If you ride a typical naked bike in the winter, chain wear will be the main hassle, followed by rim and brake pad wear. This wear seems to come from the sand, not the salt, and, though a profound hassle, is not a bike killer the way salt is a car killer.

With disk or drum brakes, internal gears, and a partial chaincase, I don't see any identifiable sand or salt related winter wear in Washington, DC, a city that is as salt-happy as Montreal.

I'd say that salt is a problem for cars because it tends to collect in places like rocker panels. Bikes don't have those. Sand is more of an issue with bikes, because the machinery can be more exposed. However, neither is a problem with fenders, some sort of chain protection (mudflap or case), and drum/disk brakes.



Paul