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Winter biking
dabighen:
Snowed like crazy here in NH the last week or so but biked to work while snowing and roads covered in snow.
Any tips out there on best ways to prevent rust from road salt?
Brother Esau:
Sorry. No advice for the road salt but I had to post a "winter biking" pic.
BobbyTables:
This is going to be my first winter biking in Toronto, my plan is just to quickly wash the drive train every day and use wet lube.
I`ll see what needs to be replaced at the end of the winter. Bought the bike new last spring for 500$ so it`s not exactly a `beater`but the price of individual replacement components does not come out very high. I expect to replace at least the chain in the spring.
Any different thoughts from people about using studded tires? I haven't gotten them, from what I've heard about 1/2 people say you don't need them the others say it' s a godsend. Oh well always have the option to take a bus if it gets too icy.
KCM5:
I bike in the winter on salted roads - salted maybe 4 months out of the year? They use brine here, which I think helps. But I just wash my bike once winter is over. Clean the chain about monthly - should probably do that more. This is my second winter with my current bike (a folder, so everything’s pretty close to the ground) and I think I’ll replace the shift/brake/dynamo wires after this winter.
I used to have a bike with a full chain case and when I switched I really worried about the salt, but it’s been less of an issue than I thought it would.
Regarding studded tires, they give me more confidence when there’s been a lot of freeze/thaw so a fair amount of ice around. That said, I’m considering not putting them on this year. They do make biking more work and I also have a bus option that I haven’t had before.
robartsd:
No snow where I live and I even avoid biking in the rain, but GuitarStv has posted about his year round bike maintenance in Canada:
--- Quote from: GuitarStv on November 10, 2017, 07:35:59 AM ---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)
--- End quote ---
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