Bike Re-conditioning

Hangin'Chad · Post by **Hangin'Chad** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:26 pm

Howdy, folks.

Here are some things I've thought of in the process of getting ready to clean/repair and winterize our bikes for storage post-Burning Man:

If your bike is designed so that part of your shifter or brake cables are exposed to the wind and dust, pull the wire part completely out. Rinse it in water, dry it and hit it with WD-40 or some such. Use canned air to blow out the cable cover and all moving parts to brakes and derailleurs.

I found an automotive product called Chain Lube that is sold for motorcycles and cars. It is a sprayable lithium grease. I bought a can, but haven't tried it yet. I plan to first clean my chain (with a water-rinse wheel/tire cleaner from a dollar store and a wire brush after a good dose of canned air) and then hit it with WD-40. Let dry for 24 hours or so, then hit it with the chain lube.

If the stuff is as good as it sounds, I'll likely use it on all the cables on both of our bikes as well.

Be sure to blow out and lube up your front sprocket bearings and your pedals, too, so the ride will be that much easier next year!!

Come Spring, I'm planning to strip all the shinies off my bike and give it a whole new (and I hope unique!) organic paint job for Burning Man '08.

KC10Chief · Post by **KC10Chief** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:25 am

Be careful using WD-40 on bicycles. WD-40 is for metal on metal contact. If you spray it on rubber or plastic parts, it will eventually start to make them deteriorate. The chain lube is good stuff and should be fine on a bicycle. I use it on my dirtbike chain all the time. IT stays on there even after blasting through mud that comes up to the seat.

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:49 pm

second what the Chief said. While it probably doesn't matter for a crapped out playa bike, avoid WD40 on chains as well. Its petroleum based and attracts and retains dirt and grime., Use a wax based or teflon lube instead.

Hangin'Chad · Post by **Hangin'Chad** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:48 pm

Thanks for the tips, guys.

Playa bikes or not, we plan to recycle them for yet *another* year!

They move when we move 'em, so I say keep 'em for at least another year:-)

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:10 am

For the ultimate in bike reconditioning, make it a Sport Utility Bike. Lots of do it yourself tips and kits at
http://www.xtracycle.com/freerad.php
http://www.xtracycle.com/models.php
http://www.worldbike.org/technologies/b ... ng-bicycle
http://bikehugger.com/2006/09/the_bettie_download.htm
http://www.instructables.com/id/ECY4GKGO0BEZTBBBXU

Photos at
http://bikehugger.com/photostream/sport ... l_shop.php
like

You'll have a bike to haul all your crap on the playa and at home. Just be sure it fits in your car, on your rack, whatever, before you try to haul the SUB somewhere.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:51 am

Four years of burning man and I have never done a lick of bike maintanence to my bike. It is a good bike and so started its playa life in great condition. I don't wash it or anything. I do have an extra chain though because it looks like that will be the first thing to go.

I If I did give my bike a once over after playa ride time I would blow it off with compressed air and then wash it being carefull to not get water in the cable sheaths. Water and playa dust make a quite corosive solution which could really mess up the functioning of those cables. I might even pressure wash the areas that are hard to reach using a soapy solution and being cautious to not spray directly into any bearings ect. Then lube the appropriate parts.

The more I think about this the more it seems like an all or nothing appproach. A total tear down clean up and relube will probably be the only way to truly minimize damage to a bike that you want to be in top form. Otherwise lube the sprockets chain and cables and accept that the playa will lower the life expectancy of that bike.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:09 am

A bike advertised as maintenance-free:

from http://www.flevobike.nl/content/view/16/79/lang,en/

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 3:02 pm

Nice and it can come with and ice hauler.

MikeVDS · Post by **MikeVDS** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:51 pm

WD40 is not a good lubricant but it is a good penetrant. It will break down rust as well as any grease you had on your chain. It often helps rusty or very dirty chains but you should have better luck with a good lubricant on well maintained chains. I don't maintain mine so I just WD40 the heck out of my rusty dusty things.