From: madine@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (G. E. Madine, AT&T-BL/AL, cbnewsm.)
Subject: Re: How do you protect a bike from the elements?
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 18:32:41 GMT
Summary: Tips for protecting parked commuter bicycles from weather.

In rec.bicycles,
In article <1992Aug31.142142.2882@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, msp2@hera.uucp (22321-seda-poulin) writes:
> (rain, sun, snow) can "age" a bike quickly, I am trying to find
> a way to protect my bike if I have to park it outside.  
> If you commute to work by bike and have to park it outside,
> I would like to find out what people do to protect it.
> Any ideas?

1) Get your employer to put the rack back into the garage.
It is ridiculous to provide weather secure parking for motor vehicles
but not allow it for bicycles.

2) If they will not, then park your bicycle in a full sized spot
in the garage.  Bring your own "rack" (a kickstand, workstand, or
small display rack) to keep the bicycle upright.  Come early to get
a good spot.  Bring a loooonng lock cable to reach a drain pipe
or hand rail.  Avoid locking to fire safety hardware.

3) If the garage is completely closed to all parking, your bicycle will
be O.K. in the elements for several years of use.  (Several years is
still rapidly accelerated decay though.)

- Cover your saddle with a plastic bag every day.  Replace other
leather with nylon (e.g. toe-straps).  Replace cloth tape or cork
with plastic.  Armor-all gum rubber brake hoods.  Dip the appropriate
sized allen key into a tub of grease and insert the key into all of the
allen key bolts on your bicycle (especially those that are open "up"
towards the sky like the stem expander bolt).

Most aluminum parts and high quality stainless steel nuts bolts and springs
will be unaffected by rain.

- Spray a rustproofing coating (LPS-3 lube or equivalent) into the small
"venting" holes you have at the ends of all four stays and the two fork
blades.  You may be tempted to close off these holes in some manner--but you
might be sorry later when you learn that condensation or other liquid
penetration inside the tubes is trapped.  When you overhaul the bottom
bracket and the headset, take advantage of the opportunity to spray rust
proofing into the main triangle frame tubes.  Buy a pair of $12 pedals
and use those for commuting.  If you have a steel stem, bars and/or
seatpost, consider spraying their innards too.

- The following tips are good for even fair weather use.  Grease or Locktite
(use the blue #242) all threads on all parts of the bicycle.  Especially
do the water bottle rack and rear rack bolts if they screw into braze-ons.
This protects the threads from seizing as well as from water.  You can even
use Locktite 242 on the bottom bracket fixed cup (you shouldn't use grease
there).  Get a bottom bracket "sleeve" enclosure.  That will reduce water
and dirt entering the bottom bracket from the frame tubes; it will also reduce
the amount of water entering the frame from the crank
spindle openings for the (replaceable) bottom bracket assembly.
Use a grease like Phil Wood (which at least claims to be water proof) for
overhauls of hubs, BB, headset.  Also, remove your seat post and stem.
grease the frame openings for both.  Re-insert.  Take advantage of the
openings to get some more rustproofing done inside the frame tubes.
Wax the frame and as many components as feasible with a good car wax.


Operational precautions.  - If it has rained during the day, there sometimes
will be a build up of (I think to be Al oxide) dirt on the rims.  Wipe
this off with a paper towel before returning home.  The dirt severly degrades
brake effectiveness.  Be especially careful to do this if you might encounter
more rain while cycling home.

Inevitabilities.  With lots of rain exposure, the chain will
rust.  As is known from the net,
the chain should not be re-lubed without first cleaning it.  It should
not be cleaned while on the bicycle.  This is a severe restriction
for bicycle commuters.  I say mix ocassional thorough cleaning with
ocassional on bicycle re-lubing (as necessary) with ocassional--but
relatively frequent versus fair weather schedules--replacement
to reduce the chance of damaging the freewheel cogs and even the chainrings.
This is economical as good compatible chains are available for $8.5.  They
even come lubed.

- Tire life is reduced.  Use a dedicated pair of tires for commuting
in wet weather.  The tire sidewalls will dry and crack if left outside.  If
you cycle in the rain, the sidewalls will be covered with Al oxide + brake
pad rubber + road pickup dirt.  My Avocet Cross tire looks like a blackwall
tire now.

- Paint may fade.

Solutions 1) and 2) are the ones to press for.  3) is for the dedicated.
An alternative to 3) is the Pete Hickey practice of picking up a used
MTB each year for commuting purposes.

Gary E. Madine, AT&T Bell Labs, Allentown, PA
gem@aloft.att.com
                       

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