So I’m gonna make a go at bike commuting this winter, and have been trying to see what may need to be done to my bike to help that be successful. So far, tips I’ve picked up are:

Treat the surface of the bike frame to keep winter muck from sticking to it.

Apparently this can run from Pam cooking spray, to lightly applied car wax, to a special purpose bike product. Important key is not to get it on the disc brakes if you have them (for the obvious reason). A silicone spray can be used for the pedals. And for extreme conditions, DuPont’s snow and ice repellant made for snow blowers, and applied to downtube’s and the cassette.

Be sure you regularly wipe off and re-lube the chain to keep it running smoothly. Tire modifications can range from

Getting studded tires (extreme conditions and hard to turn) Getting file tread tires. And leaving the tires on the lower side of inflation so the rubber grips surfaces more.

You can also go deeper and disassemble joints to treat them with lube and rust-resistant goo. Not to mention, you can seal and/or lube the cables as well. Use fenders to protect you from spray of weather from the road.

As long as the fenders have enough clearance, they should be good for avoiding jams Otherwise, you may want to consider clip-ons

Keep your saddle and other leather/fabric parts wiped down, and even treat the surfaces. Having a good designated spot for cleaning also goes a long way to making sure your bike stays in good shape from its winter excursions.

I’ll be back to edit this post, but here’s some links: www.bicycling.com/repair/wi… gizmodo.com/four-ways… www.beginnertriathlete.com/mobile/Ar… www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/a…