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After wet ride - Bike mainenance help

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After wet ride - Bike mainenance help

Old 12-19-09, 02:47 PM
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After wet ride - Bike maintenance help

Help! I overstayed my welcome outside today and wound up riding in wet snow for an hour leaving a slushy mix of ice and dreaded road salt on my aluminum bike.

I wiped everything down as much as possible, wiped & lubed the chain, is there anything else I should look at? Is it a bad idea to give the cassette and chainrings a quick spray of teflon dry lube to prevent rust?

Last edited by atrocious; 12-19-09 at 03:20 PM.
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Old 12-19-09, 03:01 PM
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It's not a bad thing but I would recommend that you rinse the bike off well. I wouldn't just dry it but seriously get a bottle of water and rinse the bike down 2-3 times. I know it seems excessive but it takes 3 good rinsings to remove over 99% of substance out. Once that is done, dry thoroughly then lube. I like to use compressed air to blow dry the bike and all the drivetrain stuff. Last I would use WD40 to displace any remaining water on the drivetrain, let dry overnight then lube with your favorite lube.
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Old 12-19-09, 03:34 PM
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If you can't remove the chain to thoroughly clean it, try to dry it off and then brush off as much grit as you can before you re-lube. That's my biggest complaint with wet riding--my chain acts like a grit magnet.

Removing the chain to clean it is sooooo much easier than trying to do it on the bike. If you plan on riding in wet weather frequently, I'd recommend spending $15 on a Wipppermann link or some other removable chain link. You'll save a lot of time and your drivetrain will last a lot longer if it's kept properly cleaned and lubed.
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Old 12-19-09, 04:05 PM
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The secret is to do very little -- the bike really doesn't need it. I do think it's a good idea to rinse the salt off.

I used to commute 180 miles/week, sometimes all of it in the rain. I'd wipe and lube the chain once per week and knock the crud out of the RD and off the chainrings. That's it. I rode it over 50K miles and had no trouble selling it within within a day (despite disclosing the mileage) for almost half of what I paid for it brand new. I don't ride that much anymore, but I still ride more in the rain than most people.

Your cogs and chainring won't rust and I would recommend against spraying them with anything. That will only attract gunk. I also recommend against removing the chain when cleaning it because you'll strip everything off which will shorten its life. Just wipe it down, lube lightly, and wipe it down again. Most people put way too much lube on which gunks the chain up.



BTW, here's what my bike looked like when I arrived at work yesterday. I got all that debris on my leg, foot, and on the bike despite having full fenders. After returning in the evening, I didn't do anything (i.e. it still looks like that) and the only thing I'm going to do before going out on it is give the chain its weekly cleaning. I intend to keep this bike much longer than the one I sold that had over 50K miles on it.
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Old 12-19-09, 08:23 PM
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Just make sure the cable guides under the BB remain clear and the cables move easily. One trick I heard is to put a layer of grease over the cables to keep the grime out.
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Old 12-19-09, 08:33 PM
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If its a Trek, make sure you grease the bottom bracket or else it will snap off.
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Old 12-19-09, 08:40 PM
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Atol has a good point, be sure to not get a Trek, as they refuse to warranty if you don't grease the bottom bracket after riding in we conditions.
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Old 12-19-09, 08:40 PM
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Rinse, dry and re-lube. Wipe your brake pads and rims well too. Taking you chain off is both unnecessary and obsessive.
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Old 12-19-09, 09:11 PM
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Originally Posted by rydaddy
Taking you chain off is both unnecessary and obsessive.
To roadies nothing is obsessive.
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Old 12-19-09, 09:14 PM
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Originally Posted by johnybutts
Atol has a good point, be sure to not get a Trek, as they refuse to warranty if you don't grease the bottom bracket after riding in we conditions.
You may as well pull the headset and repack your hubs every time it rains.

