We asked our team what they do to keep their bike running in top shape when the weather outside turns nasty. DH and enduro shredder (and occasional XC whippit) Kieran Bennett came back to us with his thoughts on keeping your ride running smooth this winter…
With the memories of another glorious Summer fading away it’s time to get prepared for the cold Winter that is just starting to take shape. With the cold comes the rain and then trails that just never seem to dry out so to help you through I’ve put together a few tips to help your bike survive the next few months.
Tyres
Your fast rolling semi slicks aren’t going to cut it for much longer and since your tyres are doing all of the gripping it’s a good place to start. Three things your going to want to look for is traction (obviously), good mud clearance but also still a well rolling tyre so you don’t feel like slogging around on tractor tyres.
Two tyres that stand out for me are the Maxxis Minion DHF and also the Maxxis Shorty. The Minion DHF is one the best all around performing tyre that comes in a lot of different sizes making it nice and diverse, it rolls well, corners well, has plenty of traction and also tends to clear mud quite nicely. The Shorty is more of a dedicated mud tyre, it has nice wide spacing between the knobs which gives it really good mud clearing abilities and a whole lot of traction but does cut down the rolling speed compared to the Minion.
Brake pads
Mud tends to get fairly abrasive which leads to brake pads getting worn out a lot faster, its always a good thing to keep an eye on over the winter because if you start running them down to the metal backing you will be buying new rotors to go with your replacement pads.
Pad compound is also a very important factor. You will have the choice between metal/sintered or resin/organic compounds which both have their own pros and cons when it comes to performance and longevity. I prefer the metal compound as it handles heat well for long descents, is long lasting and also works a lot better in the wet/mud but can also tend to be a lot noisier than the resin. The wet/mud capabilities of the metal pad is my biggest deciding factor as it allows the pad to be a performer in all conditions.
The resin compound how ever will give you a lot better initial bite than the metal pad and will be quieter but is more suited to flatter riding that doesn’t require a lot of constant braking as they don’t handle the heat as well.
Mud guard
Mud guards have come a long way in the last few years and the elegantly simple Marsh Guard (designed by a Kiwi, NZ only) is my favourite of all, its light, easy to install and sits nice and low under the fork arch stopping dirt from flicking up from your front tyre. I have one installed year round because why not? Once its on you barely notice it and its always good to be prepared! The Torpedo7 Front Fender is also a great value alternative.
Washing time
Don’t get the water blaster out! The first place to start is buying some Torpedo7 bike wash and degreaser, these two will make clean up a lot easier!
You will hear varying opinions of what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to washing your bike and usually it is just plenty of trial and error. I use a hose to get the bulk of the built up mud off (avoid spraying it at high pressure straight at bearings) and then give it a good full coverage of bike wash and the drive train a coat of degreaser before washing again with a soft brush and water.
A good quality chain lube is important over the winter to keep your gears running smoothly, I will generally run a wet lube throughout the whole winter.
Don’t let the mud stop you from riding your bike, some of the best times I’ve had on my bike have been riding in the pouring rain acting like a kid doing skids in puddles and sliding around…
See you out there!
Winter slop doesn’t mean you have to stop hitting the trails!!
