rainy day maintenance

[Crickey7]

I’m a terrible overlubricator, which necessitates frequent cleanings. I clean the drivetrain every 2-4 weeks, sometimes more often in rainy weather. I like the citrus based cleaners, and I’m not super picky about the lube I use other than I find spraying easier. All of this is caveated by saying I am probably the absolutely worst person to take advice from, though I currently have one bike in the stable that I’ve kept running for 37,000 miles.

[trailrunner]

Here are some things that I consider to be routine maintenance:

Lubing your chain is important. I prefer light lube, such as ProGold ProLink lube. But everyone has their own preference.

Fenders help keep water and crud off your bike, including the bottom bracket and headset.

Lubing the cables once is a while is a good idea.

Once in a while you should take the seatpost out of the frame and let the frame air out. Do this more often if you’ve been riding in the rain,and consider turning the bike upside down to let any water run out.

Try to clean off the rear derailer and cassette if you notice that they are gunked up.

Also keep an eye on brake pads and rims, since they seem to wear more in wet weather.

[Supermau]

I clean and lube about every 60-100 miles depending on the level of grime. I just use one of those plastic chain cleaner tools with some degreaser (and sometimes a toothbrush) and run the chain through it a couple of times, hose it off, wipe it down, lube it up, wipe it down. I pay special attention to the rear derailer pulleys as they collect all the grime.

[OneEighth]

WD-40 wipe down of the entire bike (excluding seat, handlebars, front brake and front wheel). Once the WD-40 has evaporated from the chain, 3in1 oil.
Cheap and effective.
Every so often, I take a rag and clean every single link.

[dkel]

I use Rock ‘n’ Roll lube, mostly the blue kind, sometimes gold if weather is going to be nice for a while. Once a week (after about 100 miles, give or take) I stream the stuff on the chain and then wipe the heck out of it with a rag. The chain never needs degreasing or scrubbing with a chain cleaning tool, and it never gets gunky—at best it’s sparkling clean, and at worst it has a thin, dark film that comes off easily the next time I lube the chain. I never spend more than five minutes at a time on the chain, nor do I want to; more than that and I lose interest. I run massive fenders with mud flaps, and the bike (and drivetrain) stays very clean through all conditions. I’ve had my current commuter for almost a year, ridden it in all weather, and now that it has 4700 miles on it, it only just recently looks like the frame could use a wipe-down. I’m pretty stunned it has stayed so clean, and I attribute it to those super-long fenders. I got 3700 miles out of my first chain, which I thought was pretty great—also because of those fenders, I think.

[PotomacCyclist]

I try to clean the bike and lube the chain shortly after every ride in the rain. I use bike-specific lubricant. I slow turn a crank while I put a drop or two on the connection between each link. Then I turn the cranks to work the lube in between the links. I will shift up and down through all the gears. Then I wipe off the excess lube by turning the crank slowly while I hold an old shirt on the chain. I’ll wipe off excess lube from the cassette and derailleurs too.

For the frame and other parts of the bike, I wipe it down with a clean cloth or old shirt.

When I’m not riding in the rain, the maintenance schedule depends on how often I’m riding. (Right now, I’m doing most of my riding on Capital Bikeshare, so I don’t have to do any maintenance at all.)

[dplasters]

I’m obligated to say “belt drive” and “what maintenance”. It’s in my contract with Gates.

[Sunyata]

@dplasters 117390 wrote:

I’m obligated to say “belt drive” and “what maintenance”. It’s in my contract with Gates.

This. 100% this.

[GovernorSilver]

What a coincidence!

I took my bike to my bike shop for a bike maintenance class last night. The rain provided a great opportunity to ask how to maintain the bike if it got wet from rain. Because of the rain, I was the only student who showed up. The personal attention was great. I was given a maintenance checklist to help remember what I should be doing. As a bonus, I got to practice what I just learned when I got home.

Seems like a lot of local bike shops teach free classes on bike maintenance, how to handle flat tires, bike maintenance for women, etc. Try checking your bike shops.

[bentbike33]

I use White Lightning wax-based chain lube (blue label): apply once, wipe down, apply again, let dry. Once a week in dry weather, more frequently to the extent it feels more like boating than biking (like this week). White Lightning flakes off as it becomes contaminated, so there is very little build-up. I get 100-120 miles in generally dry weather. The chain gets loud when it wants lube.

[vvill]

I (sort of) randomly select a lube from my collection that’s accumulated over the years. I have White Lightning, ProGold, 3in1 and these two:
http://www.nixfrixshun.com/nixfrixshun-ultimate-bicycle-chainlube/
http://www.chain-l.com/

I tend to use 3in1 on the SS/FG and 7 speeds, White Lightning or ProGold on the road/general 9/10 speed geared bikes and the other two on the CX bike when it’s going to be ridden in mud, etc. Not sure exactly how the products vary, some are stickier for sure and need more wiping off.

[hybriduser]

I’m the OP, I was looking for the name of a product that I could apply, be low maintenance and do a proper job lubing under most circumstances. I might ride 20 miles a week if we’re lucky. I didn’t want a bunch of different products for different situations. Isn’t there an all-purpose product?

I’ve been to a store class. Maybe I’ll go back and see that guy and buy their stuff. I should have bought it that night..

[hozn]

Rock-n-roll. Gold — or blue for more extreme wet. Spray on, wipe off, done. You can wipe excess water off your bike if you want.

[hybriduser]

@hozn 117430 wrote:

Rock-n-roll. Gold — or blue for more extreme wet. Spray on, wipe off, done. You can wipe excess water off your bike if you want.

Thanks! Sounds like my kind of maintenance!

[dkel]

@hozn 117430 wrote:

Rock-n-roll. Gold — or blue for more extreme wet. Spray on, wipe off, done. You can wipe excess water off your bike if you want.

+1 I started using this on hozn’s recommendation, and it’s much easier than other lubes I used before: less fussy, less sticky…I no longer spend time with every link of the chain like I used to with oil, and my chain stays cleaner in general. No going back.

[Author]

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