OK, so I commute to work, and on a few occasions have been in some really bad rain. So what I'm wondering is what kind of precautionary cleaning or maintenance I should do after I ride to avoid the ill-effects of a bike in the rain.
- wipe it down when you arrive and try to store it somewhere it will tend to dry out as quickly as possible
- use a good water resistant lube on your chain and clean it more often since it will pick up a lot more grit in wet conditions
- also lube the pivots on your derailleurs, brakes, etc occasionally. Try to drip some lube in where the cable enter the housing to prevent rust in there.
- occasionally pull out your seat post and flip the bike to let any water in the frame drip out. Always regrease your seat post when you put it back in.
- protect the frame with some car wax finish
That all being said, getting wet doesn't really hurt a bike as long as it doesn't sit wet for long periods. Keep riding and be careful.