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Winter requires more maintenance |
Here, then, is my own method of keeping my bike going through that loooong cold season of short days:
Clean and Wax
Begin the season with a thorough clean and wax — What, you ended fall with a dirty bike? Well, better late than never. Endure the cold garage or spread a week's worth of newspaper over your apartment floor and clean away. Use a brush to get at all the grit and grime; I prefer a small whisk broom for general purposes, and a smaller stiff-bristle brush for the harder-to-reach areas of components. Remove your chain and either clean it the old-fashioned way (in a coffee can filled a few inches deep with solvent, brushing away the gunk and hanging the chain up to dry), or use one of those slick-looking clamp-on devices (that in my opinion do a so-so job of cleaning your chain while it's still on your bike). Then wax your frame, using either car wax or one made specially for bikes, until it shines.
Lube Up
Lube your chain, components, and cables — Sending your bike out in winter without a coat of lubricant where it needs it is like you pedaling to work without any clothes. The result is interesting but painful.
But which lube to use? Well, let's begin with the chain. Like many of us who have pedaled for years I've tried everything from three-in-one to paraffin. And what have I learned from all this experience? Well, that while we all have our favorites, any lube works better than none. That even goes for paraffin, back in the days when I melted blocks of the stuff on the stove in a coffee can in preparation for my chain's total immersion. I was attracted by the argument that what doesn't collect grime is sublime (true both for drive chains and politicians). Melting now has been replaced by the far-easier-to-apply White Lightning, but I must admit that I've not tried the stuff. The old paraffin coatings worked poorly in winter, and ever since I've relied on Teflon-base lubes during this season.
Determining the"best" lube is like choosing the "best" pannier — it depends in part upon the kind of riding you'll be doing over the winter, the conditions you'll encounter, and your climate. I suggest a visit to your local bike shop and a chat with the mechanic. Talk with fellow riders about their experience with various lubes. If there's no bike shop near, or if there isn't one you trust, call up any of the bike catalogs on the Web to read about what's available. Go to www.bikenashbar.com — or any of the other bike-product catalogues — scroll down the "products" listing to "lubricants," and tap away. Bikenashbar.com offers a whopping 31 options, some specifically suggested for winter riding.
Components and Cables
For components and cables I use WD-40 to clean out those places impossible to reach with the whisk or other brushes. (Note: It is generally recommended that you not use lubricant on Gore-Tex and other high-tech cable housing, so if you ride an expensive bike be sure to determine what kind of housing you have — old "steel spiral," plastic-lined, or Teflon-coated — before you spray away.) WD-40 is good at displacing the water that creeps inside the less-expensive housings (the kind I have on all my bikes), and by itself it's usually sufficient, when reapplied often, to retard freezing and rusting when squirted inside the housings. Don't lose that little red tube that's rubberbanded to the can when you buy it, because this is perfect for the task. Then follow up with a good drip or spray lube for the moving parts of all components.
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