What is the best anti-rust for your bicycle?

The best anti-rust for your bicycle is the attention you put in taking care of your bicycle.

A well lubricated bike can reduce mechanical problems. However, you should check that the moving parts of your bicycle are clean before you lubricate them. The lubricant will not be effective if the parts are encrusted with dirt, especially after a wet or muddy ride. Should that be the case, remove the old lubricants first with a degreaser. Read the instruction on the bottle on how to use it correctly. After spraying directly on the parts, you can use a brush to remove the dirt.

Then wash the residue off with soapy water. While you are at it, check the parts for wear or damage. After washing, dry the parts before applying the lubricant. You do not have to worry that you are not able to dry all parts on your bicycle. A good quality lubricant should be able to displace moisture still on your bicycle.

Regular lubrication can help a bicycle run smoothly as it reduces friction. That can prevent excessive wear and tear of parts. As the lubricant can also clean, the best time to lubricate them is the night before your ride the following day. If you leave it overnight, you will notice that any excess lubricant that dripped onto the floor is blackened with tiny specks of debris in them.

Another reason why you should not cycle on your bicycle right after lubricating the parts is that dirt and dust can easily stick to the lubricant. That will create friction on the moving parts and your ride will not be as smooth.

The best lubricant will not be effective if it is not applied routinely. Do you have a “Bicycle Owner's Manual” to refer to? In it you will find a schedule for lubricating parts on your bicycle. If you do not have one, you can easily find one online by doing a search for “Bicycle Owner's Manual .pdf”. This is a page extracted from one of the manuals I have.

Note that not all metal parts on your bicycle can be lubricated. You will find the additional information I shared in the following question I answered earlier useful.

When should you apply lubricant on your bicycle

Where do you keep your bicycle? Do you often leave it out in the open facing the elements of the sun and rain? If you cannot store your bicycle under a proper shelter, make sure that it is properly covered for protection against rain.

If possible store it hung up above the floor so that the wheels will not become rusted by water from the rain or being splashed on while the floor is being washed. There are many type of wall racks and hangers in the market for bicycles.

If you are not going to ride your bicycle for a period of time, there are also bags which you can buy to store it. 

Check out this bicycle from the early 1970s sent to us for repair. The owner kept his New Model Sprinter Cooper in the space under the stairs of his home.

This is the condition of the emblem on it.

This is the condition of the emblem of a bike we restored. It was kept outdoor. We did not know that it is a Raleigh until we removed the dirt and rust on it.

Read the information I shared at the following link if you think that the WD-40 Multi-Use Product that you often spray on your bicycle is a lubricant.

Can you put WD-40 on a bike chain with a chain guard?