riding in the rain

[tuco]

Well I got sick of waiting for the rain to stop so we headed out at 6am. It was 27 degrees, apparent temperature 32 degrees, 90% humidity but it wasn't raining.

We got 10km from home then it pissed down. After reading the thread about the computer not working after getting wet, we took ours off and stored them on our saddle bags. We got back to an overpass which had a walking bridge under it and watched the fish in the river (who were a little drier than us)

It eased off so we headed off. I must say it was pleasant and refreshing riding in the rain. Certainly wasn't cold. Really noticed the difference when the rain stopped.

Now there is a point to this post. The bikes were saturated, we dried them off when we got home. Surely all that water doesn't do the greasy, working bits much good. I gave both bikes a good spray with WD40 on anything which was greasy to get any remaining water out of the important bits.
Are there any specific areas of the bike I should look at after they're had such a drenching? Was using WD40 a no no?

[europa]

You can use WD40 to get rid of moisture, but you MUST lubricate that area afterwards or you'll be inviting rust. WD40 is a water repellent but leaves nothing behind to protect the part.

Personally, I don't bother. Bring the bike home, oil the chain, when you get a chance, give her a good wash (and re-oil the chain ).

With my long ride in the rain the other day, I found I didn't really mind it so much but yeah, dry is good.

Richard

[sogood]

WD40 is a bad idea as it dissolves grease. Once in, it continues to dissolve any grease you subsequently apply. In any case, just about all components are made of non-rusting alloys/CF, so water can't really do much harm.

The steps to maintenance after a wet ride are,

1) Wash the bike down with some mild detergents and a hose (no pressure, particularly no water jets around hub/bb/bearings) and get rid of all the mud and dirt.

2) Dry it down with a soft rag. Don't forget to turn the bike upside down to evacuate all the water in the tubes. There'll be water in the rims too. I deflate the tyres and let them run out.

3) Re-lube FD/RD/chain.

BTW, if you want to regularly ride in the rain, then you might care to consider some of those more water resistant chain oil. Those spray on stuff keep the chain clean and our easy to apply. But they wash off very quickly in the wet.

[tuco]

BTW, if you want to regularly ride in the rain, then you might care to consider some of those more water resistant chain oil. Those spray on stuff keep the chain clean and our easy to apply. But they wash off very quickly in the wet.

Definitely don't want to make a habit of it. It's a problem up here during the wet season. One suburb can get no rain and another can have a torrential down pour. So far I've had two rides in a row when we got caught in the rain at some stage.

They're dew for a re lube so I'll look into that. I was reading the chain oil post not long back but there was no definitive answer as to what was the best oil to use. The motorcycle chain oil seemed to be a good but cheap option.

[sogood]

They're dew for a re lube so I'll look into that. I was reading the chain oil post not long back but there was no definitive answer as to what was the best oil to use. The motorcycle chain oil seemed to be a good but cheap option.

I don't think there's such thing as "best oil" for all. Use whatever you settle on but just make sure you regularly clean the chain and re-lube. At the end of the day, the chain is a wear item and narrow 10 speed chains may need to be replaced every 4000km or less.