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Workshop Tips by Andy Verrall: Remove the Salt · 21/12/09

The recent cold snap has seen some awful riding conditions which can do a lot of damage to your bike.

The salt put down on the roads is very damaging and although the extreme cold may leave you less than enthusiastic about degreasing/washing your bike down, I would recommend a quick once over with hot soapy water then a rinse off as soon as you get in from your ride. Leave the wheels in and use a large sponge over the frame and wheels, then a brush on the chain and cassette to remove the worst of the salt and general grime that sprays up from the winter roads. Rinse off the soapy water then dry the chain and re-lube. You should also use a silicon type spray over the brakes, mechs and under the bottom bracket in the cable guide. You can go heavy on the lube and spray as it’s better to over protect in these extreme conditions.

Do not forget to degrease and wash as per a previous tip and check the bike over regularly, say every 3 rides and at least weekly.

Keep the Pressure Down

Tyres give you more grip and traction when run at a lower pressure, which you should do in extreme weather. Depending on your weight I would drop the pressure by up to 2 bar/28 lbs . For example, if in the summer you ride at 8 bar /114lbs drop to 6 bar/84lbs as this will give you far more grip. The down side is extra drag and a sluggish feeling but that is good training in any case…

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