winter-proofing your bike

mr_eddy

Just wondered what people do to keep their bike in good order over the winter, obviously some people will have a separate dedicated winter hack but for the humble mortals out there what is your routine ?

This is mine - Fairly straight forward stuff , seems like a long list but in reality it only takes one afternoon. I ride a SS so no gears and mech's to worry about:

* Remove-and re-grease bottom bracket with heavy duty generic grease (used for cars etc) - I find this stuff more hard wearing than the bike specific grease and way cheaper
* Remove and re-grease square taper crank bolts (as above) or sometimes use LockTite blue
* Remove 16t Freewheel and fit freshly greased 18t Freewheel (cold weather and evil headwinds make a lower GI far more effective this time of year), I get a new set of Freewheels every 5000 miles or so.
*Re-grease headset
* Smear Vaseline around the BB cups, headset and brake bolts (helps keep sand and grit from getting in and makes cleaning easy)
* Replace brake pads with 'V' Brake style pads - These work great on standard road calipers and seem to give better wet weather stopping power.
*Remove and re-grease (lightly grease) seat tube
*Fit full guards - I use Zefal R30 which are a pain to fit but once fitted are great plus nice and close fitting so don't look stupid and don't rub as long as you fit them correctly.
* Add a set of cheap flashers to go hand in hand with my main cycling lights
* Fit my CREE X6 front light (this thing is like a friggin car headlight - Allows me to actually see as well as be seen)
* Wrap bar tape with electrical tape - I know this is considered poor form by some and it does make it slippy when used with bear hands but in the winter I ALWAYS wear cycling gloves with silicon grips which work great on the electrical tape plus the tape makes cleaning super easy and protects the bar tape underneath
* Switch from 23c slicks to 25c heavier duty tyres - Currently trying 25c Panasonic Pasela PT, still fast but extra grip and decent puncture protection
* I have also started using MTB style SPD shoes which allow you to walk normally - This is handy as if I get a puncture in the winter I am never more than a few miles from either my office or my home and can just walk the rest of the way and deal with the puncture inside (changing tube outside in winter is a no-no for me).
*After the weekly clean I polish my bike with WD40 - Sounds strange I know but it means mud does not stick and it keeps the frame in good order.

That is about it - During winter I tend to give my bike a clean about once a week and also give it a once over at the same time checking nothing has come loose. Any bits that needs replacing like cables etc then they get done at the same time.

What does everyone else do ?

slowbike

mr_eddy wrote:

What does everyone else do ?

Put the mudguards on.

mr_eddy

lol ! My tasks seem excessive I suppose but given how much time and effort (and cash) I put into building my bike for me it seems like a worthwhile cause.

slowbike

Ok - mines not fixed or single speed - so don't need to worry about gearing. It was also bought primarily for commuting duties when it's not nice to ride the road bike.
It already has the mounting points for lights and lights are available for use year round - more so the rears ...
I run SPDs all the time

Other stuff is just routine maint for me - cleaning being the priority - I use normal furniture polish to stop the mud from sticking so much.
So the only difference is the addition of the mudguards - as I've got a new set for this year they may stay on year round now.

richk

On my commuter bike : test lights, fit light brackets & fit 'winter' pedals (double sided M340 (?) type with reflectors for riding home after dark). Then it's just a bit more routine maintenance.

These days I'm lucky enough to have a second road bike (for proper cycling at the week-end) which stays fitted with guards etc so nothing particular needed.

Matthewfalle

Hose down bike (3 minutes at the most) after each ride paying special attention to rims and pads Degrease, dry, relube drivetrain every weekend.

At end of winter change cables all round and give really good service while drinking Peroni.

Job jobbed.

The Rookie

Put front mudguard on, try to remember to lube the chain more often so the salty water off the road doesn't turn it into the orange chain of shame. Disc brakes, so that's it.

chris_bass

put mud guards on, clean it a bit more often, lights so i can see where i am going and use a lot more gt85 than in the summer (use this if it has been a wet ride which has been twice a day all this week!)

damocles10

I used to have two road bikes....which I cleaned obsessively after every ride (dry or wet). Something changed in my brain and I suddenly stopped the cleaning ( OCD overload ) to my surprise the components lasted just as long and I have extra time to my day...which cant be a bad thing.

Mikey23

Leave it in the spare bedroom till next april...

daddy0

This year I have:

Replaced wheels (needed replacing) with Shim 501
New cassette - prob didn't need to do this, but as its 8 speed it only cost about £10, so why not?
New tyres - whilst I was down there... put on 25mm GP 4 seasons (p*******d on 2nd ride BTW)
Cleaned chain, not been done for over a year, still plenty of life left in it.
Put on guards.
Replaced brake blocks.
Replaced saddle with Charge Spoon - my commute is much longer this year and I needed a more comfortable ride.

Replaced inner tubes after spate of p******s, can be having that in winter...

Tightened a few loose bolts (RD jockey wheel almost got away again).

Clean bike as and when.

Really need to take the bottom bracket apart to clean - its making all sorts of noises... will probably do headset whilst I have dirty hands, its a bit noisy too.

Might seem like a lot, but actually I have neglected doing any sort of maintenance on this bike for over a year - so it needed a fairly big fettle.

andrewc3142

Fixed, so cousin something removed of SS.

No winter hack, just carry on riding the Condor Paris (the love of my life).

For winter, clip on race blades and bar mount for the Exposure Race. And, well, that's it really.

Same tyres (23c GP4000s), same everything else.

Gets a weekly clean and chain degrease/lube as always. And the standard check chain tension, tyre damage, any loose things. If they put down salt I'll give it a once-over with a cold hose when I get back each day.

Other than that, I just ride it.

In spring overhaul bb and hubs, probably change chain and cog. Next spring if I can afford it I also plan to get some new wheels built up on Phil Wood hubs.

Manc33

I like this stuff but its too expensive. Could paint under the saddle with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTkefJHfC0

kinioo

Wash up your bike and clean it properly.
Lube where necessary.
Put ACF50 all over it (but dont put on brake pads and rotors and also rubber on wheels).
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACF-50-ANTI-C ... 5d453a6d47

Forget about the witer.
Wash it off when the spring has come.
Simples !!

CitizenLee

My commuter has disc brakes and hub gears so apart from keeping everything clean, greased and tight I have very little routine maintenance to perform. I just wash it when it's dirty enough. I shower at work too so no need to fit mud guards thankfully. Then come spring I'll strip and rebuilt the whole thing.

reformedfatty

Attach 'seeing lights' in addition to be seen lights. Done.

Disc brakes, 28c tyres and mud guards all year round.

salsarider79

Fixed with no brakes, single speed MTB, cross and road bikes and a geared road bike and touring bike and town MTB and shopper and BMX and.....

I have ridden the fixie a lot since building it. It has mudguards as does a few other bikes. If I'm late (Which I often am!) and/or the weathers nice, I'll take one of the road bikes....