Bicycle question : What do you do when your bike gets wet?

Ceiling Cat

Well-known member
Feb 25, 2009
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I just came back from my evening bike ride, I do 25k every night. The last time I rode my bike the ground was wet and the chain and hubs got wet. I wiped off the excess water and sprayed the hub and chain with WD40. What else can I do to keep moisture off my bike when it gets wet?

 

wazup

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2010
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Stop cycling and go lay on the couch, I bought my bike a couple years ago and it's still in mint condition.
 

Ceiling Cat

Well-known member
Feb 25, 2009
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I have spray silicone lube, is that OK for bike chains?
 

larry

Active member
Oct 19, 2002
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I have spray silicone lube, is that OK for bike chains?
i wouldn't do it all the time but it'll be ok. and wd40 is not water. the wd stands for water displacement. it just is a little too light and attracts dirt. spray that silicone and wipe off the excess. that'll be fine. you're not riding a 2000 dollar rig i hope.
 

larry

Active member
Oct 19, 2002
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Your bike'll be fine. you may have seen it on this board...some people build stuff up. i've jumped bikes into water. they still work. lots of people ride in the rain. mountain bikes go anywhere/anytime. water doesn't matter. a little spray, turn the pedals a bit, wipe off excess.
 

lovedoc

Prince Fuckalot
Mar 31, 2010
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Just wash off the mud and let it dry in the sun, then lubricate....

Years ago most people would just use regular motor oil to lubricate the chain.

Although this works well when first applied it tends to attract dirt and the contaminants picked up by the chain will then accelerate chain and gear tooth wear and reduce your overall drivetrain performance. Cleaning and re-lubricating must be done much more frequently than when using lubricants specifically designed for bicycles. Modern bike-specific lubricants usually contain synthetic ingredients to increase durability and resistance to water.
Use a light or medium weight for the chain and sprockets and for any nuts and bolts when reassembling. A dry or light lube should be used for dusty, sandy conditions – which is most of the summer in the Kelowna area. A high viscosity or “thicker” lubricant should be used for wet weather (spring, fall and winter) because it has a higher resistance to being washed away.
Use a medium weight lubricant for bushings, such as pivot points (front and rear derailleurs) and derailleur pulleys.
Bearings (in the hubs, headset and bottom bracket) should be lubricated using a grease. Many modern hubs and bottom brackets use sealed bearings, therefore they generally do not require regular re-greasing. All parts should be cleaned thoroughly using a solvent or degreaser BEFORE re-greasing. Parts which come into contact with dissimilar metals should be greased before being assembled (seatpost, handlebar, handlebar stem) to prevent galvanic corrosion from occurring.
Brake and shifter cables should ideally be pulled out and lubricated with grease – except for Teflon or Gore-Tex lined cables. Gripshift cables should be lubricated only with a “Gripshift approved” lubricant such as Jonnisnot (honest, it’s really called that!).
Most important to remember – you MUST do this on a regular basis. It will keep your bike performing at its best and prolong the overall life of you bike.
 

Nickelodeon

Well-known member
Apr 13, 2003
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Ceiling Cat

You spend have your day riding bike, and the other half on TERB. Don't you have a job, or an ordinary life?
 

Garrett

Hail to the king, baby.
Dec 18, 2001
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For bicycle chains, there are a million and one specific bike chain lubes specifically formulated for that application. Use any of them. $10 will last you a lifetime. First you might want to use some mineral spirits/varsol or an aerosol degreaser to clean up the chain and any residual grit from time to time. Then lube it with the chain oil.
I agree WD40 is bad. However, a lot of people still wax their chains, and wax can work very well. In general, special bike lubricants are a sham market in my opinion (unless you stick to basic stuff like Phil's). There is nothing special about a bike or it's application, and motorcycle chain oil is great. I do not think you need to overthhink any of this stuff... just store inside, clean it once a year, keep it lubed with your choice of lube, and you are good to do.
 

next8500

New member
Oct 27, 2009
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Yeah, don't over think it. Just walk into a shop, buy some chain oil. If you are riding all the time, you probably want to oil your chain fairly regularly, like once every two weeks or so. It's been dry and dusty out there. Use a rag, put lots of oil on the chain and then spin the excess off with the rag. Don't forget your derailluer pivots. As for water, the only real area you will run into trouble with it the bottom bracket. If it's creaking, it probably means you got water in. Even with sealed bottom brackets, they get wet. If you are washing your bike the one thing you should make sure you do is turn your bike upside down and shake the water out. I have had countless bikes, caked in mud, soaked with high pressure hoses and yes I've had to replace the odd BB, but you know, whatever, it's a part of hte sport.

Other than that, bike are made to be ridden, enjoyed and broken. Chains stretch, brake pads wear. It's a part of riding. Enjoy it. Don't get hung up on it. It's huge that you are out putting those kind of miles in. Really fantastic. Keep it up.
 
Ashley Madison
Toronto Escorts