park in an alley alongside my office buildling downtown, that is closed off with a little swinging gate that has a lock built in. I've had no problems with my bike locks, but this gate lock froze up solid last week and I ended up carrying my bike up 3 floors to my office. No big deal. When I went into my winter jacket at home where I keep a little container of de0icer spray I discovered that after sitting there for a few years it had dried up. So it was a few days till I found a new contained of de-icer spray to carry with me on my bike, and then it warmed up enough that the lock came undone on its own! before I had a chance to use the de-icer spray. Well now I am prepared for the next time. We still have all of Februrary afterall.

Does it matter if the lock points up or down? I try to keep my lock keyhole-down to avoid water dripping in.

Well I point my lock up, sounds counter intuitive but in order for me to pour hot water on it to defrost it, it has to be pointed up.

The de-icer's a better way.

If there is not a huge amount of ice on the lock,just cup your hands over it as much as possible and breathe on the lock for a couple of minutes.It's slow but it works if the lock just has a little ice inside and not a huge covering of ice over it. Did you ever try putting a sandwich bag over the lock and using an elastic to cover as much as possible.Before you leave the bike?? On a Sunny day this may work as a greenhouse too and warm things up a little if the sun is in the right place.

Breathing in your lock, pouring hot water in it, even p**ing on it may help in a pinch, but de-icer is the only long term solution. That's what we use in car locks here. And it is best applied before your lock freezes. If the lock is already frozen solid, it will take time and effort to open it, even with de-icer.

--J

I have a lock on my back fence that I used to have this trouble with. For a time I used de-icer, then I ran out of that and just heated the key with a lighter before inserting it into the lock.

This is a better solution: Make your lock a rubber hat. Get an old innertube or something similar and punch two holes for the shackle with an awl or punch. position the rubber around the lock so that it acts like an umbrella and directs the water away from the keyhole. Position the lock keyhole down.

Dan

Closest thing I can think of is using a condom wrapped around the lock portion...

There have been times when i used 1/4 bottle of deicer to get my lock unfrozen. Either i'm deicer defficient or there was a lot of ice in there.

Regardless, what i found to be of best use, was a blowdryer/hairdryer. It helps if you have a socket nearby your bike. This avoids the whole pouring more liquid into the lock. And yes; keep your locks indoors if possible.