Winterising

[G-Zero]

Do any of you that cycle/commute right through the winter do anything to your bikes to proof them from road salt ?

I know in the motorcycling world, the best option was to have a cheap winter hack, or failing that, some would spray their bikes with a protective film, that would look naff, but when washed off in the spring, the bikes were pristine.

My method was to jetwash the bike down each trip before putting it in the garage overnight. It weathered two winters and was immaculate when I sold up.

Are there any good recommendations.

 

[david k]

ive just waxed/heavily waxed my bike, looks really good and has a good base to keep salt off

 

[Norm]

Are there any good recommendations.

A good winter hack is possibly more useful for cyclists, whether powered or human-powered.

As well as taking them on the roads in mucky conditions, they can substitute as town bikes or pub bikes or whatever you want to do that you don't want to use your best bike for any day of the year.

However, washing after each trip will also work just as well.

 

[derrick]

No just ride it.

 

[NormanD]

Car wax such as turtle wax wash and shine or the cyclists best friend GT85 which will protect the frame and components

 

[Bicycle]

On motorcycles: I rode for years and was a courier for some of that time. I had no special seasonal safeguards. I rode almost every day, gave the bike a big check at the weekend and had a sort of 'lights/tyres/brakes/chain/seals' check every morning. My bikes were outside in all weathers and none suffered too much.

On bicycles: No special measures. No mudguards, no change of tyres. I may clean the thing more often and lube it slightly more often. I put lights on for the darker months. My bicycles are garaged all year round. Even in the summer I feel sa little guilty when I see I've left a bicycle out overnight.

In truth, we don't have much of a winter in the UK. Salt is not much of a problem for bicycles.

 

[peelywally]

not so much the frame that gets salt corrosion stains as the dérailleurs which seem to look scratched and dull as a resut .

 

[gaz]

My commuter is fully 'winterised' as in it has mudguards. sorted.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Need to get my winter bike fixed up and ready to go and put her basket back on!

 

[ColinJ]

My method was to jetwash the bike down each trip before putting it in the garage overnight. It weathered two winters and was immaculate when I sold up.

You need to be careful not to blast water into your hubs etc. and wash out all the grease.

I don't have access to a hose so I use a 5 Litre low-pressure garden spray to rinse all the crap off my bike then pick it up and drop it a few times to shake off most of the water off then I wipe it dry and relube the chain.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

i've commuted pretty much all winter for the last few winters (for some reason i always end up doing more miles in winter than summer). for the 1st i used a mtb with xtr which just got destroyed by the road grit and proved expensive. the second winter i used my brompton with igh and i had to strip and clean every few weeks as the salt water always managed to get into the external bearings and rust them. i then had a cx bike with 105 group-set, this was extremely reliable and just needed oiling (no guards either), the chain lasted 1500 miles before it hit the 0.75 mark on the checker. this year i'm using fixed gear and hope i won't have to do more than oil/replace the chain.

 

[fossyant]

My commuter is fully 'winterised' as in it has mudguards. sorted.

Same here 365 days a year. Oh and it's fixed, so saves a stack of messing. Liking my KMC fixed 1/8th chain, not even at 0.75 after 9 months of daily commute of 20-30 miles each day.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I ride fixed and don't do anything to winterize it, when I was motorcycling, a very long time ago now, I used to use clear yacht varnish on the parts of the bike that were vulnerable, chrome unpainted alloy etc.

 

[MattHB]

as I also ride a motorcycle (although shes not been out for nearly a month as Im commuting on the bike) I use scottoiler fs365 corrosion inhibiter. its really AMAZING stuff. Im spraying both bikes (engined and no engine) in it. it has amazing salt neutralising properties.

 

[Moodyman]

My bikes are winterised all year round with full mudguards.

In autumn, I remove > clean > re-grease > re-install all nuts & bolts. Same with bearings.

Then spray GT5 (or similar) on cloth and wipe across frame & forks. Leaves a fine protective film which offers some protection from salt & water.