Bike locks seizing up

allen-uk

I had an Abus Granit. 4 years in, seized up, chucked it, replaced it with another Abus Granit.

And 3 years in, this second one seized up too!

Thinking of switching to Kryptonite range, but the critical reviews on the likes of Amazon talk about a lot of problems with the LOCKS (not the chains, shackles, cables, etc) which apparently are prone to seizing up.

Is there a way round this? Has one got to be ultra-careful and spray WD40 into the barrel each week? My bike lives in the house much of the time, but I do go out in the rain etc., so sometimes gets a soaking.

I would have hoped that if I'm willing to pay £75-plus for a 'decent' lock, it should take a bit of weather.

Any advice most welcome.

Allen.
PS A good blast of WD40 did free the lock, but I am fearful of locking it up far from home, getting back to it, and finding I can't unlock it!

oxoman

Like anything mechanical a bit of tlc works wonders, spray mine with oil lube a couple of times a year. Locks been in bike sheds at work for the last 5 yrs or so.

joncomelately

I generally squirt some kind of water repellant into any lock that doesn't turn smoothly. Never had a problem with any brand of bike lock seizing, including on bikes stored outside and cheap D locks. Might be you need to incorporate lock care into the long list of essential maintenance!

thistle_

Kryptonite were at IceBike a couple of years ago and I asked the guys there and they said give it a squirt of anything made by Finish Line once in a while to stop it sticking (are Kryptonite and Finish Line part of the same company?)

I put a couple of drops in the key hole, and a couple on the sliding bits inside the barrel and it seems to work great.

allen-uk

Thanks all. Certainly the lock is working fine at present, having soaked it in WD40. I think I'll carry a very small can in my bikebag in future.

A

mouth

Metal on metal, surely it will need lube at some point. I'd be mighty impressed if it didn't. Usually splash mine (Bell, I think) every time I look at my chain.

wolfsbane2k

Oh the timing.
Just had a Magnus lock die on me, it's about 6 years old but rarely used, just transported attached to underside of rack above mudguard and so protected from the elements, but I still wd40 rinsed it & graphite oiled it about every 3 months just to keep it sweet.
Or so I thought. Bike is currently locked up outside a shop as it jammed shut with bike in situ :-(

I've got an 8 year old kryptonite New York city d lock I keep in the shed at work that never leave the shed, but I oil regularly, and never had a problem.

I guess mileage, vibration and weather all affect the outcome....

roger_merriman

Mine tend to last a while, they are used most days and since the bike is a outside pet, it is often quite wet, I do give it a oil if it gets sticky or very rusty water keeps coming out, or occasionally if its wet then cold anti freeze!

Mostly I suspect its constant use that keeps it going.

redvee

Given this thread I'm taking my chain lube into work tomorrow to give my Abus CityX chain some love even though the bike sheds are covered and the only time I get wet in them is in the summer cause the roof is perspex.

woodyonthebeach

My Kryptonite lock did the same. However the evil that is WD-40 sorted it out. Sprayed into the locking mechanism where the shackle connects to the actual lock. That happened about a year ago and still silky smooth now.

If you have it around it around my dad will recommend a light gun oil for locks in general as it tends not to be sticky and doesn't really attract dust and dirt.

The Rookie

Every couple of months mine gets a squirt with wd40 to clean it out and a drop of 3in1 to keep it lubed and protected.