Unless you ride in water so deep that it goes over the BB, there is no reason to screw around with it. If you pull the seal off the BB every time you ride in the wet and regrease, you'll mess it up for certain.
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Old 12-19-09, 11:33 PM
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stop wetting while you ride
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Old 12-19-09, 11:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Atol
If its a Trek, make sure you grease the bottom bracket or else it will snap off.
That rusting/cracking BB only happens on the expensive CF Treks.Read it here in BF
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Old 12-20-09, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by atrocious
Help! I overstayed my welcome outside today and wound up riding in wet snow for an hour leaving a slushy mix of ice and dreaded road salt on my aluminum bike.

I wiped everything down as much as possible, wiped & lubed the chain, is there anything else I should look at? Is it a bad idea to give the cassette and chainrings a quick spray of teflon dry lube to prevent rust?
If you opt to rinse your bike off (and I think you should because salt is not stuff that you want on your bike for long), do it with a gentle spray or stream. Do not blast with high pressure water or you will also mess up the lube everywhere in your bike.

Don't worry about this so much. Bikes are not fragile. Just as cars do not fall apart simply because they've been driven in the wet where there's a little salt, neither do bikes. How concerned do you get when you sweat on your bike?
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Old 12-20-09, 08:44 AM
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Here's my wet/nasty post ride/race maintenance method.
Wash/rinse bike with car wash soap and brush then rinse lightly but thoroughly...bounce bike on ground...lightly...to remove water.
Workstand:
Remove wheels...set aside for last.
Using clean cloths...old t-shirts, etc...I wipe down the bike frame drying it as completely as possible.
Using less than clean cloths I wipe down the chain, derailleurs, crank set, brake calipers.
I use WD-40 as a moisture displacement spraying the chain, then I use an old toothbrush to scrub the chain links while turning the chain with the crank. I use the WD-40 to rinse the gunk off the chain...spraying liberally. I use old carpet padding cut into 4'x6' pieces...it absorbs the gunk and is reusable then easily thrown out when I think it is time.
I wipe dry all the drive train and brake calipers with a clean, dry cloth, especially the chain and chain rings until they are spotless and dry.

I use "Tri-Flo" as my lubricant of choice and drip it on my chain while spinning it using the crank. I let it soak in for 10 minutes or more and during this time I drip it on all the pivot points of the derailleurs and brake calipers. I allow this to soak in for 10 minutes and move the derailleurs and brake calipers to help it soak in a bit better. Now I use "Windex Powerizer" LOL as a cleaner of choice. I spray it on a piece of clean, non oily, cloth and wipe clean the brake pads. Then I use a piece of medium grit sand paper to lightly scrub the brake pad surfaces to remove any/all embedded material.
Using a clean cloth I wipe down the drive train and brake calipers until they are clean, dry and shiny.
I use Lemon Pledge...lol...as a frame polish. I spray it on a clean, dry cloth and wipe down the frame, crank arms, derailleurs and brake calipers. I use another dry cloth to polish said parts. Frame/components are done.

Wheels:
I use Windex Powerizer as my main cleaning agent here. I've used all sorts of stuff, Pedro's Orange cleaner, Simple Green, etc. and find not much difference except cost...Windex is less costly and does a fine job imo.
I spray the wheels and tires liberally and use a clean, dry cloth to wipe down the wheels, rims, spokes and hubs. I also inspect said parts for wear/damage, etc.
Laying the rear wheel on its' side, cassette up, and wedged against my waist and bench vise to hold it in place I spray a light coating of WD-40 on the cassette cogs. Using a cloth folded in half I clean between each of the cogs then between the last cog and wheel. If you hold the cloth between both hands with a back/forth motion you turn the cassette while cleaning making for a better/easier job of it. The WD-40 is just to loosen any crud, etc. and is not used to lubricate as I am only cleaning the cog surfaces.

