Chrome cleaning and protection

[ian emmerson]

Due to the current weather i have had to change my routes to work and am now using the roads more. Obviously i now have to consider the effects of salt and have noticed already some minor corrosion on the chrome areas of my mechs. Due to the freezing tempratures i have been neglectful of rinsing my bike after each day and instead sprayed the mechs when i rturn home with TF2.
Is this a good idea or is their anything else i could do to prevent corrosion and what is the best way to clean / lube in this weather. ?
I am relatively new cyclist and would appreciate any advice

 

[Alf]

Hi Ian

Riding with a lot of salt on the road is going to take its toll on the bike no matter what you do so the aim is damage limitation. How well you limit the damage does depend on how diligently you clean the vulnerable bits but I think you can make some reasonable choices that will prevent a rapid deterioration but avoid spending hours cleaning your bike every night.

The most vulnerable component is probably the chain. OK it is not the most costly to replace but it will deteriorate very rapidly unless you clean it every time you come back after a ride on wet salty roads. Opinions vary on how best to do this but a reasonable proportion of riders would agree that wiping the chain with a cloth (eg by gripping it in a cloth with one hand while turning the pedals backwards with the other) is a good time-efficient method. Then re-lube your chain but don't go overboard. Everyone has their own favourite chain lube but none of them will withstand salty wet roads for long. I have started using a good quality motor oil for regular lubing in winter but the majority probably use a purpose designed chain lube such as finish line cross country.

For the other components, a quick squirt of GT85 on the brake moving parts and the mechs will prevent the worst and, if you have exposed cables (eg running down the front of the down tube) you can run a cloth over them and spray with GT85. Total time when you get in each night should be no more than 3 or 4 minutes when you get good at it. Then you can give the poor beast a bit more of an all-over wash and re-lube at the weekend.

I can't think of chromed parts on mechs these days. I suppose some allen bolts are chrome plated but most other bits are aluminium alloy or stainless steel for the small bolts. Trouble with chrome is that it is porous and the steel underneath rusts and this is what shows through unless you have very good standard of plating. Since this is expensive, most bike bits are made of other materials these days.

Alf

 

[very-near]

I'll set out my stall.
I am an engineer by trade (manufacturing).
When we manufacture the components out of steel, ally etc, we use soluble oil in water in the machining centres and lathes to keep the cutting tips cool.
The oil in solution stops the components, cutting tools and machines from rusting as they are in constant use and constant immersion in this solution we call 'suds'.
A lateral thinking chap at http://www.scottoiler.com/ which make chain oiling systems saw this in their own manufacturing and realised that it along with a mild acid in solution with water would stick to the components and neutralise the PH in the brine which is produced on gritted roads, and came up with a product called 'FS 365 Protector Spray'

I've been using it on my m/cycles for a couple of years since it came out and it is very good. You just keep applying it every couple of weeks and it forms a crust. when the winter is over, wash it off with hot soapy water and lube the bike up again for the summer.

Use autosol chrome cleaner for chrome cleaning, or toothpaste (I kid you not), for the ally polishing and away you go!

 

[Chris James]

Due to the current weather i have had to change my routes to work and am now using the roads more. Obviously i now have to consider the effects of salt and have noticed already some minor corrosion on the chrome areas of my mechs. Due to the freezing tempratures i have been neglectful of rinsing my bike after each day and instead sprayed the mechs when i rturn home with TF2.
Is this a good idea or is their anything else i could do to prevent corrosion and what is the best way to clean / lube in this weather. ? I am relatively new cyclist and would appreciate any advice

Your mechs are made from aluminium alloy. This is generally very corrosion resistant, but chloride ions from salt can cause it to corrode (google pitting). This is releated to the concentration of salt on the parts. So rinsing (or beter still, washing) will limit the problem.

Spraying TF2 or GT85 after washing will help too.

 

[hubgearfreak]

Your mechs are made from aluminium alloy.

how do you know that from his one post?