As The Weather Turns: Fender and flap etiquette for winter

[Lister Farrar]

At Galen's prompt, a few thoughts for when the road gets wet and dark.

• Keep riding as the weather turns; the group is a great motivator to get out of bed on less-than-inviting mornings. And the feeling of accomplishment and moral superiority over lesser mortals is worth it.
  
  Get fenders with flaps. These at MEC have long rubber flaps front and rear which are flexible (won't break your fenders when you inevitably drag them down a curb) and are a good deal; $29.
  http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 1214494232
  
  If you already have fenders, there are no end of imaginative ways to create flaps, from the Norm Marcy foot-long inner tube and duct tape model, to half a water bottle zip tied on on each fender (front for your feet and chain (optional), rear for the rest of us (compulsory)). Try to avoid the infamous swinging bleach jug section model that allows spray on the following rider 50% of the time.
  
  Local bike shops also have good fenders and flaps too, and they have the parts and expertise if you need help fitting them.
  
  Fitting fenders can be fiddly. If your bike doesn't have fender eyelets on the dropouts, you'll need p-clips, and you may need specific bolts to attach to the fork crown and stay bridges. Best not to try to fit them the night before a ride. However, once they are set up, you can take them on and off fairly easily. The ultimate is a wet weather bike, but it's not necessary. The aero drag of fenders is minimal compared to body position and clothes, so you can leave 'em on for the winter.
  
  Many road bikes have limited clearance under the crown and stay bridges, which makes fitting fenders more difficult and rubbing common, but it can be done. If you're considering a wet weather bike, a cyclocross bike or another frame with more clearance is better, has room for bigger tires (25 mm or 28mm, nice for bumpy pavement in the dark), and has much less chance of rubbing or catching debris in a fender.
  
  Hose your bike off after a wet ride; a 1 minute job. It's the grit (and lack of lube) that kills bikes, not water. Most dirt comes off with water alone if you do it regularly. Allow to drain/dry right side up (vs. hanging from a wheel) to avoid water running into head bearings.
  
  Oil frequently, about 10 x as often as Mike-Waddya-mean-all-Cervelo P3's-don't-make-this-noise?-Lawless. Special oils are not necessary; regular motor oil is fine for chains. Apply, wait and wipe to prevent a build up. I use something thinner like Triflow for pivots in pedals, derailleurs, brakes, and cable entry points. As you can tell from the age of my bikes, frequent lubrication works...but can make you sadly out of fashion.
  
  Lights are important, even though we look like the starship Enterprise flashing and blinking down the road. MEC blinkies only get you so far; a good head light can save you wheel damage, and persuade oncoming drivers you are worth avoiding. Several of us use this one, but there are lots of others. http://www.niterider.com/prod_minewt200.shtml

How about we aim for 25 riders all winter?

[AlW]

Regarding the hose down, I've now heard differing opinions from very capable mechanics. Lister recommends the hose down while Gerry at Straight Up recommends letting the bike dry and wiping down with a rag. Decisions, decisions....


For those one-bike types out there (myself included) who don't have clearance for fenders, these may be an alternative.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 1271442613

They're not ideal and tend to wobble a bit, but better than nothing. Once they're set up, they can be put on in a couple of minutes. Great for those mornings where you wake up to pouring rain. Go with a flexible flap (I used fish pond liner) as it seems to dampen the wobble.

[Lister Farrar]

Thanks Al. Good points. I was a 'let dry and wipe' guy until I noticed my mountain bike had so few problems, especially grinding chains, after riding in muddy conditions, but was hosed off at the bike wash at Hartland. With my road bikes it was difficult to get grit out of chains by wiping, and my normal more meticulous process of cleaning was out of the question for frequent winter wet rides. It doesn't work so well if the bike has dried though. Then I need Simple Green and a quiver of small brushes.

'Love to hear other thoughts on maintenance. I just tried Eric's teflon oil on cleats idea to stop squeaking idea and it works great. (Silicone doesn't last, as Pamela Anderson knows) After all, I have to make my bikes last until 12 speed comes along, or I need hip replacements. Wouldn't do to have the only titanium there...

[Brian S]

Lister, all I can say is IT'S AUGUST and i am solidly in summer holiday denial. In your eloquent discussion of what to do when the weather turns you forgot one thing--a trainer, in a warm dry (OK sweaty and smelly after a while), basement. More talk like this and I'm gonna move to Tuscon.

[Lister Farrar]

(OK sweaty and smelly after a while)

Exactly.

And I only mention it now because it takes me a while to adapt (can you say '8 speed forever'?), and there may be other luddite souls new to us that need time to prepare for winter.

Ok, ok, and I'm a little bored; contract work is thin on the ground these days and home projects losing their appeal.

By the way, congrats to Nick on his bronze at Canada Games.