How tough is winter on bikes?
 

I'm getting really bored not being able to ride my bike. Weathers crap, but we do occasionally have nice dry days during winter and I'm sure I'll be tempted to take my bike out. I only have one bike, so of course I don't wanna do it any harm. I don't mind getting it a little dirty but what I'm really worried about is all the salt and dirt they throw down on the roads. I know it can do a number on cars, so I'm wondering if it'd be a bad idea to ride my bike. Or is a simple cleaning after riding all that needs to be done? The concept of building a beater is becoming more appealing to me everyday.

Don't worry about it. Wipe it down when needed, clean and lube the chain regularly, and don't store it outdoors. If you have any unsealed bearings, overhaul them in the spring. It'll be fine.

i ride fixed in the winter daily in Ottawa.

One winter with no chain maintenance basically finished off my chainring (aluminum), cog, and chain. This can be prevented with proper (almost daily) maintenance.

of the things that i can't really affect, the rear wheel bearings were shot and had to be replaced ($5). The pedals took a bit of a beating, lots of salt and grime... I ride an aluminum bike so i wasn't worried about corrosion, but there's some perma-crap stuck to the bottom bracket area.

Thanks, thats what I thought. I'm planning on upgrading stuff anyway in the spring so I'll be doing work on it soon anyway.

Man, fixed is the good stuff in the winter. Wait till you get some gears and brakes, that's when maintenance starts to become a pain.

Main things to worry about: the chain needs cleaning/lubing regularly, tires need pumping and wheels truing wheels when necessary. If you ride steel, Framesaver would be a good idea too. In the spring you may need to replace the bottom bracket, overhaul the headset and replace hub bearings.

tell your bike to HTFU

punch your bike in the dick

ship to canada

god i lold

winter conditions can definitely damage your bicycle - salt, common wrecking, paint chipping, internal rusting, etc. You bicycle will not be ruined, but there will be certain wear and tear. I'd take the advice from those from portland or other mild winter locales on a lesser scale, no offense.

Most people in areas with heavy winters ride a beater. I would consider it. I ride an old conversion that has clearance for fat tires and fenders. I dont mind if it gets banged up especially when the headset, hubs, pedals, and bb can be serviced every so often when they eventually get gritty and crunchy from the snow and salt sludge.

How ironic that we're in the middle of our worst snow storm in 40 years... dick.

and what portland has had this winter is just average for the rest of us every year. and the amount of salt that portland uses cannot possibly be anywhere near the amount that chicago or detroit uses.

over the years in places where there is substantial snow and ice from november to april regularly, you learn that if you want to maintain a near pristine bicycle like the OP does, you should store it inside and ride a beater instead during winter months. salt and sludge and the occasional fall can really beat on your frame and components. and a frame that will fit full fenders and fat cx tires definitely gets the job done especially with a lower gearing. a beater conversion is where it's at for winter riding.

I ride a beater conversion at the advice of someone that has ridden through many winters in my area and who told me the winters here would ruin any bike that was rode through it.

Clean your bike and yes, wax it. On my utility bike, I do what I do on my dirt bike (motorcycle) and that's spray it down with WD40 to create a film on the bike and that protects it from the elements. Just don't get it on your rims if you have a handbrake (my utility bike runs on a coaster brake).

The worst thing you can do on a bike if you're concerned about rust and other things is to do nothing. It's the same with motorcycles.

Whenever I buy a used bicycle or motorcycle, the first thing I look at is to see if there's caked in dirt, grime or rust. It's an indicator if somebody actually took care if it.

There seems to be an elitist attitude about clean bikes, like if you have a clean bike, that means you don't ride it. My brother is a sponsored cyclocross rider and has been racing for 20+ years. His bikes are always immaculate because he likes to keep them maintained + they are SUPER expensive custom built frames, Dura-Ace parts, etc.

Oh god, I remember Guelph winters... :twitchy:

Bringing the bike into a warm house at night will promote condensation inside the tubing, leading to rust (assuming a steel frame). Best to store in a cold garage at night. Bring it in weekly to clean & lube, or just remove seatpost at night to prevent condensation.

so i have been reading this thread throught the day. i have a question. how do you buy and hide a winter beater from your girlfriend? she will kill me if i get another bike, and kill me if i ruin my new bike. hmmmmm, i think i am in a catch 22.

ITT More salt makes you badass.

i am sort of worried about this since i keep my bike in my house all the time so it goes from the cold outdoors into the warmish house...my rides are about 6 miles...i never considered removing the seat post...hmmm

it's tough because i don't have a cold place to store my bike
need more information on this issue

Hummm... I have also been wondering about this. When I take my bike back to school with me this semester. It will have to live on a cold enclosed porch. For the reasons that have been mentioned, I can't decide if this is better or worse then being stored inside.

Tom

Simple: you hide the bike in plain sight. If she doesn't ask about it right away, it will eventually just become part of the scenery.

You can say, "the salt will destroy my new bike faster than anything, so spending 50 dollars on a sacrificial bike will prevent me from spending 500 dollars to repair my nice bike."

You can say, "I'm either going to spend 50 dollars on beer, or another bike. One gives me a beer gut, one gives me quads and glutes of iron. I'll let you pick."

i like where your heads at!

I would just ride it. The point of a fixie is that they are easy and cheap to maintain in bad weather. No need to worry about shifters, cables, derailleur, etc. A fixie is easy and cheap to maintain.

No matter how bad the weather is, and what abuse is heaped on the bike, a chainring should last at least 1-2 years. I have found cogs to last 600-800 miles is nasty WI weather. Chains need to be replaced frequently, but they are cheap.

Also be forewarned that rear hub bearings and BB's tend to die in bad conditions. These aren't overly expensive, though, either.

My final opinion - JUST RIDE IT. Every 2-3 rides, give a good soapy wash and dump a couple buckets of hot water over it. It'll stay looking good!

I'm surprised the topic of fenders hasn't come up (...or has it?). They help a lot in terms your bike showering itself in winter road muck.