Road salt effects,

Joeblack

Hi guys,

Just a quick one,

Although I understand the general idea of not using the 'good' bike in winter what risk is it actually at?

Presuming you use it only on dry days would the salt still be an issue, does its still get into parts?

Or if you have a second bike is it best to just use that and accept the good bike is staying put

Cheers

desweller

A) My roadie won't take mudguards
In winter, a bike without mudguards needs cleaning / greasing / oiling much more frequently - you have to pay careful attention to the stuff that doesn't move, too
C) I ride every day but don't have time to clean it more than once or twice a month

Simple.

Joeblack

Tbh I'm not sure if that post answers my question or not (confused!!)

Ber Nard

On good days I can't see a reason not to use the good bike. But soon there won't be many good days when there isn't the risk of frost or ice and I'd rather drop my winter bike than my good bike.

The point of my winter bike is that it's a bit more comfortable in bad conditions so I'm more likely to ride it. Second to that, the parts are cheaper to replace and I know there will be days when it sits sopping wet in the garage because I can't be arsed to clean it right away.

Rob

centimani

I've always had a winter commuter (steel) but a few years ago, i extended the use of my (at the time) best bike, an alloy Bianchi. I didnt ride in wet conditions, although some days may have been damp and obviously may have occasionally got caught out in wet conditions. The salt was evident on the dry roads, that white effect on the tarmac.
All seemed ok until i was giving the bike a good once over some time later and (to my horror) found the carbon lifting from the alloy crown on my forks. Particually noticeable on the back where you insert the caliper nut.
TBF, i just cleaned it all up, rubbed down as lightly as i could, sprayed and all was ok.
Also found where you get stone chips on the frame, you tend to get those chips turning white and furry with corrosion. Again, clean down and apply some varnish or laqueur over it and it'll be ok...but not what you really want happening anyway.
Personally, i used to commute every day, winter and summer and in bad conditions (wet and salty\) there's no way i'm subjecting my good bike (even if it had mudgaurds fitted) to that abuse.
My 8 speed steelie used to require cleaning almost daily in those dark, wet. salty conditions, grimy rims will get scoured by the brakes. Brake blocks will accumulate grit and scour your rims. Grit and water in your chain cause more wear and tear. Your BB (especially on some modern BBs which are cheaper ) is more prone to dirt (i'm talking about my FSA BB4000, which is pretty poor at resisting ingress of water etc etc).
I'm being a BIT over the top, but the principle holds, you WILL expose your bike to more abuse in the winter. The answers simple...use a winter bike or accept the abuse is acceptable to you, clean and lube as regularly as you can, and inspect the frame and components as regullarly as you can and act quickly if you find corrosion.
Again, what i do with any of my bikes anyway (summer or winter) is to put antisieze (copperslip) on everything. I fill those brake caliper but recesses with the stuff, i apply it to the downtube cable adjusters (that was one problem i found on the Bianchi afterwards)....anywhere and everywhere, just about every nut and bolt.

bluedoggy

centimani wrote:

I've always had a winter commuter (steel) but a few years ago, i extended the use of my (at the time) best bike, an alloy Bianchi. I didnt ride in wet conditions, although some days may have been damp and obviously may have occasionally got caught out in wet conditions. The salt was evident on the dry roads, that white effect on the tarmac.
All seemed ok until i was giving the bike a good once over some time later and (to my horror) found the carbon lifting from the alloy crown on my forks. Particually noticeable on the back where you insert the caliper nut.
TBF, i just cleaned it all up, rubbed down as lightly as i could, sprayed and all was ok.
Also found where you get stone chips on the frame, you tend to get those chips turning white and furry with corrosion. Again, clean down and apply some varnish or laqueur over it and it'll be ok...but not what you really want happening anyway.
Personally, i used to commute every day, winter and summer and in bad conditions (wet and salty\) there's no way i'm subjecting my good bike (even if it had mudgaurds fitted) to that abuse.
My 8 speed steelie used to require cleaning almost daily in those dark, wet. salty conditions, grimy rims will get scoured by the brakes. Brake blocks will accumulate grit and scour your rims. Grit and water in your chain cause more wear and tear. Your BB (especially on some modern BBs which are cheaper ) is more prone to dirt (i'm talking about my FSA BB4000, which is pretty poor at resisting ingress of water etc etc).
I'm being a BIT over the top, but the principle holds, you WILL expose your bike to more abuse in the winter. The answers simple...use a winter bike or accept the abuse is acceptable to you, clean and lube as regularly as you can, and inspect the frame and components as regullarly as you can and act quickly if you find corrosion.
Again, what i do with any of my bikes anyway (summer or winter) is to put antisieze (copperslip) on everything. I fill those brake caliper but recesses with the stuff, i apply it to the downtube cable adjusters (that was one problem i found on the Bianchi afterwards)....anywhere and everywhere, just about every nut and bolt.

That pretty much answers my question in a post I put up about the same thing.
Will put my carbon into 'Hibernation' only will ride on charity events etc.

Sussed out

I got given a set of Mavics by a mate for use on a turbo. He'd used them for two winters in all weathers with little cleaning. Salt had crusted around all the spoke eyelets and on the rear wheel had caused a crack out from an eyelet.
Will be avoiding really salty conditions with all but my most basic wheels and even then giving them a good rinse after and thorough dry out.

Joeblack

What about if the road is salty but dry? Does the salt still do damage?

gezebo

Joeblack wrote:

What about if the road is salty but dry? Does the salt still do damage?

Not really, however once its exposed to high humidity, condensation, spray from a puddle etc you are in the same boat as before. Just ride it!