Do we really need to wrap new bikes in cotton wool through the winter?

[Kestevan]

I approach the issue of winter maintenance somewhat differently....It has a layer of oily grime so thick that no mere water spray, salty or otherwise could ever penetrate.

After riding home, I simply lock the winter commuter in the shed and forget about it. The chain is occasionally wiped down with an oily rag and every Autumn it gets a new chain and cassette and new brake pads/cables for the coming winter.

Doesn't look pretty, but continues to work.

 

[KneesUp]

To reinforce YS' post above, if you commute in all weathers without mudguards then you'll be replacing a lot of components by the end of winter, no matter how good your cleaning / lubrication routine is.

But the question "Why on earth don't you fit mudguards?" would remain.

I mean, I didn't have them on my road bike in 1991 because I thought they looked naff, and it didn't have eyelets - but mainly because I thought they looked naff. However, I wasn't commuting in all weathers (just for my summer job) and I was a lot younger, and cool mattered.

Unless you're racing, or are a teenager, you need guards, surely?

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm clearly in the minority here but I say your bike shop owner was right. Brakes contain springs that can only be made of steel. Steel can be painted or plated. Paint doesn't work on steel, so they're plated. Plating is very susceptible to rust. Salt causes rust. The bolts are also steel (Titanium on some fancy stuff) and they too will rust, at first inside the hex hole and then spreading onwards. These brakes contain bearings and all bearing balls rust. You discovered this yourself.
The RD and FD both contain lots of steel.
The hubs and other bits are made from polished or anodised aluminium. This develops pits in the presence of salt.
Spokes have either aluminium or brass nipples. Aluminium and stainless steel, in the presence of salt, forms a nice galvanic battery that quickly cracks the nipples. Brass too, but much slower.
Headset bearings are sprayed by salt water coming directly off the front wheel. It rusts.
Lots of other bits and pieces corrode as well, paint and plating notwithstanding.

There is good reason why people have summer and winter bikes.

I guess will boil down to semantics in the end and it all depends on what you asked the bike shop guy for him so say not to ride it in winter. If you asked him how you can prevent it, his answer is correct.

No amount of stuff you spray on or cleaning can negate riding in salt water. Nothing.

Salt water spray is one of the most powerful tools to test for corrosion. Usually an item will be said to be corrosion proof to "50 hours of X-temperature salt water spray."

Dont wish to pick on your comment but I have ridden a low spec (£1500 when new) "summer" bike for 5 years, in all weathers over some big ol' distances, hills, potholes, laadaan roads, salt, beaches, fladers cobbles, rain, greasy rain, sideways rain, big hurty rain...you name it.

No mudguards
Race tyres
Carbon wheels

Never had a brake caliper seize, 8 weeks after a lube, assembly or ride.

Even left the bike upside down for a week at work while she waited for a spoke made of adamantium (must have been as it was so hard to bloody find).

No problems from me.

 

[Rooster1]

Bikes are for riding, whatever the conditions. Yes, the brakes get manked up, the chains get dirtied and wet, the headsets start rusting up. You just do your utmost to care for the machine and keep it running.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Dont wish to pick on your comment but I have ridden a low spec (£1500 when new) "summer" bike for 5 years, in all weathers over some big ol' distances, hills, potholes, laadaan roads, salt, beaches, fladers cobbles, rain, greasy rain, sideways rain, big hurty rain...you name it.

No mudguards
Race tyres
Carbon wheels

Never had a brake caliper seize, 8 weeks after a lube, assembly or ride.

Even left the bike upside down for a week at work while she waited for a spoke made of adamantium (must have been as it was so hard to bloody find).

No problems from me.

Oh dear, I did predict that it will get down to semantics but this I never foresaw.

I get the "no mudguards" bit but I really struggle to figure out how race tyres, potholes, cobbles and carbon wheels affect the issue or contribute to your point. Even rain.

I think we've had good explanations for the brake caliper seizing and further speculation is just that. There's some great speculation going on the radio and TV today, if you need an example of what an unhelpful passtime it is.

I'm trying hard to fight the tide of denialist here but perhaps they can all chip in a bit and google "salt bridge"?

We've had plenty of examples on this forum of how the universal laws of physics is routinely suspended for particular individuals when mounted on certain wheels, but this is a first, the laws of chemistry being suspended for certain individuals. Perhaps you should all apply for jobs as naval architects or yacht builders.

 

[jonny jeez]

Oh dear, I did predict that it will get down to semantics but this I never foresaw.

I get the "no mudguards" bit but I really struggle to figure out how race tyres, potholes, cobbles and carbon wheels affect the issue or contribute to your point. Even rain.

I think we've had good explanations for the brake caliper seizing and further speculation is just that. There's some great speculation going on the radio and TV today, if you need an example of what an unhelpful passtime it is.

