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Top tips for winterising your bikes would be welcome - anything that saves cash, extends life of parts, reduces mud / grime on riders; now is the chance to share it.
clean it! Esp after rides on salted roads.
mudguards.
Singlespeed, rigid
take up another hobby that you can 'do' when the weather / trails are filthy.
Single speed AND mudguards for added enjoyment.
Spray cheap silicon spray over it (not the brakes!) to help discourage mud from sticking. Some manner of front mudguard- Shockboard or Bender Fender IMO- to keep the crap out of your eyes. Possibly a rear mudguard if it'll work on your bike and if you don't have a moral objection to fitting something ugly but practical.
in addition to my front and rear Crud guards, this year I will be bodging a DIY Bender Fender made from a cut up plastic milk bottle and attached with cable ties (although tyre clearance may be tight).
Ha! take that Winter! 😛
don't own a bike that you care so much about, and attach so much value to, that you are scared of riding it through this country's lovely weather. Or get a proper cheapo bike that you don't care about that you can mash about and still have fun and get the buzz.
Dawson - having bodged one in the past, if you iron the plastic before bending under the arch of the fork, it loses its square shape and fits much better. A 2 pinter is better than a 4.
As cynic-al.
SS for off road with a square taper BB
nowt for the road bike but I leave the mudguards on all the time.
Change your riding habits, look for rocky trails.
Inner tube between the crowns, strip to cover a dropper post and wash it.
Also MTFU!! It's only a bike
Thats all
winterising
****erise offerise with that americanise shit
Crud catchers, then you don't have to 'not' ride the line.
Clean the bike.
Lubricate lightly and often, rather than clag it up with a harsh conditions lube.
That's it.
You could fit cheap steel rings and a low end cassette, some do!
It's like winter for 95% of the year here, but maybe some lights?
😆****erise offerise with that americanise shit
@alpha - thanks, will bear that in mind
wrap insulating tape round metal brake levers, amasinghow much warmer your pinkies will be
Or wear gloves
Full length gear cables, cheap ones do the job just fine, if your really posh an inline oiler like middleburn.
& all the above.
why do your pinkys get cold from metal brake levers ?
mines dont get near the levers
Mud guards, switch lube and take the flat pedals off to replace with spds. That's about it. It will need cleaning more often.
same as summer really
take flat pedals off???
Yeah, I can't dry out my flat shoes as quickly as I can dry my disco slippers.
Don't bother. Half of the things you do end up causing more harm than good by trapping moisture where you don't want it and anyway you need to wreck your bike over the winter. How else will you justify a shiny new one come the Spring.
Cheers,
Andy
OK, if you must, a simpler winter bike and some guards should do the job.
Fixed/Singlespeed, rigid, mudguards,clean and lube it occasionally.
Works for road and off road.
+1 for homemade bender fender. cut from a large plastic paint tub lid.
works on the back too, at least to keep some muck off yr shock, pivots etc.
Also, the zip-tie snow tires thing looks worth a shot for snow and ice:
http://www.dutchbikeco.com/_blog/Dutch_Bike_Co_Weblog/post/Seattle_Snowpocalypse/
Hardtail and ride more lake district rock than peak district grit.
Oh and wash your bike more including during the ride!
tbh I think 'winterising' the rider is more important. That way when you get back you won't be soaked through with borderline hypothermia so you can actually manage to give the bike a quick rinse off and lube if needed.
Oh and +1 for rinsing off the bike at times during the ride - eg brakes and derailleurs after a particularly gritty section when everything seems to start grinding.
I "winterize" my bike with mudguards, tyres with bigger knobs and changing chain lube from dry to wet.
An autumn service for bearings, cables and suspension is a good call too.
There is no winter and there is no summer.The last four years have proved that.
did it last night... turbo trainer is now in the kitchen 🙄
Trails were almost dusty on Saturday. Now they'll be a foot deep in clag...
Bring on the filth! 😀