I don’t dislike riding in the rain per se, I just hate having a dirty bike. For me, a rainy ride usually means a tedious post-ride bike-cleaning ritual.
Thursday was (hopefully) the last of the long wet spell we’ve been experiencing here in the Pacific Northwest, and my need to cycle exceeded my dread of the post-ride bike cleaning experience.
Usually I clean the bike using Simple Green, (water), and a sponge. The problem with using a sponge is that it tends to disintegrate into little bits that linger on the bike, which is slightly counter-productive. This time I grabbed a rag instead of a sponge.
How long have missed this simple solution? Uh…decades?
Open the brakes and slide a soapy towel between the rim and the brake pad, then scrub the rag back and forth to remove all the dirt from the brake pads.
Is it important to have a clean bike? Dirt on the frame is no big deal (though it can cause some cosmetic damage), but dirt in the drive train (chain and derailleurs) and on the brakes is a problem. During a wet ride, road dirt has a tendency to get embedded in the brake pads, which in turn accelerates wear on the rims. Worst case, worn rims can blow out on a high speed descent when they get hot from braking. Worn rims bad; clean brake pads good.
The real benefit of the rag approach is that it provides a way of cleaning the rims and brake pads without removing the wheels. (Before this latest discovery I would remove the wheels and scrub the brake pads with a scotch brite type pad.)
The rag cleaning method is definitely a bit of a time-saver.
