Cyclists... where to put the bike?

[David M]

WD-40 is not any sort of a metal protectant since water washes it right off.

I use this stuff on my research boat: Amazon.com: Boeshield - T-9 Premium Metal Protection: Sports & Outdoors

I use it on all metals that are not stainless steel. In salt spray, it does wash off eventually but it lasts longer on metals than anything else that I know of. It sort of has a waxy feel to it although it is not wax. It's certainly better than nothing.

Yeah ok, so I sound like a commercial but I swear by this stuff.

West Marine sells it.

While I am at it...two other anti-corrosion things I swear by: Densyl Tape and Tef-Gel. Densyl tape is excellent for wrapping ferrous metals. It completely stops corrosion. Tef-Gel is excellent for coating ferrous metals and is excellent for when you have to screw stainless into aluminum. It completely stops the electrolysis between the dissimilar metals and is water proof..not just water resistant.

Densyl Tape by Denso, Leaders in Corrosion Prevention

Tef-Gel protection against corrosion - Home

Ok...one more thing: Silicone grease. It's the best thing for electrical contacts, terminals etc. It displaces water and humidity which causes oxidation which of course causes resistance or failure in your electrical system. I smear it on most everything electrical. Silicon grease will not cause rubber, plastic insulation or other petroleum based insulation to swell or deteriorate. Silicone grease is mostly water resistant. It does wash off over great periods of time. Places like Grainger and McMaster-Carr sell it.

It surprises me that West Marine does not sell silicone grease, Tef-gel or Densyl tape. They would probably sell less stuff that was destroyed by corrosion if they did.

[scotte]

Originally Posted by Microship

No thread drift at all, actually... I was riding a unixcycle!

This is so cool! I remember reading an article about you and your winnebiko and thinking how cool it was! It must have been in the mid or late 80s, If I remember correctly some Radio Shack portable was in use at the time. Very very neat!

And back on topic, has anyone tried using a bag made of breathable fabric to increase a bike's lifespan? At least it would help keep the direct salt spray off, but I don't know if it would ultimately help or not.

[David M]

Admin says I have to stop...my 30 minutes is up!

Just wanted to add that I would have no problem coating a bike in Boeshield and storing it on deck in the salt spray. If you are concerned about the bikes bearings then repack them in Tef-Gel....the stuff is waterproof.

Originally Posted by David M

It surprises me that West Marine does not sell silicone grease, Tef-gel or Densyl tape. They would probably sell less stuff that was destroyed by corrosion if they did.

I'm really not a conspiracy theorist of any sort but why would they not sell some of the best anti-corrosion products out there? I have suggested it to them via email to corporate headquarters and verbally to their store managers a number of times.

Ok, I got it off my chest. Thank's for tolerating my rant.

[Microship]

David M - yes, I agree completely about Boe-Shield... *MUCH* better than WD-40 (sorry, I made the mistake of using the term somewhat generically in passing; that was not a recommendation). I had not heard about Densyl tape, though - thanks, it's now on my list!

I also use VCI (Vapor Phase Corrosion Inhibitors) inside sealed electronics enclosures; available from McMaster-Carr (surely the world's greatest hardware store).

Scotte - yes... the original system in 1983 used a Radio Shack Model 100 (the proto-laptop), and in the Winnebiko II that was built into the console and used via a binary handlebar keyboard.

Cheers,
Steve

[Amgine]

Actually, I was told it *does* contain certain waxes, quite on purpose.

Boe-shield is also a water-displacing (that's what WD stands for) oil, but light oils like that will evaporate so it carries waxes which will remain behind to provide lubrication. That's it's primary purpose, not for corrosion resistance, but the anti-corrosion is a great side-effect.

What I don't remember is whether it has silicone or not - if so, a bad choice if it ever hits the fibreglass and you need to bond with polyester...

[GordMay]

The Folding Society ~ The Folding Society
The Folding Society is for all those with an interest infolding cycles.

Folding Bicycle Information ~ Compiled by Steven M. Scharf
Folding Bicycle Information

A to B magazine <atob.org.uk> remains far and away the best printed source of information on folding cycles, and their web site also contains a great deal of additional useful data.

