Bike lock stuck in autumn: rain, rust and a snapped key

Autumn in Amsterdam is wet leaves on the rack and rain in the cylinder. The lock feels stiff, the chain no longer runs, and then you turn a little too hard. The key snaps. That is the job we see most in October and November.

Moisture gets into a ring lock, a chain and a U-lock. One night of rain is enough. The cylinder seizes, or it turns but will not open. That is not frost yet. It is rust and dirt. A rusted bike lock is the same problem, only further along.

What you can do yourself, before it sticks. A little lock spray in the cylinder, not a soaking and not a thick oil. Oil glues the dirt in. WD-40 is not maintenance. Do not fill it, then turn the key a few times, gently.

Do not force a stiff lock. That is how the key snaps in the cylinder, and then opening is a bigger job than a stiff lock. If a wet leaf is in the chain, take it out. A cover or a roof helps in a downpour. On a city street you do not always have that.

If it is already seized, or the key has snapped: stop. Do not saw, do not lever. Send a photo of the lock and your location. We open the cylinder if it still can, and we cut the lock off if it cannot. The frame stays whole. A lock that can take rain can go on before we leave, for example an ART 2 ring lock or a chain lock.

We ride in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Zaandam, Hoofddorp, Amstelveen, Purmerend and the towns around them. €75 within 15 km of postcode 1063, then €1 per kilometre. Calculate your price. Key gone completely: lost bike key in Amsterdam. We are now open, including when it is raining.