Conference noted::bicycle

Don't ride at high water............

    THREE CHOICES:
    
                    - TITANIUM
                    - COMPOSITE
                    - ALUMINUM
    
       Chip

Sea water is very good at destroying metals.  Steel rusts, aluminum alloys pit
and become ugly and I haven't seen titanium exposed to salt.  Electrolysis is
very good at destroying unlike metal interfaces like brass spoke nipples on
stainless spokes.

If I rode my bicycle near or on the beach I rinsed them off with fresh water
after a ride, let it dry and lubed it afterwards.  Sand and dirt come with salt
due to the moisture salt holds.  Commuting in Florida on a bicycle went
through a chain in six weeks and the commonly used freewheel cogs twice a year.
Brake and shifter cables corrode especially where exposed to wheel thrown crude
or where they flexed going around something.  I found a coating spray whose
manufacturer claimed that it was developed to protect aircraft parked on
carrier flight decks that I sprayed on exposed alloy surfaces before
installation.  That helped but it was a continuous battle.

Sealed bearing whatever can be found helps maintenance.

    I used to live & train in North Carolina, just up the beach from a
    large corrosion testing facility.  They said it was the worst possible
    environment for metal - sun, salt, wind-driven sand.  One look at any
    car more than 3 years old was enough to convince you.
    
    I heartily agree w/ the previous suggestion for sealed bearings.  The
    sand is the biggest threat here; you just can't keep it out.  Using
    plastic where possible for small parts (small screws, etc. on
    computers, for instance) and stainless steel cables in teflon liners
    will cut down on the aggravation of having minor parts causing major
    inconveniences.
    
    Where you can't preserve or modify, buy the less expensive alternative
    and replace frequently - chains & cogs were mentioned earlier, and are
    probably the best examples.  I'm sure that keeping a chain lubed w/
    parrafin only would have helped, but it was easier to buy a new one
    every few months and toss its predecessor.
    
    I rode an aluminum frame, so I didn't have first-hand experience, but
    some of my friends sprayed a generous serving of WD-40 or some other
    petro-lube into their tubes.  The theory was that the coating would
    reduce internal corrosion.  It was a little bit messy, too.  I once
    read a suggestion to use linseed oil for the same purpose, if you
    really wanted to try something different.
    
    The biggest problems on a frame were caused by paint failure - a chip
    turns to a rust spot and can grow like a cancer if you don't repair it.
    Also, spending extra money for chrome anything is not a good idea - 
    nothing looks worse than rust-pitted chrome plating.
    
    On the bright side, if you go through gear like a hard-core bikie can,
    you won't have to worry about frame corrosion.  It would take a long
    time for a reasonably cared for machine to die of rust.  Just take .1
    to heart and don't ever let your bike get in the water.  Buy a beater for
    going to check out the surf, and keep your good bike at home.

    
    	I'm no expert but I do respect my source on this.
    The word is that WD-40 will not prevent corrosion and is 
    most useful as a cleaner.
    
    	Roger

    
    Good advice.  When I lived (briefly) on the Jersey Shore, I followed
    the strategy of cheap, frequent chain and cog replacements.  (Plus
    good lubrication, storing indoors, etc.)  Seemed to work, but not
    nearly as nice as living somewhere less corrosive.  :-)
    
    -john

    WD40 is great as a cleaner but be careful how you spray. When I started
    cycling a couple of years ago I was looking for the easy (for easy read
    lazy) way to clean the bike and sprayed away quite happily wherever I
    could see a patch of oil. After several (in excess of 5 replacement
    pairs) sets of look pedals the guy in the shop said that I had stripped
    all of the oil from inside the pedals (They were supposed to be sealed
    units). 
    
    I was beginning to wonder what that grinding sound was that was coming
    from the bottom bracket!!
    
    It is a good cleaner but make sure that you don't spray bnear anything
    that is supposed to be "sealed".
    
    Just take care, is the advice from an ex user.
    
    Peter
    

    I've been riding even in the winters here in salt-road new
    england, and subscribe to the cheap chain/throw away cogs
    school of maintenance.

    I wash my bike off after any really sloppy rides; it has
    fenders but the drivetrain is the one thing they don't help
    keep clean.

    Sealed bearing (Phil Wood) bottom bracket bearings go bad, even
    without WD40, so a wet environment will do in so called
    sealed bearings anyway...

    - Jim