Folding Bicycles - a Buyer's Guide ~ Compiled by 'A to B' magazine
Folding Bicycles - a Buyer's Guide

Folding & Separable bike roadtests ~ A to B magazine
A to B Magazine Back Numbers List

Why choose a folding bike? ~ A to B magazine
Why Buy a Folding Bike?


***

Corrosion Protection Coating Test
PowerBoat Reports (Feb. 1997)

”How to prevent rust on boats has been one of the sailor’s most enduring challenges. For this test of anti-corrosion sprays and coatings, anything that had “rust” and any reference to “marine” or “boats” or “salt spray” was fair game. Paint was out. Our saltwater test, which involved full immersion of mild steel coupons, was admittedly harsh, and quickly produced results. After three days, most of the steel coupons were significantly rusty. Only three saltwater test panels showed no corrosion—those coated with CorrosionPro Lube, CRC Heavy Duty, and LPS 3.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a rust-proof boat? In search of our ideal anti-corrosion coating, we chose the products based largely on their advertised claims and also on how easy they were to find. Among the products we tested for corrosion prevention: West Marine CorrosionPro Lube, CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor, Corrosion Block, Boeshield T-9, WD-40, CorrosionX, Corrosion X HD, Shark Hide, LPS 1, LPS 2, LPS 3, and TC-11 all popped up during Internet searches. We left out products that made no specific claims for use in the marine environment ...”

More: Test Results - Anti Corrosion Coatings &amp; Sprays - Maverick Boat Company Message Forum - Powered by FusionBB

Rust Inhibitors CRC Heavy Durty, Bullfrog, & Lanacote Do the Job
PowerBoat Reports (Feb. 1998)
More: http://www.cortecvci.com/Publications/Reports/powerboat-article/Powerboat.pdf

Corrosion Inhibitors: Get Your Guard Up
"The waxy films of CorrosionX MaxWax and CRC HD Corrosion Inhibitor win hands-down for long-term protection. For engine mounts, brackets, steering system
supports, and other bilge hardware, use products that seal with a waxy coat, such as CRC's Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor. For lighter duty, protecting enclosed electrical and electronic components, we like CorrosionX. WD-40 should still serve well as a cheap, short-term shield..."
More: Corrosion Inhibitors: Get Your Guard Up

[David M]

Interesting. I wonder about there methodology though. A more real scenario would have been to have the metal out of the water making it fully exposed to atmospheric oxygen combined with a periodic spray of salt water. In the water, there is actually less exposure to oxygen than the atmosphere. Why did they spray with fresh water in the other part of the test..why not salt water? I would have sprayed it with hyper-saline water! The water they tested the metal in could have had very little dissolved oxygen especially if it was stagnant water. Also, saturation in water, being a solvent itself, could have thrown off the results, prematurely dissolving some compounds but not other compounds.

There are also products made for stopping oxidation on ships that they did not test.

Still though..its interesting products came out on top.

[rebel heart]

I used to race USCF and NORBA; worked in bike shops as a kid, and absolutely love bicycles. I ride to and from work every day, and my fiancee and I both live on our boat at the moment.

I disagree with the idea that a "serious cyclist" can't deal with a folding bicycle. I have a Dahon Matrix, and my girl has a Dahon Helios. Both are fairly nice, and the Matrix has 26" wheels. From there, you can spec the whole thing with XTR if you want to; the frame might not be the lightest thing in the world, but the fact that I can fold it, loosen the stem and remove the handles, and take the pedals off, means I can squeeze the boat into the quarter berth in a very short amount of time.

As far as storage goes, we kept ours on deck for a while, but the salt air gets to them rather quickly. There's a lot of exposed steel, and barring daily lubrication and rust prevention, things are going to rust in a manner of weeks.

Our marina offers private storage, so we'll be getting a slightly bigger one that we can keep our bicycles in.

During the day (weekdays, anyway), I keep mine in my office, so that helps to keep the rust down as well.

Things I would recommend:

- Get a good bottom bracket. This is often a cheapo on bicycles, and it's one of the few things that you absolutely cannot deal with if it goes out on you. It's also a big candidate for rust, and a top of the line replacement is under $100.

