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Cleaning my bike and preparing it for use after a long break

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  • 30-12-2006 2:19pm
    #1
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,946 ✭✭✭


    I moved to a different house recently but was unable to bring my mountain bike with me for various reasons. I left it in the old house, covered with some plastic, but without knowing about it the plastic blew off so the bike has been exposed to some heavy rain for about a month.

    As a result there's a bit of rust on the chain and the pedals, though I can't see anything elsewhere. It's a Claude Butler Olympus XT and obviously I'll need to oil it, but do I need to scrape the rust off first or do any maintenance before taking it out again? Thanks.


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    #2
    kona
    Registered Users Posts: 7,525 ✭✭✭kona


    SuprSi wrote:
    I moved to a different house recently but was unable to bring my mountain bike with me for various reasons. I left it in the old house, covered with some plastic, but without knowing about it the plastic blew off so the bike has been exposed to some heavy rain for about a month.

    As a result there's a bit of rust on the chain and the pedals, though I can't see anything elsewhere. It's a Claude Butler Olympus XT and obviously I'll need to oil it, but do I need to scrape the rust off first or do any maintenance before taking it out again? Thanks.


    gt85 is the best stuff to use for that problem, ive a can beside mine due to my love of cycling thru rivers:D takes rust away and lubes it up, unlike wd40 which is just a water dispersant.
    if the drive train is old maybe a new cassette and chain may be in order??,id spray gt85 all over the bike tbh in the gear casings on the bolt, everywher, a month in heavy rain is suicide for a bike, best course of action to avoid further problems is to drop it into a bike shop and have it stripped and rusty crap replaced and regreased


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    #3
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    I'd replace the chain, they are not very expensive.


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    #4
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,420 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    If it is just some mild rust, just use and old toothbrush on the chain and oil it. Make sure your brakes, cables, etc. are OK.


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    #5
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,946 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    Thanks for the suggestions. It's a new bike and it doesn't look too badly rusted - really only on the chain. I'll pick up some of that GT85 and see what it can do for me. Thanks again!


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