Best Practices for Heavy Sweaters?

BRad704 · #1 08-22-2019, 08:43 AM

So this doesn't affect me personally, but I have 2 friends whom I 'wrench' for... and they both are very very heavy sweaters... And they both end up with the same problems about 3x per year. corroded cables and stuck front derailleurs.

I know the first thing they both need to do is clean their own bikes WAY more often... like after every ride. But they just dont.

So is there any preventative best practice(s) to help keep things from salting-up for them?

My first and only idea is to methodically use grease on the FD pivots, so any sweat doesn't have a chance to get into the pivots. Think that would even help?

How do you deal with preventing component issues from sweat/salt/buildup?

Pic just for fun... because Cross is Coming!

papa bless · #2 08-22-2019, 09:00 AM

I have the same problem. I sweat a lot, and my sweat is loaded with salt. I usually use a cheap rear brake because my sweat tends to drip off my body and land there, corroding any bare metal. Your friends need to at least just rinse their bikes off. A good rinsing does wonders to get the salt off.

charliedid · #3 08-22-2019, 09:04 AM

Fire them.

simonov · #4 08-22-2019, 09:10 AM

Same problem here. I just wipe my bikes down with a wet rag after every ride and if it was particularly sweaty or rainy, I'll quickly hose it down. Full washing is reserved for weekends or when I have extra time and the bike really needs it. But the wipe down takes about 3 minutes, if that, and does wonders to prevent the buildup.

Also, change bar tape often. A lot of crap builds up around the shifters.

CDollarsign · #5 08-22-2019, 09:29 AM

I sweat gallons. Best practice is wiping down the bike and a good wash atleast once a month. I lube all my pivot points and chain after the wash. I have never dealt with a seized FD or corroded cables...

mt2u77 · #6 08-22-2019, 09:47 AM

IMO, a wipe down does nothing for the small pivots and crevices around a FD or brake. A wipe down helps keep it looking nice, but a rinse helps keep it working nice.

For light rinsing, I bought a cheap a garden sprayer (the pump up kind used for applying lawn chemicals) that I keep filled with a very dilute soap solution. Pull into the garage, pump-pump-pump, and a few squirts around the seat tube, FD, BB, and brake. Done.

FlashUNC · #7 08-22-2019, 09:49 AM

The solution is washing their bike. It isn't hard.

simonov · #8 08-22-2019, 09:50 AM

Well, it does something for me and my heavy sweating (and the humid city I live in on the ocean). The rag is wet and I push it into and onto all the parts on the bike. It's not a substitute for washing, but it helps with the buildup between real washings.

BRad704 · #9 08-22-2019, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mt2u77

IMO, a wipe down does nothing for the small pivots and crevices around a FD or brake. A wipe down helps keep it looking nice, but a rinse helps keep it working nice.

For light rinsing, I bought a cheap a garden sprayer (the pump up kind used for applying lawn chemicals) that I keep filled with a very dilute soap solution. Pull into the garage, pump-pump-pump, and a few squirts around the seat tube, FD, BB, and brake. Done.

This is a good idea. Maybe even keeping clean water in the sprayer, and a bottle of orange Simple Green beside it. Quick spritz of SG and a rinse with the sprayer. Sounds like an easy interim solution between full washings.

azrider · #10 08-22-2019, 10:39 AM

wait........people don't clean their bikes after every ride ??

BRad704 · #11 08-22-2019, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrider

wait........people don't clean their bikes after every ride ??

It blows my mind too... they call every now and then like 'hey I think I need new cables, it's really hard to shift"... and it's pretty clear that I was the last one to wash, lube or even look at anything below their seat and bars.

azrider · #12 08-22-2019, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRad704

It blows my mind too... they call every now and then like 'hey I think I need new cables, it's really hard to shift"... and it's pretty clear that I was the last one to wash, lube or even look at anything below their seat and bars.

tsk tsk........

I've made it super convenient to come home and spray the bike down and leave it on patio to dry while I go inside and change and by time I come back out it's dry enough to put in the garage.

that little step adds approx 97 seconds to my routine

bigbill · #13 08-22-2019, 11:15 AM

Titanium. My trainer bike is a Serotta Fierte Ti, I removed the rear brake and cable so I don't corrode them. I wipe around the bb (UT) every few weeks.

Main mileage and travel bike, Lynskey Helix.

Anytime I've had a frame refinished, I've had the builder/painter replace the top tube cable guides with stainless version so if the paint chips or sweat gets down in the guide, it's fine.

Garro built my gravel bike with stainless braze-ons.

But yeah, wipe your bike after a ride.

ghammer · #14 08-22-2019, 11:17 AM

heavy sweater here too, always been. Wear long finger summer gloves not to gunk the bars. wipe a damp cloth on top tube after rides. if overly sweaty, hose the bike quickly after the ride. takes zero effort and time, and prevents destruction.

Ronsonic · #15 08-22-2019, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRad704

It blows my mind too... they call every now and then like 'hey I think I need new cables, it's really hard to shift"... and it's pretty clear that I was the last one to wash, lube or even look at anything below their seat and bars.

My drivetrain is clean. THat and the moving suspension bits on the mountain bike. The other stuff when it gets kinda groaty enough for me to notice.