I know I could just google for some of these answers, but I figured it could be useful information for others here all in one place instead of looking up every individual question.
What should I do when riding in rain/snow? Do I need to dry the bike ASAP and clean later? Clean and relube the chain each time it gets wet? I'm assuming it also depends on whether the roads get salted or not (mine typically don't where I live).
How often should I clean the chain with regular riding in dry weather? Should I do it based on miles or time? Is it possible to do this indoors? I'm thinking having a bucket underneath for catching dirty water maybe?
Chain cleaning is tricky because it depends on a bunch of stuff:
- What type of lube do you use (sticky lube will tend to pick up more crap than dry/wax type lubes)?
- What type of weather do you have (someone who rides in lots of rain will have different needs than someone who rides in a desert)?
- How far do you go?
I ride in a temperate climate . . . not too much rain during the summer, constant snow and salt during the winter. In summer I do the following about once a week (150 - 200km):
- Wipe the chain, cassette, and chainrings clean with a rag
- Apply some light liquid bike lube (prolink pro gold is what I'm currently using)
- Wipe off excess lube from the chain before the next time I go riding
In the winter I do the same, but every 80 km (two short rides or one long one). I use a heavy, sticky lube in the winter (White Lightning Wet Ride).
In addition to the above, I'll use a chain cleaner with some degreaser or take the chain off completely and soak overnight in degreaser every 2-3 months. Then you dry it out and relube.
As far as bike cleaning goes:
Again, the conditions will dictate the cleaning necessary. Riding in snow isn't too terrible for your bike. Especially cold, clean, fluffly snow. Riding on slushy, gritty, salty roads is really hard on components though - and that's what roads around here are like from mid November to mid April. My approach is to fill a large watering can with hot soapy water immediately after I come home from a wet/slushy ride. I pour some water over the chain, the cassette, and the chainrings, then over the rest of the frame. Then bounce the bike a couple times to get most of the water off before it freezes. I'll use a rag to quickly clean off surface much from the cassette and chainrings, and to dry the chain out. Then I apply lube to the chain, brake pivots, and occasionally the derailleur pivots. The whole procedure takes maybe 5 - 10 minutes once you know what you're doing.
^ This knocks the worst of the salt off everything and helps prevent corrosion.
BEFORE the winter happens I do some bike related winterproofing:
- Remove brakes and grease pivots with waterproof grease
- Check wheel bearings and re-grease with waterproof grease
- Remove any bolts into the bike frame and then grease with waterproof grease (all those bolts holding on your fenders and rack)
- Add fenders to the bike (keeps a lot of shit off your drivetrain)
- Take headset off and grease it with waterproof grease
- Grease cables with a light lube (prevents water from getting in the cable housings and playing hell with your shifting/braking when it freezes)
AFTER the winter I'll do the following:
- Measure chain for stretch and replace if necessary
- Replace cassette every two or three chains
- Replace cables every year (cable housings every two years)