Riding in the Rain

[Feltrider]

This morning I was out on the desert trails here in Arizona when it started raining. Obviously rain during the day here is not something that happens too often. Outside of the issues with actually riding the slippery trails is there anything from an equipment standpoint I should be aware of. Is there any bike parts vulnerable to water/mud/wet sand that need maintenance when I get back? Do I need to re-lube the chain, fork stanchion, etc?

[flamdrag8]

It seems that lately I have been riding more in the rain and wet conditions, than in the dry. So for me, the most important thing from a maintenance standpoint is to dry everthing thoroughly after the ride, then re-lube the chain. You want to make sure that no metal parts rust. Other than that, your fine to enjoy riding rain or shine.

[LVolz]

Keep an eye on anywhere you have moving parts, especially the tight spaces.

Use a chain cleaning tool and a good biofriendly degreaser (like Simple Green – much cheaper than Bike Shop degreaser products, and just as good) before you relube. Dirt and grit that stick to the chain are the fastest cause of chain wear.

Check the underside of the bike, especially where cables route across frame points. Make sure you get the crud out.

Hose out your brake calipers.

Degrease and hose out the derailleur pulleys. Lots of crud get’s stuck in there.

Degrease and use a stiff brush on the cog set.

Here in eastern PA we won’t have much in the way of dry riding until June (except the few weeks that the trails are frozen). Washing the bike is part of just about every ride. Not so much fun after a 30° night ride. I told my wife I wanted to install a bike wash stall in the garage. You should have seen the look that announcement drew…

[Mark Larson]

"LVolz" wrote

I told my wife I wanted to install a bike wash stall in the garage. You should have seen the look that announcement drew…

Oh man! Get an old bath tub from a habitat resale store hook it up. Tell her it is a "dog wash station". Of course you may have to wash the dog in it. . .

OR – totally remodel one of your bathrooms and "recycle" the tub into the garage. No way your wife can be upset about that!

I am sort of lucky, I have an unused laundry room on the outside of the house. I hook up a garden hose to the hot water side of the washing machine hook ups and de-mud the bike outside. Hot water works way better at getting the crud off too.

[Mark Larson]

Oh yeah – about the actual topic.

Try to avoid blasting water into any of your bearings (bottom bracket, headset, wheel hubs) you can blow the grease out of the bearings (even in "sealed" units) and be in worse shape than if you left it dirty.

I like a big dustpan sized brush and hot soapy water to help get the mud and stuff off.

[Feltrider]

Thanks everyone for the tips

[brianW]

Just a note: When the trails are really wet it may be best to avoid them to prevent trail damage and stick to dirt/gravel roads.

[flamdrag8]

I would agree with brianw, by avoiding heavily trafficked trails in the rain. Here in Alabama we have fewer riders and less erosion. Over in Georgia, there has been alot of erosion on some popular trails, and some even close when it rains. The key is to check with local imba/singletracks websites, and use good judgement. 😉

[Tom_Gawlik]

Three parts that are often neglected but are susceptible to damage due to moisture are; your stem where it contacts your steerer, your seatpost inside of your frame and the binder that attaches your seat to the post. The first two will often seize because they are in contact with dissimilar metals and the third, because of it’s location, is often forgotten about. Depending on how much you ride and in what conditions, these parts should be greased every 6-8 weeks.

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