Does anyone have any advice for a new rider of an aluminum frame on winter roads that are salted and sprayed with liquid brine? I realize salt will eat my frame, and have to wipe it and wash it.

I'm pretty sure salt will only eat steel frames and components. I wouldn't worry about the frame, but keep your drivetrain clean. Religiously.

You're better off than the guys on steel. AL will corrode in the presence of salt, but very slowly. It it's painted there is even less concern. In five years of *brine riding* I have no issues. Just ride. And yes, keep your drivetrain clean.

As others have said you probably have less problems with an aluminium frame than steel. If you are worried just wipe the bike down with a damp towell after riding. And as the others said keep your chain clean and lubed.

I have an aluminum canoe that has seen more time on salt water than fresh.

It gets rinsed when I get home, but that's about all I do. Then it sits upside down in my yard until the next voyage.

It's about 34 years old and still seaworthy!

I'm pretty sure salt will only eat steel frames and components. I wouldn't worry about the frame, but keep your drivetrain clean. Religiously.

Sodium chloride and magnesium chloride are both corrosive to alumium as well as steel. Mag chloride is the main salt used in liquid deicers. The problem with MgCl is that it's will absorb water out of the atmosphere more readily than NaCl and it is really the salt in the presence of water that allows the damage to be done. Also the MgCl is "stickier" so it leaves more of a film that is harder to remove. Even with a painted frame, it's a good idea to remove the salts in case you have a crack or pit in the paint. And, since most drivetrain components on bikes are just polished and not painted or anodized, it's very important to remove the salt from them as soon as possible. It doesn't take much time to pit a polished aluminum surface.

No problems on my C-dale with it's "Raw" finish (brushed AL with a coating). I am pretty good about keeping it (meaning the entire bike except rubber and saddle) coated with some type of silicone or lubricant spray between cleanings. Common sense precautions should result in no worries here.

Sorry for the slight hijack but not worth starting a new thread for my question...what about Ti?

From what I've read it doesn't corrode, but want to double check as I don't have any space for a beater and am riding my Ti rig in some pretty nasty conditions at the moment! I give it a quick hose down after each wet/salty ride and clean the drivetrain, well...sometimes.

The oxide that forms on aluminum is airtight, so generally once it oxidizes a little it stops. Aluminum does have a nasty tendency to corrode where it is contact with other metals, and also to seize up. I would be more worried about things like the bottom bracket, headset and brake bosses corroding, and the seat tube seizing.

That said, I've been riding an aluminum cannondale in all weather for the past eight years and the frame is fine. I've had much more trouble with bearings failing.

Interesting. I ride a steel frame, but I live in Tennessee, so road salt's a non-issue.

When your bike is clean, spray all of its nether regions
with PAM Cooking spray. Really.