Ev0lutionz

Was riding around and pelted by moderate to heavy rain. Just wondering, should I just re-lube it and save the time on degreasing?

Steve B.

Good practice to wipe dry and re-apply a light lube.

hsuBM

When I don’t run my chain through the park cleaner tool with Water Displacer #40 and then lube after a wet ride, within a week I’ll wish I had.

Gresp15C

In my view, bikes are not as delicate as we tend to think. I park my bike in the garage and let it drip dry.

Chain care rituals seem to range from nonexistent to bizarre.

ScottRiqui 

I use a "dry" lube, so washing the bike or riding in any amount of rain means that I need to dry and re-lube the chain, or else I get flash rust on at least the chain sideplates within a day or so. I don't de-grease unless the chain was due for it anyway.

PaulH

No. After twenty years of daily commuting, I'm pretty sure.

RidingMatthew

depends on your lube?!. dry vs wet. I use what is called pro on my commuter from now defunct Nashbar. It says putting in gentle rain but the mountain bike gets dry lube.

79pmooney

I use two lubes. Tri-Flo for my summer bikes and Finish Line MTB wet lube for my winter bikes. Hard rain and TriFlo? I lube when it's dry and use a lot. The wet lube? It's usually fine but I would probably run the chain through a rag and give it a light lube. (That's if I am a good boy, but the bike just forgives me then gets dirtier to spite me if I forget. The summer bikes will complain quite audibly when I try to ride them.)

Bigbus

I ride almost daily in rain or heavy sea mist (think salt). I wax my chains so it isn't quite the same problem, but I still run a dry rag over the bike before putting it away. The wax is much more resistant to wash off than any oil I've ever used.

Moisture

I'd prefer to have a chain covered in grease because this will protect the chain from rusting every single time you get caught in the rain

Bigbus

Ah heck, you just like to argue...(I'm actually smiling while I write this)

JaccoW

Oh is that what you're supposed to do? I usually just put it away like that and ride again the day after. Even a friend of mine who would ride 40km (25 miles) each day for his commute would only lube the chain once it would start creaking or he noticed an increase in drag.

Alternatively, sounds like you might like a full chaincase or a belt drive bike if this is something you do more often.

2_i 

For a number of years I parked the bike outside at work, under the open sky. I hardly knew whether it rained during the day or not. The rain mattered as I rode as cared whether I needed to put a rain cover over my luggage. Yes, it rains and snows outside and the air is commonly not at room temperature.

pdlamb

No need to futz with "cleaning" beyond a simple wipe down. A hard rain will wash the lube out, but there's still a chance road schmuck will be on the chain. Bounce the bike to shake off the water, wipe it off with a rag or paper towel, a relube. It'll be ready to ride in the morning (rain or shine!).

phughes

Why would you degrease if the chain got wet? Rain is not made of grease, nor doe it make the old oil caustic. Wipe the chain and re-lube.

Darth Lefty 

I keep one chain in the crock pot, one ready to install, and one in the rain.




Lest anyone take this for actual advice, I have not really tried chain waxing

Bigbus

Before I arrived on the coast, I used to just put some 30wt oil on my chains, wipe them off with an old rag and not worry about them for 6 months. But now, between the salt in the water and sea mist and all the sand that coats everything, if I didn't wax I would be someone's best chain customer, not to mention cogs, chain rings, etc. After having cables rust and break I've even taken to waxing the new cables before installing them. Oil just washes out. Even SS spokes rust here.

phughes

Okay...but we are talking about rain here.

Bigbus

I'm talking about rain here, the kind that comes in off the ocean after picking up all kinds of salt. And sea mist that is every bit as heavy as a spring shower and happens almost every morning.

phughes

I'm well aware of the conditions around the coast, and what it does to metal. Regular rain is not like that though, and that is how the question was posed. No rain requires degreasing, though, not even your type of rain. It doesn't rain grease. Cleaning, possibly, but wiping and lubing will prevent most problems. I prefer a good lube over a wax, since it seems to protect better in my experience. Wax is wonderful, but for rainy environments, especially those with salt added to the mix, I go with regular petroleum based lubes.

I used to commute in the Winter, which meant slush with loads of salt. I had no chain issues, none. No rust. None. I did not degrease after every ride, nor did I even wipe the chain down every time. I kept it lubed well though.

So the answer is the same. No, you don't need to degrease after rain or salty rain. Rain doesn't add grease. Rain adds water, and other contaminants, but not grease. Keep an eye on it, wipe it down, and keep it lubed.