biking in the rain, and cleaning up after

[shaq-d]

hi everyone,

it was raining and cold today (4 deg C), i almost didn't go, but i thought, if the tourdefrance peeps can, so can i... was a decent 40k ride, if nothing else for the exhiliration/daring of it all. when i came home i hosed down the bike and pat-dried the bike. i figured the rest would dry naturally; now it's several hours later and just took a look at the casette, rust-spots showed up, so i put on some lube (pro link) and brushed it off and lubed up the chain and the casette. also i'm turning the crank backwards and can hear the sand..

i'm planning on just riding the dirt out. is that ok?

or should i remove the casette and the FD and clean it all out? is there an easier way to clean the casette/bb? and to dry it out? or is taking the bike out on rain rides not really a good idea?

rain-d on

[Smiley]

The Pro's have mechanic's that clean their bikes afterwards and now you know why people like to ride fixed or free wheeling single speed bikes in crappy weather cause its much easier to clean up afterwards especially if they even bother , thats why they call them affectionatly as beater bikes. I just built me one cause there are may times I don't want to re-clean my mtb after wet riding . Best of luck.
If your bike is really nice take the time and remove the cassette and chain and clean it , sorry no short cuts if you have sand and crud that may bind things up over time.

[Too Tall]

Don't put the bike away after a dirty rain ride without a quick scrub down. It takes 5 mins. to do a fast pro wash and is easy. Bucket of hot water with a few drops of mild dish detergent (Dawn) two long bristle brushes (one for cleanish bits and one for drivetrain) a couple industrial sponges and have at it. Use the brushes on the cassette and chain and swab down the rest. Before you take it inside, bounce the bike a few times and once inside you can wipe it down but I find that the Dawn detergent makes all the water run off great.

*For extra credit....use a stand and take the wheels off the bike and do a really good job on the crank and BB area. It is easier to wipe down the wheels if they are out of the bike.

Use a dry cotton rag to dry the chain and relube. Done! 5 mins.

[theprep]

shaq-d

Prior to hosing off the bike, hit the drivetrain with a degreaser (eg. Simple Green) and let it sit while you get the bucket of water ready.

After the bike wash, I like to blow the water off with an air compressor being careful to avoid bearing areas and such. I also make sure I blow all the water out of the chain prior to lubing.

[Andreu]

I have heard washing-up detergent promotes rust ...is this true....any body else heard of this?
(I cannot even remember who told me this....I don´t think I dreamt it!)
A

[Too Tall]

Don't think that hard about it :o

[Ozz]

detergent removes protective oil

without protective oil: steel + water = rust

I would not say that detergent promotes rust, but that not drying and lubing your drivetrain after washing would promote the rust.

[dgauthier]

I don't know why, but there's something about riding in the rain that makes a bike look like new after it's washed - provided you wash it immediately once you get home, while the bike is still dripping wet. It takes much less time than usual and the bike comes out sparkling.

If you're detecting sandy, gritty grinding in any part of your bike, I'd suggest taking the bike in to your LBS and have the part disassembled and cleaned immediately. Unless you don't care about the part . . .

As far as detergents and bikes are concerned, I use car wash soap on my bike, and have no rust or de-lubing issues. Car wash soap is much milder than dish detergent (which is most people's naive first choice), and doesn't strip oils from the paint or take lube out of the bearings.

[Climb01742]

i've heard other folks recommend car wash too. any brand in particular? anything to avoid?

[shaq-d]

i went for a ride again today and (obviously) that didn't work, gonna do a remove casette/thorough cleanign today... rain schmain

sd
:fight:

[Zoomie80]

i've heard other folks recommend car wash too. any brand in particular? anything to avoid?


Climb--
I use Meguiars "Gold Class" car wash and shampoo...mix a couple of cap fulls in a bucket of water. Sponge on, rinse off, and dry w/ very soft towel/rag. It leaves a nice gloss and it smells nice too! :D

As for a quick wipe down after a ride, I spray some Meguiars Quick Detailer on a soft rag to wipe down the frame and components...this leaves a nice gloss!

