Sand/Salt Removal?

[teeanders]

My basic questions: how bad is the sand/salt mixture found on roads after snow plowing for road bikes? Have I taken all proper measures to get rid of it?

I recently purchased a new Cannondale Six 5. I thought yesterday would be a good day for a ride on my usual route, as the temperature was suddenly warm here in Washington DC.

What a very bad idea. I was too excited to put the bike through the paces and forgot about how bad the conditions on the road would be. Ice was melting everywhere, which shot this mixture of fine sand/salt up all over the bike, into everything.

When I got home, I spent an hour cleaning. Everything. I lube-cleaned the chains/gears twice to try and get the sand out. I just took everything apart again to try and clean out more sand, now that it is all dried. I got everything I can see, and the chain/drive train sounds a lot better, but I can still HEAR the sand in every joint of the bike (breaks, cables, etc). Ugh.

Am I over-reacting and being over-protective of my new purchase? What should I do? How bad is this sand-salt stuff on the road?

Thanks in advance.

TeeAnders

 

[davereo]

This is the reason why you hear about winter beater bikes.
You have taken the correct precautions so dont worry to much. Just pay attention to the areas that still have sand and clean them out before you go out again.
That is one smoking bike you just purchased. If it was mine I would have done the same thing.

 

[teeanders]

Thanks! Yes, I should have just taken my old Peugeot out for a spin beforehand. But I couldn't stand another day on the trainer. Never again. Lesson learned.

Any recs on getting the sand out of the cable entry nodes? I'm thinking of getting some computer air duster. I can still see and feel some sand particles on the wheel rim, and it's going to take time to get them all off. I don't want to strip the rim on the next ride.

Am I wrong to assume that some sand and dirt is just part of life for a bike, even an expensive one? I guess I never cared when by bike was made by the French in the '80s....

What a huge pain. Oh well. The ride was worth it.

 

[davereo]

I doubt that the sand has entered inside of your cables. It is in your cable stops which can be cleaned out rather easily by slacking your cables and pulling the housing out of the stop. A moistened Q-Tip will do the trick cleaning out the stops.
You need to remove your wheels so you can get the sand that is inbeded into your brake pads out. If not over time this will scratch the anodize finish off of your rims braking surface. The anodize finish serves as not only a cosmetic enhancement but it is harder than the base aluminum and once it is gone your wheels will wear out prematurely.
These are all worst case senarios so dont get to worried. Do a good cleaning and no harm will come. I also dont recommend using compressed air to clean your bike. Compressed air will only push particles into areas they normally do not belong.
Keep in mind that the manufacture has done a very good job of sealing the interal bearings on your bike so you need not worry about your head set, crank and wheel bearings they should be OK.

 

[alfeng]

FLUSH the salt & grit away with water ...

• Disassemble, as necessary.

Dry & lube ([COLOR= #808080]again, as necessary[/COLOR]).

 

[teeanders]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I forgot all my old maintenance principles (i.e. no air duster) and let worries over the recent purchase get to me. Thanks again.

 

[clx1]

Originally Posted by teeanders .

My basic questions: how bad is the sand/salt mixture found on roads after snow plowing for road bikes? Have I taken all proper measures to get rid of it?

I recently purchased a new Cannondale Six 5. I thought yesterday would be a good day for a ride on my usual route, as the temperature was suddenly warm here in Washington DC.

What a very bad idea. I was too excited to put the bike through the paces and forgot about how bad the conditions on the road would be. Ice was melting everywhere, which shot this mixture of fine sand/salt up all over the bike, into everything.

When I got home, I spent an hour cleaning. Everything. I lube-cleaned the chains/gears twice to try and get the sand out. I just took everything apart again to try and clean out more sand, now that it is all dried. I got everything I can see, and the chain/drive train sounds a lot better, but I can still HEAR the sand in every joint of the bike (breaks, cables, etc). Ugh.

Am I over-reacting and being over-protective of my new purchase? What should I do? How bad is this sand-salt stuff on the road?

Thanks in advance.

TeeAnders

You are over reacting, why ride an old beater when you have a great bike. If cleaned and lubed properly after every 4/5 rides no weather is going to destroy your cannondale.