| Re: Metal flake in brake pad...
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:UOHFd.11136
>
> More seriously though, don't expect to ride your bike in
the rain and not
> have to pay for it. We do have problems from time to time
with customers who
> believe they ought to be able to ride in a monsoon without
worrying about
> the effects on their bike. ...
>
> So, if possible, save your nicer bike for nicer weather
and get something a
> bit more pedestrian for use as your rain bike. Something
where the parts are
> really cheap to replace, and where things don't have to be
maintained really
> well in order to work.
>
This advice applies in spades to a winter bike ridden where
there is road salt.
That's why I bought the "winter bike". I wanted sealed
bearings, fenders, the ability to put on wide studded tires
if necessary, etc., and a bike I wouldn't mourn if it was
stolen or worn out after a few years. A used bike would
have been ideal, but my old winter bike had deteriorated
after 7 winters and I'd run out of patience finding a used
bike in my size.
You are certainly right that sealed bearings are no panacea.
I purposely bought this winter bike with a sealed bottom
bracket, but the BB needed replacement one year later,
probably due to salt. The cost was an "ouch" relative to the
cost of older, more primitive systems that I could maintain
myself.
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