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- Leaving your bike parked outside, even in a covered garage, results in rusty chains, stuck cables, melted grips, cracked tires and faded paintjobs. The intense Hawaii sun quickly damages tires, drying out the casing and causing cracks that make the tires weak and susceptible to blowouts. Living in the middle of the ocean means that there's a lot of salt in the air, so your exposed bike can quickly corrode. This is especially the case on the Windward side where we often see year-old bikes that have to be tossed out, simply due to corrosion. The solution is two-fold: 1) keep your bike indoors and 2) keep it clean and well lubricated.
- First, if you don't have a convenient storage space, consider buying an attractive indoor bike rack. They come in alluminum and in wood, and your bike becomes a talking piece: let others see it for the art you know it is! If you really cannot get it inside, at least cover it with a bike cover or tarp.
- Rider perspiration causes a lot of corrosion. You are especially at risk if you use your bike on a trainer (cooling yourself with a fan helps), but if you sweat a lot on your outdoor rides you will also have problems. The solution is simply five minutes applying soapy water and frame protection.
- Second, clean it more frequently if it's outside; usually once every two weeks is fine. Wash it with warm soapy water and a brush (big brushes are useful for knobby tires and small brushes are great for getting crud out of the drivetrain). Park, Finish Line and Pedro's make excellent brush sets. Then wipe it dry; apply lubricant to your chain after letting the links air dry for a few hours. You don't want to trap water inside the pins by applying lubricant too early. Our service departments use TriFlow and Finish Line lubricant most frequently, but dry lubes such as White Lightning also work well. Note: don't use WD40 as it is not a lubricant; it is a water displacer (hence the "wd") which will make your chain dry and wear quickly. Finally, protect your frame with polish or a wax coating. Pedro's Bike Lust and Finish Line Bike Polish both provide excellent frame protection.
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