Now I just put the wheels back on, and run the bike through its' gears and apply the brakes making sure everything is adjusted and working perfectly.
I use a Park Shop level stand.
I also use the Windex to clean the pedals and add a few drops of Tri-Flo at the pedals pivot points making sure to wipe off all excess lubricant.
This takes me roughly a bit over an hour but well worth the effort. My '99 Merlin/Campy Chorus bike runs and rides as good or better than the day I completed its' build 10 years ago. It is dead silent and shifting/braking is flawless, sure and silent.
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Old 12-20-09, 09:10 AM
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Fortunate for me, I have a tub / shower dedicated for my bikes. I get home from the ride and put the bike in the tub to drip all the snow and slush. I don't think its a good idea to wash or rinse your bike after each ride, however, I always rinse the braking surfaces on my rims. Wipe chain, light oil to chain and wipe chain again. Then with the rear derailleur in the largest cog, release the tesion on the cable with the shifter to allow removal of the cable housing where it enters the rear D to allow wiping of the cable and a wipe with an oily rag. Takes only about 5 min for the whole process.

When I do rinse my bike, I use bike brushes to minimize the volume of water used and only use cold water. I never spray direct onto any hubs or the BB area.

I have recently discovered that after hard rain rides on my carbon bike, the frame tends to fill with water from the holes in the seat stay where the front derailleur mounts. Now I remove my seat post to drain the water out.
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Old 12-20-09, 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by banerjek
I also recommend against removing the chain when cleaning it because you'll strip everything off which will shorten its life. Just wipe it down, lube lightly, and wipe it down again.
I don't want to start another pointless BF argument, especially not with somebody who obviously knows what he's talking about, but excessive chain wear hasn't been my experience. I take the chain off, slosh it around in a coffee can containing mineral spirits, dry off with a clean rag, and then drop it into another coffee can with a mixture of mineral spirits and chain saw bar oil. Drip dry and then wipe with another clean rag. reinstall the chain. Meanwhile, I've brushed off the cassette and cleaned any grit off the RD wheels and crank. The result is silent operation, smooth shifting and a chain that shows zero wear after about 1,300 miles. I just put a machinists' ruler on it and it's 12 inches center pin to center pin. No visible wear. I have a 105 groupset.

The whole process takes about 5 minutes of satisfying work, resulting in even more satisfying riding. The rest of the bike, I don't spend a whole lot of time on. Not much else to do.
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Old 12-20-09, 08:01 PM
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I just wipe down the bike, wipe down the chain and lube. There's no point in doing meticulous cleaning when you are just going to go out in the crap the next day. Once the winter is over and the roads a decent, replace the chain, repack the hubs (unless you need to during the winter), check/repack/replace BB, new tires, etc.
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Old 12-21-09, 10:45 AM
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I use my water bottle when I get to work, and sometimes use a second. But I haven't done this in a while - it depends on the circumstances and the weather/temperature. Also it's been less necessary since getting fenders. However when I get home I still keep and eye on the drivetrain because even with fenders the drivetrain picks up a fair amount of road debris. I got a sweet bottle brush for cheap that has been very handy, and it is very stiff which helps. It looks like this one:

https://www.stacksandstacks.com/cleaning-brush
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Old 12-21-09, 05:40 PM
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As long as the integrity of the paint is good, there isn't too much to worry about in terms of the frame. Wipe it down quickly with a little water.

The drive train does take a little more effort. For the record, I've found removing the chain way easier and more effective than cleaning and lubing on the bike. Try both, and see what you prefer.

I also like to give my rims a wipe while they're still wet and the grime is loose. Cleaning the brake pads is good, too.
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Old 12-21-09, 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
I use my water bottle when I get to work, and sometimes use a second. But I haven't done this in a while - it depends on the circumstances and the weather/temperature. Also it's been less necessary since getting fenders. However when I get home I still keep and eye on the drivetrain because even with fenders the drivetrain picks up a fair amount of road debris. I got a sweet bottle brush for cheap that has been very handy, and it is very stiff which helps. It looks like this one:

