Winter Riding, first time questions
 

Hey guys first time on these forums and hopefully not my last :) So about two summers ago now I bought my first "real" mountain bike, a Marin hawk hill se. After buying that bike, I was so immediately hooked on cycling as a sport and also as a main mode of transportation that during the summer that just passed I sold my beloved Marin and bought myself a Scott Scale 60 as a sort of graduation gift. I've loved the bike so much and have put over 2500 km just over the summer alone, so it goes without saying that she is my baby and I like to take good care of her and expect her to last a minimum of 4 years of solid riding.

Back story aside, I live in Canada and it's obviously currently winter. Lately I have been fighting an urge to bike in the snow, because I'm under the belief that it will ruin my bike/damage it/ruin the lifespan. But I would really like to get out theere on the odd occasion, maybe even just to bike to work which is a 15 minute ride and it's not even too bad out.

So my question to all you is, will winter with all the snow and salt etc, ruin my expensive mountain bike or do damage to it ? If I ride it for 15 minutes to work for example and it sits outside for maybe 4 hours on a snow-less day, and then ride it home dry it all off and lube it occasionally will I be fine ?

Does anyone have experience using an expensive bike over the winter months?

No it will not ruin your bike. I have an expensive Merlin with Campy Record which I ride year round, snow, rain, salt, etc. I have had the bike for 8 years of this and it works as well as the day I bought it. Bikes are tough and made of tough matrials. More upkeep perhaps, but still very doable.

What is your clean up routine after a ride in the winter ?

Lots of people ride all winter long. There is a forum specifically for winter riding, check the main forum page.

If you do some reading on the winter riding forums you're likely to find that most people have a winter bike. Salt, sand, slush and stuff like that will raise hell with a bike. There's a lot of exposed metal and moving parts that will corrode and wear quickly. It's generally considered a good idea to get a less expensive bike and run less expensive (and of course, slower and heavier) drivetrain components during the winter months if you live in a snow/salt area.

Of course, it's your choice. If you're financially well off and don't mind replacing expensive bicycle components as they wear out (and they are bound to wear out much quicker in the winter), then ride your nice bike.

Even if you clean your bike obsessively every time it gets winter filthy, that salt will get into places you don't want it to and places you can't clean very easily. It's up to you.

Problem is it's my only bike :( I might take it out the rare occasion idk... I really want to ride but I love my bike so much. KInda torn

Depends on the forecast. If it's going to be days of slush and snow I just let it get covered with crap. I do wipe down and lube the chain several times a week. I wipe/clean it with wd40 then when dried lube it with ice wax. When I clean the whole bike I use warm water and soap and quickly wash it down with a brush, rinse and blow dry with my leaf blower. Takes maybe 10-15 minutes. Nothing fancy in the winter but it gets a complete overhaul and cleaning in spring.

I disagree with thulsadoom. Salt will wreck havoc on an uncared for bike. When cleaned and lubed in a timely fashion it does great in anything. The proof? My backup bike I have had for 36 years of riding in all conditions and is steel and in perfect condition. My main bike and now exclusive ride for the past 8 years is still in pristine condition with original components. Care for it and it will last.

Sure, I suppose.

But for once I actually find myself in the vast majority as far as this topic goes. Most people who ride through the winter in a snow/salt area don't ride the same bike as they do in the summer. And its usually because the salt and winter conditions are hard on a bike.

I ride year around. I won't take a high value bike out in winter. Buy an older Hardrock/Stumpjumper/Singletrack for $100 -300 and put some studded tires on it.