Cheers,
Zoomie

[Peter]

Forget trying to keep your bike pristine if you're riding in the rain. You DON'T want to spend gobs of time cleaning your bike every time it gets wet. You need to accept that riding in the rain will accelerate wear and tear on your parts so you may need to replace things more frequently than those who baby their bikes but what did you buy the bike for-to polish it or RIDE it?

I commute daily year 'round on a $3k bike and I'm not a trustafarian. So rain and sand left over from the winter takes its toll. Anyway, here's what I do if I'm not lazy and I ride home from work in the rain:

I keep a spray bottle filled with Simple Green handy. While the bike is freshly wet, I spray the chainrings, chain, cogs, and derailleur pulleys. I also spray the rims, since brake pad residue really dirties things up when its wet.

I let it set for couple minutes while lightly rinsing of the rest of the bike. The top half of the bike usually stays cleaner than the bottom half, so I spray from the top, down. If you don't have access to a garden hose, use a 3 gallon plant sprayer like I do.

When I finally hit the Simple Greened components, the stuff has done its work, so that sand and muck rinse off. Not completely, but enough. If Simple Green isn't strong enough, try WD-40. WD-40 works better, but it ain't too kind to the environment. Bounce the bike a couple times and head inside.

At this point, if you spray WD-40 on things, they'll dry rust-free. If I just let things dry naturally, they sometimes rust a little overnight; I just oil my chain and go.

Notice-no brushes or time consuming scrubbing are involved. No fastidiousness either. A thorough cleaning might occur every 6-8 weeks.

Other tip: Don't spray WD-40 down your seatpost or threaded stem thinking you'll prevent rust. Instead, you'll displace/dissolve any grease and start the process of the dreaded seized post/stem ( I speak from experience) . Use anti-seize compounds in these places, as well as the BB threads, and you'll NEVER have to worry about seized parts from riding in the rain.

[shaq-d]

peter,

actually the WD-40 completely eluded me, it's what i used to do in my mountain bike days, that kerosene in spray-bottle... i think i'll follow your advice since it's cheap/do-able and i do want to fly in the rain with my bike. (and i have to order the campy freewheel/bb remover anyway) i know about the wd-40 and its degreasing effects, too, which i screwed up some hubs with...
thanks,
sd

[dgauthier]

I use Meguiars "Gold Class" car wash and shampoo...

I use Mequiars too, though I use their "Soft Gel" wash (if memory serves) because it's cheaper. Meguiars seems to have more of a clue than some of the other car care vendors, and most of their stuff is pretty good.

In general, it makes sense to use car care products on bikes, since bikes are often painted with auto paint, and the bare metal and plastic surfaces of bikes and cars require similar care.

For example, I picked up a big, nasty scratch on my top tube while carrying my bike in the back of my SUV (the split folding floor has a sharp metal edge, and the frame was rubbing up and down, up and down against it with every bump -- OUCH!). The scratch looked like it went right through the paint to the metal, and was positioned on the top tube right between my knees, so I would always see it. Arghh. I just took a bit of Meguiar's Gold Class "Clear Coat Prep and Swirl Reducer" and rubbed gently, and 99% of the scratch vanished! What's left isn't worth worrying about.

The stuff works on cars, too . . .

[Zoomie80]

I used the car wash gel for teh longest time but I found a huge container of the Gold Class Shampoo at Target for about $7.50; enough to last at least a year's worth of washes. I'be been using Meguiars products on my cars since mid-80s. If you're in a detailing mood, their #26 yellow car wax is superb for that extra "pop" in terms of gloss and protection. I often apply this stuff on my bikes way late at nite after a very long week...this, plus a cold beer or glass of wine and I'm mellow!

Zoom

[Too Tall]

"Trustafarian" bawwwwwhahahahahaha. Can I use that?