Unlike the summer’s long dry days out on the trail, there’s more to maintenance in winter than simply applying some dry lube…
This time last year, the ground was rock hard and it was incredibly cold outside- far from the moderately warm conditions we have by comparison. And the foul conditions out are a reminder of why we need to look after our mountain bikes- which considering how well they serve in general, perform amazingly really.
Just think of the exposure that our chains, cassettes, derailleurs and clip-less pedals get to mud, road salt and other muck- and they still keep churning round.
If you ride regularly- especially commuting- you should give your bike a clean and inspection once a week. Road salts can be very damaging to the surfaces on components and the paint finish…
Although a hose is great for spraying off big clods of mud and giving your bike a quick once over, getting to work with a bucket of soapy water and a brush is the best way- as it forces you to inspect everything on your way round.
Start by briefly washing the worst off, then, work front to back on one side of the bike, then flip the bike and go again, followed by a good rinse.
Use a quality degreaser and get the chain, cassette and drive train looking shiny, and follow with a rinse then flush out the water using a Teflon spray before lubing the lot.
If riding wet weather- which you probably are- you should use a quality wet lube. But make sure you monitor build up on the chain as the sticky nature attracts lots of grime.
When working through your bike, keep an eye on things that need adjusting, and do them as you see them. If you do your basic housekeeping on your bike, no big job will creep up on you- you’ll learn how things wear and when to replace things.
Finally, taking a tip from car cleaning, use a decent polish on your bike to help stop grime sticking to the frame- just make sure you don’t get it anywhere near the braking surfaces!
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