Cycling UK Forum

A colleague at work posed a question, so I thought I'd poll it to a larger forum.
His question concerns protecting his bike from being attacked by road salt. After each ride he washes it down and liberally sprays WD40 over the chain and cables; yet he complains that this is a most unpleasant task, particularly spraying cold water around. He asks if there is a better way?

Alan

If he is using a pressure sprayer you should immediately wrestle him to the ground and take it off him, otherwise it'll only blow the grease out of the components and the crud in.

I just use a bucket of warm water (half full of cold and bung a kettle load in) and then use a soft car cleaning brush to give the bike a good going over. Bike then put somewhere above freezing so that the water doesn't freeze onto it.

Also, I'd not use WD40 on the chain as lube. It's OK to use it to help in the cleaning process but in my experience it won't stay on very long. However, WD40 can be used on the frame, etc before going out, to aid cleaning when you get back. Obviously - not on the rims though.

Ensuring you ride an aluminium bike may be a good starting point. C/w aluminium chainset, aluminium calipers etc,etc, etc. There aren't many parts of an aluminium bike which can suffer from corrosion. I liberally daub the steel chain, deraileurs and caliper springs with 3:1 oil, given it's cheap and far more effective at stopping corrosion than the modern lubes I normally use.

And while the bike normally stays indoors, leaving it in the unheated garage has made a major difference in preventing corrosion. Indoors, the chain was locked up with rust within 24 Hr's when stored indoors, in an unheated garage there's little notable corrosion.

And finally, this is the first year I've taken to keeping the decent road bike off road from 30th September onwards. I'm not so particular about an old,worn out bike

Me and my mates all use Scottoiler FS365 - a rust-inhibitor spray.
http://www.scottoiler.com/FS365-Protector.asp

And it's a myth that aluminium does not corrode. if the paint chips or bubble you can get corrosion under the paint.
Some cheery photies are here:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/stirlingc ... 5033232786

Have a look at this stuff ...................... ACF50 its made in Canada, Anti-Corrosion Formula the military use it (and me)


Rob

StirlingCrispin wrote:
And it's a myth that aluminium does not corrode. if the paint chips or bubble you can get corrosion under the paint.

Corrosion, oxidization. Suppose one could construct a simile from it.

Aren't you supposed to leave metallic surfaces that have oxidized alone? To prevent further oxidization and the possibility of corrosion?

gbnz wrote:And while the bike normally stays indoors, leaving it in the unheated garage has made a major difference in preventing corrosion. Indoors, the chain was locked up with rust within 24 Hr's when stored indoors, in an unheated garage there's little notable corrosion.

Interesting that. So what would the optimum storage temp. be? My bike's chain has gone rusty - have I been over cosseting my bike in the deluded believe that central heating will keep the old gal happy?

Clean all surfaces with a damp cloth and a bucket of tepid water. Let it dry and give all surfaces including chain a squirt of GT85. Then put one drop of oil on each chain link and on the derailieur and front mech pivots.
jonty