Newb Maintenance

cab7220
cab7220 Posts: 8
edited August 2013 in Road beginners
newb question
I can't for the life of me keep my drivetrain clean. Ill clean it really well and have the bike looking brand new (other than a few scratches and what not) and after one ride in the dry it is dirty again.

Is it Possible that shape of the down tube is throwing a buncha crap off the wheel right into the crankset? How often do you clean your drive train?
Also I notice if the road is wet(not raining) my feet get absolutely drenched.

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,434
    dust/dirt will stick to oil/grease on the drivetrain, don't over lubricate, if you run the chain through a bit of old sheet (or other non-fluffy, non-catchy cloth) it'll take off surface dirt and lube, then it picks up far less

    wet roads will coat you+bike in cack, at speed the stream of water off the wheels is quite powerful, fitting mudguards will reduce this a bit, but you'll still get wet

    shoe covers help, but water will still get in eventually, either via ankles or cleat holes, i usually only wear them if it's cold+wet

    roadies are hard, once you're soaked to the skin and your shoes have filled up you know it can't get any worse, so you just keep riding :)
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Schoie81
    Schoie81 Posts: 749
    I found this about getting wet last Friday morning. Firstly, every now and again I could feel the water running down my leg and into the top of my shoe - so no matter how waterproof my shoes were - it was running into the top. Secondly, I thought to myself as I left the house, if it rains too much, i'll take a short-cut and shorten my ride. 15mins in and I was soaked, and then I just thought, well I can't get any wetter now, so there's no point taking the short cut!! The human body is remarkably water-proof!
    "I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"
  • hipshot
    hipshot Posts: 371
    You're probably expending too much effort trying to keep it clean.

    As a guide, just quickly run the chain through a baby wipe or rag every couple of rides and give the cassette/chain rings a wipe. Do this more if you ride long distances or in poor weather.

    Thoroughly clean every 6/7 rides and before/after a major ride or event. Dont over oil the chain and wipe off excess thoroughly and you're good..
  • Dmak
    Dmak Posts: 445
    You could try dry lubes, they collect less dirt but to be honest they're not that great. I use White Lightning Epic Ride lube. It doesn't collect as much crap as normal wet lube but lasts longer than dry lube.

    Not sure how often I clean but I'd guess around every 100 miles.
  • Neil_aky
    Neil_aky Posts: 211
    On the wet feet issue I would strongly advise shoe covers for the winter, wet roads and cold weather result in cold feet. I tried thicker socks, two pairs of socks etc before realising it was the fact that my shoes were wet which was causing the cold. So before the Winter arrives - get some shoe covers!