https://www.stacksandstacks.com/cleaning-brush
Thats an old fashion shaving brush and mug.They regifted it to you.
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Old 12-21-09, 07:28 PM
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Nothing resists salt around here.It will dissolve/pit your junk(bike components)before you get home.The liquid brine used on roads will seep into your crevices(bearing seals)even worse.
When we get 1" of snow we get 2" of road salt so the motoring morons can still slam on their brakes at lights.
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Old 12-21-09, 08:51 PM
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Hose the bike down; wipe, let dry, lube chain. DONE.
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Old 12-22-09, 12:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Kai Winters
Here's my wet/nasty post ride/race maintenance method.
Wash/rinse bike with car wash soap and brush then rinse lightly but thoroughly...bounce bike on ground...lightly...to remove water.
Workstand:
Remove wheels...set aside for last.
Using clean cloths...old t-shirts, etc...I wipe down the bike frame drying it as completely as possible.
Using less than clean cloths I wipe down the chain, derailleurs, crank set, brake calipers.
I use WD-40 as a moisture displacement spraying the chain, then I use an old toothbrush to scrub the chain links while turning the chain with the crank. I use the WD-40 to rinse the gunk off the chain...spraying liberally. I use old carpet padding cut into 4'x6' pieces...it absorbs the gunk and is reusable then easily thrown out when I think it is time.
I wipe dry all the drive train and brake calipers with a clean, dry cloth, especially the chain and chain rings until they are spotless and dry.

I use "Tri-Flo" as my lubricant of choice and drip it on my chain while spinning it using the crank. I let it soak in for 10 minutes or more and during this time I drip it on all the pivot points of the derailleurs and brake calipers. I allow this to soak in for 10 minutes and move the derailleurs and brake calipers to help it soak in a bit better. Now I use "Windex Powerizer" LOL as a cleaner of choice. I spray it on a piece of clean, non oily, cloth and wipe clean the brake pads. Then I use a piece of medium grit sand paper to lightly scrub the brake pad surfaces to remove any/all embedded material.
Using a clean cloth I wipe down the drive train and brake calipers until they are clean, dry and shiny.
I use Lemon Pledge...lol...as a frame polish. I spray it on a clean, dry cloth and wipe down the frame, crank arms, derailleurs and brake calipers. I use another dry cloth to polish said parts. Frame/components are done.

Wheels:
I use Windex Powerizer as my main cleaning agent here. I've used all sorts of stuff, Pedro's Orange cleaner, Simple Green, etc. and find not much difference except cost...Windex is less costly and does a fine job imo.
I spray the wheels and tires liberally and use a clean, dry cloth to wipe down the wheels, rims, spokes and hubs. I also inspect said parts for wear/damage, etc.
Laying the rear wheel on its' side, cassette up, and wedged against my waist and bench vise to hold it in place I spray a light coating of WD-40 on the cassette cogs. Using a cloth folded in half I clean between each of the cogs then between the last cog and wheel. If you hold the cloth between both hands with a back/forth motion you turn the cassette while cleaning making for a better/easier job of it. The WD-40 is just to loosen any crud, etc. and is not used to lubricate as I am only cleaning the cog surfaces.

Now I just put the wheels back on, and run the bike through its' gears and apply the brakes making sure everything is adjusted and working perfectly.
I use a Park Shop level stand.
I also use the Windex to clean the pedals and add a few drops of Tri-Flo at the pedals pivot points making sure to wipe off all excess lubricant.
This takes me roughly a bit over an hour but well worth the effort. My '99 Merlin/Campy Chorus bike runs and rides as good or better than the day I completed its' build 10 years ago. It is dead silent and shifting/braking is flawless, sure and silent.
Wow, this is after every dirty ride? If so, you've got a lot of time on your hands!
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Old 12-22-09, 01:11 AM
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I don't do anything. My winter bike is fixed, the steel frame has had paraffin sloshed around in it, and I couldn't care less about the chain. Now and then I lube it, when it stretches too far I throw it and put on a new one. I think I give that bike a proper clean maybe once or twice a year.
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Old 12-22-09, 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Basil Moss
I don't do anything. My winter bike is fixed, the steel frame has had paraffin sloshed around in it, and I couldn't care less about the chain. Now and then I lube it, when it stretches too far I throw it and put on a new one. I think I give that bike a proper clean maybe once or twice a year.
this is the clear advantage of a single speed or fixed gear. chains are dirt cheap, deraiullers are non-existent. thats why most people choose this style of bike for the commute if the terrain allows, i know i do.
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