Bicycle Mechanics - water damage

i know this is probably a stupid question but...

should i dry my bike off if it gets rained on // and or wet?

i knoe virtually nothing about taking care of a real bike. i just got a DK cincinnati and i want to make sure i take care of it. especially since i jus saw online that i paid too much for it.

-ran [rahn]

help is really appreciated.

In general, yes - getting the water off your bike ASAP will prevent rusting of the steel parts. Anymore, the actual bearings are ususally fairly well sealed against splashes or rain, but even so, dryer is better.

thanks for the quick reply... i'm actually drying it off now. with my bath towel. lol. only towel i have

thanks for the quick reply... i'm actually drying it off now. with my bath towel. lol. only towel i have

Unless you're partial to grease marks on your bod, get a bunch of rags just for bike drying. If you want to really keep the bike looking like new, get a can of spray furniture polish. Spary some on the rag and then wipe the bike's paint. DON'T spray directly onto the bike or the overspray will act like lubricant on your rims, keeping your brakes from working! :eek:

alright. will do i'll need 2 do that for real... i jus got it. so its kinda plane. i wanted to like cover it with a whole bunch of kewl stickers. or sumething towards that direction. i cant beleived it rained like that... other wise i wouldn't have even took my baby out.

thanks a lot far horizon

alright. will do i'll need 2 do that for real... i jus got it. so its kinda plane. i wanted to like cover it with a whole bunch of kewl stickers. or sumething towards that direction. i cant beleived it rained like that... other wise i wouldn't have even took my baby out.

thanks a lot far horizon

In general, the only things you need to worry about with water exposure is the chain and, maybe, the cables. Unless you are riding through deep water (I mean up past the hubs ;) ), everything else is pretty well sealed. The grease will act as a poor seal by itself. Rain won't hurt the frame or the tires. It will spray road grit and grime on the bike which can cause problems later on but, for the most part, your bike isn't sugar and it won't melt.

thanks for the quick reply... i'm actually drying it off now. with my bath towel. lol. only towel i have

I would suggest you buy a few more towels:D

A piece of chamois leather might be a good investment, it's common enough -- because automobile worshippers use it to polish their idols -- that it's reasonably priced at automotive stores.

First bounce the bike gently on it's tires, then wipe off painted surfaces with your shammy, then using a disposable cloth like a J-cloth, spray some simple green on the J-cloth, then give your chain a good wipe, rinse off the simple green, then lube with either fancy chain lube, or something simpler (and cheaper) like motor oil.

It's amazing how much bike stuff you can get from auto places:p