Re: cleaning the commute bike

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

On 1/19/2025 9:33 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:

In slightly disappointing news I’ve discovered that the Old school roadie
commuter does need to be cleanse or shifting becomes hit and miss!
 
Unlike the old MTB who’s cables run safely out of reach of muck and grime
the roadie runs the shift cables around the bottom bracket, which collected
salt/grime which eventually stopped it shifting reliably to the big ring.
 
I use wax based lubes so the drive chain remains clean, but it hadn’t
occurred to me, that it would pack up on the commute! Off road is one thing
pounding the streets of london is another!
 
Has been cold and so frosty roads plus salt etc, ie mucky roads but even so
cleaning commuting bikes I’m not sure I approve of the idea!

 
When my friction shifting drive train starts feeling odd, I always check
those plastic cable channels under the bottom bracket. They're easy to
forget, and they can get clogged with road grime.
 
I think I had less of that problem with the older style metal channels
brazed on above the bottom bracket. But I don't ride those bikes as much
these days.
 
 

I get that with the gravel bike as with that the front mech cable runs
under the bottom bracket, and is easy to overlook, somewhat daft choice for
an off road bike really.

Though with that just exhibits as slightly slow shifting, the old school
bike it wasn’t the channels but that muck had built up between the
chainstays and bottom bracket and this was enough to stop it reliably
shifting to the big ring, it’s shifting is somewhat sluggish and i suspect
could be improved, but that like other things can wait.

Roger Merriman