Salt

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cameramanjim

cameramanjim

Getting faster, very slowly
Location
Battersea, London
This is my first winter commuting and so far I´ve hosed my bike down when I´ve arrived at work because of the salt on the roads. A few colleagues have said they never bother, with no adverse affects. So what I´m asking is, how serious is salt damage, and should I keep spraying? My commuting bike is steel. Thanks.
 
asterix

asterix

Comrade Member
Location
Limoges or York
If the paintwork is ok, shouldn't be a problem, but it's a good idea to sluice off slush if you keep the bike outdoors - it's very hard to get off once frozen. (How come you have a working hose this time of year!)
 
fossyant

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Certainly wash off once a day if you can - it's mainly for the components and pivots.

I also coat my mechs and brake pivots with WD40 (not near the chain though).

Using a wax dry lube at the moment on the MTB - working really well, as it's so cold, the stuff is nice and thick (due to the cold), and keeps the chain running clean.

This extra stuff is because the MTB only has a rear splash guard - full guards on the normal work bike, but it won't stay upright in this weather.
 
ianrauk

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
You have to clean the drive chain. Salt will eat it up in no time. Listen to your Uncle Fossy above.. he talks good sense/
 
zigzag

zigzag

Veteran
if you have an access to hose, that's great, but i've never washed my bike over the winter. i just give it a clean every once in a while. if the drivetrain wears out, i'll change it, that's not going to cost more than £40 for my bike.
 
H

henshaw11

Well-Known Member
Location
Walton-On-Thames
Back in feb, in the worst of the snow I cycled in 3 days on the trot. Weather got better (and roads slushier) - so back on the train, didn't touch the mtb for 3 or 4 weeks after I'd lobbed in the garage. When I went back to it there was rust on chainrings (which I'd never seen , tho' it used to be mollycoddled under the stairs), rust on the disk rotors, gear cables, chain was a bit of a mess (tho' cleaned up) and the rear disk caliper had siezed :sad:

Yesterday the cables got a going over of wd40, this morning some finishline xc chain lub for good measure. I suspect half the probelm was when I did a shorter commute regardless of weather the cables/chainrings/mech got a regular spray/cleaning with WD40 plus lube when I got in - now it get used less there's less oily stuff hanging around to protect it.

I'll certainly be washing it at the weekend !
 
aberal

aberal

Guru
Location
Midlothian
Salt eats bikes. My road bike still has bits and pieces of rust in allen key bolt heads and so on from the one and only time I didn't wipe it down after a winter ride. The rust appeared within a week and by then it was too late.
 
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