How bad is Sand for your Bike

Frac

New Member
Ok - so today with the rain, I though - Oh Yay, the sand will firm up on all the trails by my house. Whhopie. Sounded like a good idea to go riding and I did. The corners were still soft, and I dumped my bike a few times.
Sooo - how bad is sand for your bike. Mine is covered in it. There are some really nasty sounds comming from the area of the brakes and stuff. Now - I know the bike guys said clean those with alcohol.
Should I worry - or is the sand not that big a deal. Also any secrets to cleaning the sand out?
 

heythorp

New Member
It's called sand paper for a reason.

sand will increase the speed at which components wear out. Chain/cassette/shifters/dreaileur/bushings/ballbearings anything that moves. The easiest way to get sand off the bike is to let it dry then brush the sand off.

They make nice little brushes specifically made to help with this on bikes. Keep you bike clean (unlike norm) and lubed and you will have a much better biking experience.
http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=8&item=BCB-4
buys some lube and a "how to book". The park website has a bunch of "how to" lessons on their website. Most anything you need to do will be found on the web with a little searching and of course you can always ask.

Unfortunately the cost of cycling is just not the bike. The bike is the cheap part, its everything else you need that really starts to add up.
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
i think the best thing you can do to clean your bike is to let the dirt/mud/sand dry completely then whipe it off. sand between the pads and the rim/rotor will make a horrible grinding noise.

if you ever feel the need to hose off your bike, use a very gentle setting and do not spray directly at any bearings or busings(the point where anything moves). either use some old shirts, or buy some cheap shop rags to whipe down the bike and drivetrain.

try to avoid wd40, as it removes any grease and replaces it with a flimsy film that wont last one ride.

heythorpe was right on with a how-to book. it's a worthwhile investment.

or you could just get a singlespeed and not worry about silly things like bike maintenance.....
 

NickDavid

New Member
it's fine. just hose the hell out of it... don't use a powerwasher, just a regular hose and soap. then spray some lube around.
 

heythorp

New Member
it's fine. just hose the hell out of it... don't use a powerwasher, just a regular hose and soap. then spray some lube around.

This really is not good advice. Works ok for a road bike, but Full suspension bikes have too many moving parts to do this, as Sean has already stated. Bearings should be greased not lubed.
 

Frank

Sasquatch
I know the bike guys said clean those with alcohol.
Should I worry - or is the sand not that big a deal. Also any secrets to cleaning the sand out?

Like everyone says, mild soap and water. No powerful sprays. And use alcohol on disc rotors if you get oil, grease, or chain lube on them. I use diluted (50%) Simple Green with good results. In sandy areas(like Allaire) it's best to use a dry chain lube like White Lightning.
 
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