I'm trying hard to fight the tide of denialist here but perhaps they can all chip in a bit and google "salt bridge"?

We've had plenty of examples on this forum of how the universal laws of physics is routinely suspended for particular individuals when mounted on certain wheels, but this is a first, the laws of chemistry being suspended for certain individuals. Perhaps you should all apply for jobs as naval architects or yacht builders.

Listen.

I made it clear that I wasn't trying to pick on your comment.

You reply with a facetious and frankly rude post.

You chose to take it there...not me.

Real your neck in and consider editing your post to actually ask a question, or make a point.

Rather than try to score one.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Listen.

I made it clear that I wasn't trying to pick on your comment.

You reply with a facetious and frankly rude post.

You chose to take it there...not me.

Real your neck in and consider editing your post to actually ask a question, or make a point.

Rather than try to score one.

Listen carefully.

I reacted factually, not facetiously. You attempted to illustrate that even with race tyres, carbon wheels and potholes and different types of rain, your bikes don't experience galvanic corrosion or salt erosion. No matter how you phrased it, that's the crux of your post. It deserves challenge. How you react to that challenge is up to you. One way you could react is by explaining why you think your bike is immune to common problems.

Please point out the rude bits.

 

[Rooster1]

The usual willy waving starts again. Usual suspect.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The usual willy waving starts again. Usual suspect.

The unwatch thread button is top, right hand corner.

 

[Johnno260]

I must say, I rode my bike through the winter and the wheels are in a shocking state.

Brakes I have been lucky with, noticed some corrosion on bolts and cleaned them up it was nothing fatal, and just needed some TLC.

I can't afford a winter bike, and I will ride my bike next winter, I will just deal with the issues the time of year deals out.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I ride my bike all year round. I clean it in a half arsed manner. Bits wear out and cease to function with monotonous regularity. It's almost as bad as my body.

I agree with your mechanic, but he doesn't go far enough. If you never ride your bike at all it will not wear out.

 

[davidphilips]

Please point out the rude bits.[/QUOTE]

Maybe time for summer cycling?
Seen this picture, maybe there are some rude bits or maybe just some nice bits? Anyone notice the bikes if so then you must be older than me, lol have a nice day guys.

 

[Slick]

While everyone else is on a polemic about their worldview on winter riding...the brake calipers look to be decent or at least expensive.

Quite a lot of questions and answers on them here:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/trp-hy-rd-cable-actuated-hydraulic-disc-brake-caliper/

Mine are regular Miche Reflex worth about £20 with the spring exposed and got through horrendous winter and 8 months long hard commuting without any special attention. The front might be going now 3.5yrs into its lifespan.

Try to look into how disc calipers can be maintained - you don't want to be shelling out £100 every few weeks!

Yeah, I think you might be right, just have to learn how to look after them better. They were really noisy to begin with, but after bedding them in they work well in wet conditions and have gone quiet so pretty much all good. As an aside, he did replace the cable but reckoned it wasn't the cable that was the problem.

 

[Globalti]

To add a note of curiosity to this thread, I used to own a Land Rover, a proper square one built in 1986. Anybody who has ever owned the money-pit of an old Landy will know that, being a mixture of Birmabright aluminium alloy and steel they rust for fun, especially when doused in salty water. Not only that but the designers have cleverly built in loads of cavities and traps where mud and water can collect and corrode the chassis and body. After a drive on wet winter roads I sometimes used to jet-wash the chassis and axles in despair but sticking my head in the front wheel arch i could actually SMELL the gases being given off as a by-product of the oxidation that was rampaging through the vehicle. If you've been near a car battery in bad condition you will recognise that distinctive tangy metallic odour anywhere.

Bikes in winter are suffering the same galvanic corrosion.

 

[Racing roadkill]

To add a note of curiosity to this thread, I used to own a Land Rover, a proper square one built in 1986. Anybody who has ever owned the money-pit of an old Landy will know that, being a mixture of Birmabright aluminium alloy and steel they rust for fun, especially when doused in salty water. Not only that but the designers have cleverly built in loads of cavities and traps where mud and water can collect and corrode the chassis and body. After a drive on wet winter roads I sometimes used to jet-wash the chassis and axles in despair but sticking my head in the front wheel arch i could actually SMELL the gases being given off as a by-product of the oxidation that was rampaging through the vehicle. If you've been near a car battery in bad condition you will recognise that distinctive tangy metallic odour anywhere.

Bikes in winter are suffering the same galvanic corrosion.

Yep, all of my bikes dissolve the second I ride them on wet salty roads, why only this past January, I rode home on a wet salty road, by the time I got home, I was pedalling thin air, on a saddle, gripping nothing but bar tape, ohhhhh the humanity