Winter Cycling - How do you keep my bike from rusting with all the salt used on the roads in winter?

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mike
10-16-00, 01:02 PM
Does anybody have any ideas on how to keep road salt from eating the steel parts of my bicycle in winter?

This is especially a problem with my chrome rims and spokes.

Of course, I have tried waxing with good auto wax, but that was useless.

I also tried to spray parts with a good clear enamel, but the enamel dulls, gets "milky", and even chips off by spring.

Any other ideas?

Mike

pat5319
10-17-00, 11:13 PM
to protect from salt try any or all of the following:

--Rinse,wash or wipe down your bike after every ride, (drip water from above to avoid squirtng into bearings)

--lube/grease both the surface of all parts and threads where "inserted" or attached to the bike and the bike itself at all contact points; i.e. the seat tube and seat post. It's a good idea to grease all (bolt and nut)threads and contact points except the Bottom Bracket Spindle flats, Crankarm flats and braking surfaces.

--check regularly for paint scratches and chips and "touch up" as soon as possible

---Coat the inside of the frame with some type of rust retardent, remover or or barrier- even WD-40!, (I don't know how long WD-40 will last though), it will purge the water. There is some aerosol stuff made specifically for bicyles, it's a name like Weigle, Whitter etc, your local bike shop probably knows about it. You might try a car engine storage spray, it's used to coat the insides for long term storage to prevent rust.

-- find and old cheap "trashmo" to ride in junk weather

[Edited by pat5319 on 10-18-2000 at 01:18 AM]