Tips and tricks for opening a frozen bike lock in winter. If you can no longer open your bicycle lock when it is freezing, it is very likely frozen. We have collected a few tricks so that you can still open the icy lock and continue driving.
If you’re one of those sporty people who still ride a bike in winter, then you probably know the problem with the frozen bike lock. The lock can no longer be opened due to frozen moisture or rainwater in the locking cylinder. You need our tricks to open the frozen lock.
Why can’t the bike lock be opened?
In winter it often happens that bicycle locks ice up. But what exactly does that mean? Now it means that rainwater or moisture has collected inside the lock cylinder. Due to the usually low temperatures in winter, the water collected is frozen. As a result, you can no longer operate the locking cylinder properly. The following tips will help you to open your frozen bike lock anyway.
1) Open frozen bicycle lock with fire
In such a case, it helps if you heat the lock cylinder with a flame from a lighter for about 1-2 minutes. This dissolves the icing and the lock is easy to open. You should make sure that the lock is not covered with plastic. Therefore, also note our good tips for buying a bicycle lock. You can also treat your key with heat.
2) Treat the bike lock with a de-icing spray
We agree with bicycle expert Alexander Giebler: De-icing is very easy with a de-icing spray. To make the iced-up bike lock work again, spray the opening of the lock cylinder with the spray. This will thaw the icing inside the lock. And you can continue your healthy bike rides. You can also use a door lock de-icer from the drugstore or the internet.
3) Use warm water for de-icing
If you don’t have deicing spray handy, you can use warm water to open your frozen bike lock. To do this, take a bowl of warm water. Or fill a thermal mug with warm water and take it with you to your connected bike. Then you can dip the lock with the lock cylinder into the shell. Or pour some water into the opening with the mug. This should allow the heat to make the iced-up bicycle lock work again.
4) Open frozen bike lock with hot breath
Less promising, but not impossible. If the icing isn’t too severe, your warm breath may help. Blow into the opening several times to thaw the iced bike lock. You should then be able to open it again with the key. In addition, note which tricks you can use to better tell your keys apart in the future.
