How To Keep A Bike From Rusting?

Protecting your mountain bike from rusting should be a priority. The cost of getting a mountain bike and the responsibility of its owner to keep it in good condition. By following a few simple things will prevent your bike from rusting.

Rust is the real enemy of all kinds of bikes, particularly mountain bikes. Mountain bikes have a great probability of getting a strong exposure to the sun, wind, and rain. This is the main reason, why a mountain bike is prone to rust.

In this post, we will go through how to prevent a mountain bike from rusting. Let’s get started!

What Is Rust?

Rust is normally an orange-brown oxide formed because is the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture.

Its chemical formula is Fe2O3.nH2O (Hydrated Iron (III) oxide).

What Is Rusting?

Rusting goes by another name which is corrosion. When rust starts to appear on your mountain bike, it starts a process of slowly eating away at the iron because of the mixture of oxygen and moisture on the surface.

Rusting on a bike frame causes an unwanted change so because of the layer of rust that has formed, it starts to fall off. This starts exposing the metal or bike frame to further rusting. As a result, the frame becomes weaker over time.

Getting a top-quality mountain bike with a manufacturer that guarantees rust-free metal which has a time limit, is one thing. It’s not that you shouldn’t trust its quality but it is up to you to protect and prevent your mountain bike from rusting.

What are the best and easiest ways to protect and prevent mountain bikes from rusting?

Store Indoors Or Cover It Up

Don’t leave your bike outside, to be exposed to the elements like rain, snow, wind, etc… If you can bring your bike indoors or store it in a garage, then do so.

If you are not able to store the bike inside and it will be left outside then you will need to cover your bike. You will need to get a bike cover for your mountain bike that is big enough to cover your bike and protect it from wind, snow, or rain.

Keep The Bike Dry

Rust starts to happen when iron and oxygen are in the presence of water. One of the easiest ways to protect your bike from rust is to keep it nice and dry. A damp or wet is more likely to start rusting than a dry bike.

If you are out on the road or on a trail on a dirty rainy day, when you are finished you should take the time to wipe it dry before you store it.

Wash The Bike Regularly

A mountain bike can never be totally free from mud and dirt. Washing it regularly or once it was used on muddy tracks. What this does is ensures that the mud, dust, or debris doesn’t stick for too long to the metal or bike frame as it can cause dampness. Dampness is one of the main causes of rust.

Regularly Oil And Lubricated Bike

Last but not the least, lubricating the chain regularly is recommended, particularly after cleaning the chain. Lubricating not only helps to keep the chain work well but also helps to avoid it rusting.

Remember, lubricant acts as a barrier between the elements such as rain and the metal on your mountain bike. As long as there’s a layer of lubricant on exposed metal like your bike chain, then it should not rust.

ebike front front derailleur — olivermann

In fact, it is rare to find a mountain bike that is completely rust-free. Most manufacturers use aluminum and steel for the bike frame. The best way to get the best mountain bike is by reading reviews from buyers. Most of them will share their experiences in keeping the bike.

For steel frames, the biggest concern is water/mud getting into the frame tubes, ensure that you regularly check for water accumulation by removing the seat and looking inside, other than that, spray lubricants or something thicker can be used to coat the inside of the frame to protect it.

How Remove Rust From My Bike?

What if you find some parts which are already rusted? Removing the rust is simpler when the bike owner notices it early on. If you notice rust on your bike, don’t get upset, it can be removed.

First, use sandpaper to rub the rust and continue with applying paint for covering the rust. However, it requires more than just metal paint.
Corrosion protectant products are very easy to find.
Apply it to all parts of the mountain bike, particularly the chain and gears. It is very effective in lowering the risk of rust, by avoiding oxidation.

We have an article in more detail on how to get the rust off mountain bike forks.

Wrapping Up

Finally, I hope this article covering how to keep a bike from rusting was helpful. By simply keeping your bike out of the elements like the rain when the mountain bike is not been used, will massively reduce the chances of your bike will start to rust.

And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on how to keep a bike from rusting was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

How To Keep A Bike From Rusting?

Read more on common questions asked

What Is Rust?

What Is Rusting?