Winter Bike Protection

[rice400]

i am going to be getting my bike on wednesday but i won't be able to ride much since winter is coming up.

i was wondering what i should do to my bike to prepare for winter. i won't ride it when they're is snow i was just wondering if there is a certain thing i can do to protect my bike from the cold and snow.

[edmej123]

put a blanket around it, put a beenie on it, make it wear some gloves, and dont let it go out into the cold without a jacket on, we dont want it getting sick...

[CMcMahon]

Keep it in your garage.

[rice400]

i'm not asking this cause i treat my bike like a kid.

i was wanting to know because i don't want to get snow and crap in my bearings etc. also i don't want to get moisture on my bike which will turn into rust.

[haro_rider09]

hmmmm....i know for the head set theres a cover...but i would probablly make my own custom covers, i live in texas so i dont have to worry about snow, just the cold air

[CMcMahon]

Once again: Keep it in your garage.

[sxe fbm rider]

ha, yea.. I just ride my bike in the winter. Thats the best thing to do to it.

[CMcMahon]

Nothing's going to happen when you're riding it; it's when it's just sitting there that problems start to arise.

[Mr.Noobie]

i'm not asking this cause i treat my bike like a kid.

i was wanting to know because i don't want to get snow and crap in my bearings etc. also i don't want to get moisture on my bike which will turn into rust.


so you know kids who have bearings?

[BMXTRIX]

1. Keep your bike inside when it is wet or snowy outside - your bike should NOT be stored outside. The basement (if you have one) is the best spot for your bike, the garage is second best.

2. If you ride in wet conditions, then when you are done riding you will want to wipe all excess moisture off of your bike.

3. If your bike has any scratches that expose the bare metal underneath, then get some touch up paint and put it over the exposed metal to protect it.

4. ALWAYS rebuild unsealed bearings at least once a year. That is, take everything apart, clean the bearings, regrease, and put back together. Okay, not ALWAYS, but if you do find yourself riding in harsh conditions and getting your bike wet. Grease goes a long way to protect bike parts from water and rust.

5. If you notice rust on your bike, you should sand it down then put touch up paint over the problem area. Rust is not the end of the world, but isn't a good thing.

6. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BIKE OUTSIDE TO GET RAINED ON!!!
7. DO NOT LET YOUR BIKE SIT AROUND FOR HOURS/DAYS WET!!!

[edmej123]

so you know kids who have bearings?

ROFL!!!

[rice400]

huh

[NYC-rider]

Originally Posted by Mr.Noobieso you know kids who have bearings?

Hahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahhaha

[CMcMahon]

I fail to see how that's at all funny.

[rice400]

headset bearings, bearing in the pedals

i don't get it. whats so funny

[Mtn Mike]

1. Keep your bike inside when it is wet or snowy outside - your bike should NOT be stored outside. The basement (if you have one) is the best spot for your bike, the garage is second best.

2. If you ride in wet conditions, then when you are done riding you will want to wipe all excess moisture off of your bike.

3. If your bike has any scratches that expose the bare metal underneath, then get some touch up paint and put it over the exposed metal to protect it.

4. ALWAYS rebuild unsealed bearings at least once a year. That is, take everything apart, clean the bearings, regrease, and put back together. Okay, not ALWAYS, but if you do find yourself riding in harsh conditions and getting your bike wet. Grease goes a long way to protect bike parts from water and rust.

5. If you notice rust on your bike, you should sand it down then put touch up paint over the problem area. Rust is not the end of the world, but isn't a good thing.

6. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BIKE OUTSIDE TO GET RAINED ON!!!
7. DO NOT LET YOUR BIKE SIT AROUND FOR HOURS/DAYS WET!!!

And a couple more to add to these....

Your main enemy in the winter is salt and moisture, which leads to rust.

8) If you don't do anything else, keep your drivetrain clean and well lubed. This will keep the
drivetrain working well and prevent rusting. I like an oil based lube for the winter time, such as Prolink,
because it makes for easy cleaning when it's too cold to be outside with a hose. Just apply the lube
liberally and then wipe the excess off with a rag, cleaning the chain, cogs, and chainrings at the same
time.


9) If your frame is steel, apply J.P. Weigles Framesaver. This stuff is an oily gel substance that coats
the inside of the tubes to protect against rust. It does a great job. It's messy to apply. Also it's
good during the winter time to periodically remove the bottom bracket and seatpost for a day or so to
let moister escape from the tubes.

[dobber]

Change the air in the tires and rotate the seat post.

[bmxrdr88]

just keep it in your garage and dont let it get rusty.

[supcom]

Ship the bike to me in Texas for safekeeping over the winter.

[Archie]

Hi rice400

The warmer the storage area the better -> reduces condensation - area must not be 'intermittently' exposed to the outside, as this produces cyclic cold/hot, giving accelerated condensation/corrosion.

Please do not rap in blanket/beanie -> let the 'dry' air circulate to carry moisture away, even though it would look more handsome with the beanie.

Before storage, clean dust and then thoroughly dry - ie Aluminum & Stainless parts -> dirt/dust lead to localised corrosion.

In a garage be sensitive to vapours/fumes - do not keep open cans/bottles of corrosiive liquids in the same area - personal experience :-(

Inspect it once in a while if possible for signs of rust with time and clean asap.

Finally, when conditions seem right for your enjoyment, carefully bring bike out and give it h*ll.
:-)


Regards
PS: You may decide it's easier to move to a place like the Sahara but that would be cheating.
:-)
Cheers.

[SAB]

Maybe I'll ride my carbon bike in the winter and my steel bike in the summer?

[MichaelW]

Bikes can take a lot more abuse than people think. I have a steel road bike which lived out-doors in a coastal town for 2 years. I rode it along the seafront through sea-spray as well as muddy trails and pot-holed roads, day and night, every day. I am still riding the same bike after 7 years.
You can winterize a bike using wax to protect the outside and framesaver or WD40 on the inside as well as packing grease into all the adjustable bearings, and using a well sealed BB cartridge.

I would suggest you get a training bike for foul-weather use so you don't fret so much about abusing the bike.
It is better to store the bike inside or under cover if you can.

[bundy'sbikes]

put a ski on the front stud the back tire and ride hard you can be just like me

[Archie]

bundy'sbikes, do you have a photo or two to show us here?