Wintertime Bike Care

Have you ever taken something you love for granted? When I look at my road-salt encrusted bike, I wonder, “How did I let it come to this?!” It’s easy to make excuses for my negligence, because it’s been such a cold winter. After arriving home, I’d rush inside to let my eyelash-cicles melt and leave my bike to rust in the garage, rather than ever taking some time to clean it off.

No excuses - my bike is slowly dying under that coat of sparkling salt. I got some great tips for caring for my bike throughout the winter from Dan Sorger of DBC City Bike Design. I gathered up the supplies he suggested and got to work giving my bike, Madeline, the love a trusty steed deserves.

In the basement and ready for a bath

I set up a work area in the basement where I could wipe down the bike with some dish soap and warm water. Dan suggests using a sponge, because you want to float the dirt and grit off the bike, not grind it into the paint.

Look at the grit that accumulated inside the chain case!

The next step is applying a layer of wax on all the metal to create a moisture barrier and to prevent the bike from rusting. I picked up some car wax from the hardware store and applied it per the instructions.

Looking good!