Winter salted roads damage bicycles, roads are slippery, you might fall, cleaning the bike after a ride takes a long time, riding in the dark is dangerous,… and many other valid reasons not to cycle during winter.
However, I will share my experience on how to make all these challenges much simpler, quicker, and thus enjoy winter cycling as well.
Winter Bicycle
The term is well-known, and it’s often said that any bike eventually becomes a winter bike. Yes, there’s some truth in that – no one wants to ride their new bicycle through mud, snow, and salt. Don’t use a new one, don’t take an old one, just ride the bike you have. Exactly, your winter bike doesn’t need to be anything special.
Few people ride daily, and neither do I. Check the weather forecast and plan your rides. If it’s snowy and frosty, I plan rides on gravel and forest roads that are not salted, requiring less cleaning for the bike and providing safer rides with less traffic.
If it’s wet and warm in winter, forest trails (near the seaside) or roads are good options. The bike will get dirty, your clothes will too, but everything can be cleaned.
If it’s heavily raining, wet snow is falling, or there’s so much snow that roads can’t be cleared – choose other activities.
- Here’s an article on how Velomens dresses for winter cycling: https://velomens.lv/2023/01/10/ziemas-ritenbrauksanas-apgerbs/
How to Prepare Your Bike BEFORE Winter Use?
First, thoroughly clean and prepare your bike to make it look new. Yes, it will take time, but it’s worth it. You can do it at a service center or by yourself – if you know how to wash a car or clean floors, you can clean your bike with a cloth.
Once the bike is clean, apply protective products. This is where bike cosmetics come in. Spray the entire bike and components (except brake discs) with this product: https://www.bike-discount.de/en/muc-off-bike-protect-500ml-spray.
Let the product soak in for a while. Meanwhile, clean the chain thoroughly. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, use it; if not, spray a chain cleaner like https://www.bike-discount.de/en/muc-off-bio-chain-cleaner-400ml and clean it with an old cotton t-shirt. Waxing the chain afterward is better, especially in winter, as it keeps the drivetrain cleaner than over-oiled chains.
I personally use this: https://www.smoovelube.com, applied at least 12 hours before riding.
Then take another old t-shirt (not the one used for the chain) and wipe off any excess bike cosmetics that didn’t absorb into the frame or components, leaving everything shinier. Finally, spray the entire bike (but not the brake discs) with silicone spray: https://www.bike-discount.de/en/muc-off-silicon-shine-spray-500ml. Don’t wipe it; let it sit until the next day.
Before riding, equip your bike with good lights, as it’s especially important during the dark season.
Winter Tires?
- If you plan to ride on ice, use studded tires. They’ll be harder to pedal, but safer.
- If you’ll ride on compacted snow and trails, slightly knobbier tires (not slicks) are helpful.
- If on roads, which will likely be 90% wet, regular road tires will suffice.
Tires are like shoes – you choose what to wear depending on where you’re going. Do the same with bike tires.
Cleaning After Each Winter Ride
Clearly, rides can vary. If you pedal through -10°C and compacted snow, the bike is practically clean, requiring no extra work. However, if you ride for hours on salted, wet roads, cleaning will take more time. Here’s a quick guide on what to do after every ‘dirty’ ride. This assumes your bike was completely clean, prepared, and treated beforehand, as described earlier.
After returning:
- If you’re not riding tomorrow, wipe down the bike (takes 3 minutes). If you’re riding again and don’t have 3 minutes to clean it, leave it until the next day.
- Clean the chain using the same cotton t-shirt (takes less than 1 minute).
- Remove lights to recharge them at home.
- Leave the bike to dry.
If possible, rinse the bike after each ride (using a car wash, garden hose, or even a watering can). It takes just 2 minutes.
Before the next ride:
- Wipe down the bike and components with a cotton cloth. Dirt will easily fall off because of the bike cosmetics. Cleaning will take no more than 3-5 minutes.
- Spray the entire bike (again avoiding brake discs) with silicone spray: https://www.bike-discount.de/en/muc-off-silicon-shine-spray-500ml. This takes 1 minute. Don’t forget to cover wheels and spoke nipples with silicone. Don’t wipe or polish after spraying.
- Attach the lights and start riding!
Yes, it’s that simple, taking just a few minutes.
If the ride was particularly dirty and there’s a car wash nearby, you can rinse your bike for €0.50 (using low pressure to protect bearings and the applied cosmetics). Cleaning will then take only 2 minutes.
Every 500-700 km, I do a thorough cleaning of the bike, including drivetrain care and chain waxing, essentially returning the bike to a like-new state. This process can take up to an hour.
Don’t shower your bike indoors! This is the biggest crime against your household members and relationships. Bikes can be cleaned much easier, faster, and more civilly.
Afterword
This is my experience; please don’t consider it the only correct way to care for your bike in winter.
Just as you clean yourself and your clothes after every ride, take care of your bike as well. It takes very little time, requires almost no skills, and is simple manual work anyone can do.
*All mentioned products are unpaid endorsements.