- Install Mr. Tuffy tire liners. You'll replace tires more often than tubes.

- Have the combo SPD-flat pedals.

- Leave the bicycle locked up, with a cover on it, if you use it every day. It's a pain in the ass to get the bike (folding or not) on and off a boat. It's also a great way to smash up your brightwork and tear your canvas up (metal pedals are sharp). So minimize the amount of times you're taking the bike on and off your boat.

If you're a serious cyclist though, check out the Dahon Matrix. I've had it for a few months, ride it twice a day, and with a wrench and two minutes I can squeeze it into the trunk of a mini cooper. With a decent component upgrade, and a lighter / better fork, it's certainly a race capable bicycle.

[chrisv]

Rebel Heart
I just noticed your post about the dahon matrix bike, I'm interested in one of these. You mentioned changing the forks for something lighter and I wondered if you'd done this, if so what to? Were they rigid?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by chrisv

Rebel Heart
I just noticed your post about the dahon matrix bike, I'm interested in one of these. You mentioned changing the forks for something lighter and I wondered if you'd done this, if so what to? Were they rigid?

Chris;

I'm sticking with the heavy-as-sin Sun Tour right now, but I'll probably trade out for a set of RockShox Rockshox Sid Race Dual Air 80 Suspension Fork '07 w / Deus XC Headset at Price Point ,
or maybe something elastomer so I don't have to deal with air/oil. Either way, if you're a serious cyclist, you know that essentially your bike is composed of these parts:

1) Frame
2) Fork
3) Wheels
4) Components
5) Other crap

The Dahon frame is good, the fork is heavy by works, the wheels are solid, and the components can stand for an upgrade. But in the same way that you wouldn't judge a boat by the gps system installed, the Matrix is a good frame by which to mount other stuff.

They had to do something to keep it at the price point they did. If it was specced the way I want, it would be over 2K retail.

Why are you thinking rigid? The weight? It's less stuff to go wrong for sure, but even rolling over railroad tracks and the occassional bunny hop, I like having the front suspension.

[jojodir]

You might take a look at a 'Bike Friday'. It looks like you might find a place for it below. I know a very good rider who owned one and traveled with it extensively.
While riding a Friday, he has been able to dominate our fast paced club rides whenever he is in town. But, I must mention that he is a former national champion, winner of the Hawaii Ironman, etc. etc.
Co-Motion makes a full size bike that uses a coupling to separate it in two pieces. Both fit into a hard case. I like this concept best but it may be harder to stow than the Friday. Also, I suspect it may be more expensive.
I'm a serious rider who's going cruising in a year or so and plan to take a bike along. So, I will be taking a both of these bikes into consideration.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by jojodir

I know a very good rider who owned one and traveled with it extensively.
While riding a Friday, he has been able to dominate our fast paced club rides whenever he is in town. But, I must mention that he is a former national champion, winner of the Hawaii Ironman, etc. etc.

That's pretty much the deal. If you're a good rider, you're not going to let your bike slow you down that much, no matter what you're on. And if you have a few months to spec it out the way you want, you're going to be dominating.

Miguel Indurain could spank us all if he was given a $200 bike from WalMart.

[chrisv]

Rebel Heart
thanks for your comments on the Dahon. As you suggest the reason I would think about rigid forks is a) the weight b) there's less to go wrong and b) I wouldn't envisage going off road.
What you say about the frame is encouraging, which seems to be that it's worth upgrading and customizing.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by chrisv

Rebel Heart
thanks for your comments on the Dahon. As you suggest the reason I would think about rigid forks is a) the weight b) there's less to go wrong and b) I wouldn't envisage going off road.
What you say about the frame is encouraging, which seems to be that it's worth upgrading and customizing.

Hey no problem. If you get the stock Matrix, give it a shot with the elastomer fork it comes with. I don't know if you've had front suspension before, but it can make things a lot more comfortable even around town. From working in bike shops for a few years, I can't think of a time I heard someone have a problem with elastomer; the air oil ones ruptured seals all the time though.