Help! Winter is eating my bike alive.

[mrquietu]

Hi there

I bought a cheap folding electric bike from Byocycle in September to commute to work.
It has been great fun but the wet Autumn/Winter has made it look terrible.
After riding in the wet I always wipe it down but rust is appearing in the hard to reach areas and I'm having a few electrical issues which may be down to water ingress.

Am I expecting too much from such a cheap bike?
If so, what bike would be able to withstand the wind and rain better?

Thanks in advance.

 

[soundwave]

Am I expecting too much from such a cheap bike?

depends how cheap it was but imo it will have problems faster if you use it day in and out to go to work as cheap bikes are not meant for this more the now and then rider.

buy cheap buy twice

 

[mrquietu]

Thanks for the reply.

I am quite happy to spend more but is a more expensive bike necessarily more resistant to the elements?

Is a eMTB better suited to all weather riding or would a hybrid be OK?

Sorry for so many questions but if I am going to lay down thousands on a bike I want to ride it no matter what the weather.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Hi there

I bought a cheap folding electric bike from Byocycle in September to commute to work.
It has been great fun but the wet Autumn/Winter has made it look terrible.
After riding in the wet I always wipe it down but rust is appearing in the hard to reach areas and I'm having a few electrical issues which may be down to water ingress.

Am I expecting too much from such a cheap bike?
If so, what bike would be able to withstand the wind and rain better?

Thanks in advance.

You may find that spraying the areas that are being"eaten" with WD-40 should help. Its OK for wiring as well. In the RN we completely cleaned our Helicopters with the stuff to stop corrosion years ago.
It will help your electrics too.
Maybe the roads are being sprayed with salt. If so, wipe clean with a damp cloth before using the WD-40.
Best wishes
Andy

 

[mrquietu]

Cool.
I'll give it a try

Thanks.

 

[Nealh]

My main use bike is a700c Norco (7 years old now) and used nearly daily paid £360 new for it and have added various kits to it. Base bike was quite cheap but components and build/design is good/solid, no major rusting issues.
I don't clean it much and the grime helps to protect it.

 

[Woosh]

Is a eMTB better suited to all weather riding or would a hybrid be OK?

hybrid bikes are probably best suited to your need.
Good paint, internal cable routing, simple wiring, hydraulic brakes, full size mudguards all help.
Additionally, if you can find a bike with hub gear and full chain cover, consider it.

My Woosh Camino and Faro are very good for all weather riding.

 

[mrquietu]

I like the look of the Woosh Camino .
I'll check it out.

Thanks.

 

[Wicky]

Forget WD-40 - go for ACF-50.

Give the bike a good wash and dry , then spray /brush this on.

 

[RichB]

Wicky beat me to it!
Clean the bike off and then coat it in ACF50, leave it on and a layer of winter crud will form over it but it will be throughly protected. Been using it on my bikes and motorbikes for years with no issues.

 

[Andrewscotsman]

ACF50 is the dogs - use it on old motorbikes all the time. Not good for brakes and tyres though; spray on to a cloth or paper towel and wipe over everything rather than blast away indiscriminately!

 

[Andy-Mat]

ACF50 is the dogs - use it on old motorbikes all the time. Not good for brakes and tyres though; spray on to a cloth or paper towel and wipe over everything rather than blast away indiscriminately!

I have never tried it myself, being used to WD-40 for a great many years, as our Helicopters were made of various light alloys, all of which could be attacked by salt (flying off aircraft carriers!), and we kept the corrosion at bay for a great many years for thousands of aircraft, with WD-40! Probably they still use it today.
It is of course not for the brakes, but probably few people need to be told that, hopefully!
Though I have used it on car disks when the car was going to be stored for a long time, with good effect.
The good part about WD-40 is that I have never found a plastic (there may be one, somewhere) that it attacks, nor any paintwork either.
Plus its a good freeing up liquid, though a proper lubrication must always be used when something is free again. Many forget this! Its not a long term lube!
Also, WD-40, due to its simple formula, with nothing really "bad" in it, can be bought (cheaply in Supermarkets) in just about every country in the world, that I have visited anyway!
Some "similar" products have been banned in some countries for having cancer causing chemicals in them. MMO is a VERY poisonous example, that melts many plastics, and removes paint!!
The Material safety sheet should always be found and read, to check any new products out before purchase.
Here is the one for WD-40:-

https://www.wd40company.com/files/pdf/wd-40-ae38549276.pdf

For ACF50, it seems to be fairly mild and safe and I found this:-

http://universalphotonics.com/Portals/0/MSDSs/SDS_ACF-50_Lubricant_Liquid.pdf

Now for a really bad product, check MMO out:-

https://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/media/1256/marvel-mystery-oil.pdf

Not available in most countries!!
At the end of the day, we all use what is familiar to us, I know I do!
regards
Andy

 

[RichB]

Surprised you havent heard of ACF50 as I believe it was originally designed for, and used in, the aviation industry before becoming more mainstream.

 

[Fordulike]

Can ACF-50 be used on the chain, or is it best to stick with chain lube?

 

[vfr400]

I used to use WD40 on my motorbike. It's completely useless as far as protecting against winter salt water. I later switched to Supertrol 001, which works really well. Basically, it covers everything with a protective layer of wax. You can't clean your bike after you've applied it until Winter is over, by which time your bike looks a right mess, then it's a right pain to get it all off.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Surprised you havent heard of ACF50 as I believe it was originally designed for, and used in, the aviation industry before becoming more mainstream.

My aircraft days lie 50 odd years ago, I suspect that ACF50 is a far more younger product, at only 30 years old, and as I mentioned before, once you have something that works for you, most people tend to stick with it....
The story of WD-40 can be read here if anyone wishes to and it is over 60 years old:-

WD-40 History | Learn the Stories Behind the WD-40 Brand | WD-40

The WD-40 brand has a rich history of helping mechanics, motorists and DIY enthusiasts with their projects in the garage or on the job site. WD-40 is engineered to provide superior lubrication and break through greast and grime with corrosion inhibitors.

www.wd40.com

Regards to all for Christmas and the New Year.
Andy

 

[Andy-Mat]

I used to use WD40 on my motorbike. It's completely useless as far as protecting against winter salt water. I later switched to Supertrol 001, which works really well. Basically, it covers everything with a protective layer of wax. You can't clean your bike after you've applied it until Winter is over, by which time your bike looks a right mess, then it's a right pain to get it all off.

It really only works for people who know and understand exactly how to use it.
Not everyone!
Happy Christmas.
Andy

 

[vfr400]

Talking of rust, have you seen this?

 

[vfr400]

It really only works for people who know and understand exactly how to use it.
Not everyone!
Happy Christmas.
Andy

I would have said that anybody that makes a comment like that is just a waker, but you must be something more than that.

 

[Andy-Mat]

I would have said that you're just a waker, but you must be something more than that.

Mental Health WARNING!
Dear vfr400, You should avoid looking in all mirrors over Christmas, or you may discover something detri-mental about yourself, that you just pointed out in your last post!
The new year will be soon enough I feel, far less of a shock to your general health....!
Happy Christmas!