Newbie question #32

[BikeCrazyAgain]

Hello everyone,

So I went out for a ride this afternoon. I'd been watching dark clouds come and go all day without a drop of rain, so out I went. And wouldn't you know it, but I was less than five minutes out and the rain started. Not just a few sprinkles, but a real downpour. So after a few minutes, what the hell, a person can only get soaked to the skin and once that's done, might as well keep going. The rain stopped after 15 minutes or so and I kept riding for another hour and had a great ride (including up a pretty decent hill to my house! First time I've managed it!)

So when I got home, my poor bike is filthy. And have I mentioned that it's white? White bike, white saddle, white bar tape, what was I thinking? Anyway, it was dry by the time I got home. I wasn't but so what?

But my question is this: Is there anything, other than cleaning the dried mud and grease off the frame and perhaps cleaning and relubing the chain (which is now also pretty dirty) that I should do before I ride again?

Thanks!

[Bill]

That was up for discussion in a different post just last week I think. Personally I say GO FOR IT! haha. I do clean and relube mine if I get mud and dirt on the chain.

[buzz]

I live in Portland, OR and we never let the rain keep us off our bikes. But, yes, give the chain a clean and lube. Also, check your teeth on your cogs and get any mud off them and take a rag between the sprockets on the cassette/freewheel. You should be good to go!

[ou2mame]

i get my bike filthy... and then i wash it. and then i lube whatever's exposed. mainly just the chain and the front and rear derailer joints, and make sure everything's working properly, and there's nothing that shouldn't be there (found a few rocks in my cassette the other day, so i knocked them out).

[BikeCrazyAgain]

(05-31-2010, 11:24 PM)buzz Wrote:  I live in Portland, OR and we never let the rain keep us off our bikes. But, yes, give the chain a clean and lube. Also, check your teeth on your cogs and get any mud off them and take a rag between the sprockets on the cassette/freewheel. You should be good to go!

Hi Buzz,

That's where I am: Portland! Do you believe this weather? I've let the rain keep me in before, but no longer. It was actually kinda fun, in a soggy "remember that the brakes are wet" sort of way.

Thanks for the advice! I'm going to put the bike up on my repair stand and give it a good cleaning and clean/lube the chain before I head out again.

Thanks,
Patty