Hi everyone,

I rode my bike along the Oregon coast yesterday, and now I've got a light layer of sand (and no doubt salt) on the bike. I was riding with full fenders, but I figure the sand still got into places where I don't want it.

So my question is, what sort of cleaning do I need to do to prevent my components from being ground into powder over the next few weeks?

I was planning to take the chain off and soak it solvent. I'm also removing the cassette for other reasons, so obviously I'll give it a thorough cleaning. If I wipe down the rims, brakes, chainrings and rear derailleur will that be sufficient? Are there places I should apply oil or grease?

If it makes any difference, I've got a Deore rear derailleur, Deore front hub, Tiagra rear hub, FSA Gossamer MegaExo crankset and BB, and Avid Shorty 4 brakes.

On a related question, when removing a Shimano chain that I intend to reuse, granted that I'll need a new sub-pin for reassembly, does it make any difference how I break the chain? Should I remove the old sub-pin or a different pin, and if the old sub-pin, does it make any difference which side I push out?