Winter Maintenance

shooter999
shooter999 Posts: 143
edited January 2016 in Workshop
Hi everyone

Relatively new to riding (started in August 2015) and now that the conditions are starting to get worse, I'd like to know how to look after my bike during the harder winter months.

Ive fitted mudguards to my bike and after most rides (not always immediately) I currently do the following:

1. gently hose the bike down all over to get rid on any mud etc.
2. Wash the bike all over with warm water and car shampoo.
3. Hose the bike down and dry.
4. Apply degreaser to the rear cassette, change through the gears and leave for 5 mins.
5. Remove surplus degrease with paper towels.
6. Apply gt85 to rear cassette and change throug gears.
7. Remove surplus gt85 with paper towels.
8. Relube the chain with dry lube.

Should I be applying anything to brakes, derailers, shifters, mechs etc?

All advice appreciated.

Thanks

Comments

  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    You do more than me and I still manage to keep my bikes relatively clean. After any rides in the wet I dry off bike and wipe off any gunk. I lube the chain, and wipe lube on exposed cables and squirt some lube on derailleur springs. If necessary I will also wipe gunk off wheel rims etc.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    You both do more than I do for my winter bike! I just wipe the thing as dry as possible after a wet ride and relube the chain. Then before the next ride I wipe down the chain again to remove any excess lube and any crap it's displaced.
    I do keep a closer eye on the tyres, brake blocks and rims, and check chain wear more frequently in the winter.

    Occasionally if the bike's really filthy it gets a proper wash outdoors, eg if it's a nice sunny day but I'm not riding for some reason.

    I usually do some preventative maintenance before winter sets in:

    Clean / regrease / adjust the hubs (Shimano cup and cone)
    Remove freehub and trickle some oil inside. Clean the cassette sprockets properly since they are by this point lying in a jumbled pile on the bench.
    Whip the seatpost out for a wipe and regrease.
    Maybe take off the pedals for a wipe / blob of copperslip / refit.
    Drop of lube on the pivots of the mechs and brake calipers, another drop on each jockey wheel. No idea if it makes any difference but it makes me feel better.

    Beyond that I only replace things as they break or wear out.
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    You all do more than me....occasional (perhaps once per winter) wash, and spray on some more lube if the chain is dry....replace blocks as required....just keeps on running :)
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19775521#p19775521]SheffSimon[/url] wrote:
    You all do more than me....occasional (perhaps once per winter) wash, and spray on some more lube if the chain is dry....replace blocks as required....just keeps on running :)

    I do more than him and less than the rest of you. I know my place.

    Ride the bike every day to work, on getting home hang it up in the garage wet or dry. Every two or three days I may do a finger test on the chain to see if it needs lubing (it normally does once per week) then ride to work. And repeat. At the weekend I normally give it a wash and lube. Disc brakes, 34c randonneur pro tyres and sks longboards with mudflaps f&r mean little maintenance is needed.

    Oh forgot, good wet lube for the chain.
  • fishzaku
    fishzaku Posts: 28
    for winter I would like to use wet lube instead of dry lube.

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