Winter Bike Maintenance Guide
Like it or not, winter is just about here, requiring major pivots to one’s riding routine–and bike maintenance.
Whether you’re putting in the pain cave hours on the indoor trainer, continuing to hammer outside on Utah’s gritty, salty roads, or hanging it up until spring arrives, each scenario demands its own maintenance routine.
In our latest video (above), Evan on the Contender Bicycles team shares essential tips to keep your bike clean, corrosion-free, and ready to ride—indoors, outdoors, or when winter’s over.
1) Indoor Trainer Maintenance: Yes, Sweat the Small Stuff
Riding indoors is no stranger to mental and physical challenges, including the immense amount of sweat that’s generated, with the benefit of actual wind or forward movement. More to the point, that sweat can also act as a silent assassin, slowly corroding your bike and components if not dealt with correctly.
To get ahead of this, we recommend the following:
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Wipe down after every ride—saddle rails, seatpost clamp, headset, and brake hoods.
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Cover bars and stem with a towel to catch drips.
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Check under bar tape for hidden corrosion; replace tape each winter.
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Use a drip lube like Dumonde Tech Lite and clean the drivetrain often.
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Inspect bolts and spin drivetrain after removing from the trainer.
2) Outdoor Riding Maintenance: Best Offense Is a Good Defense
Utah’s claim to fame–the “greatest snow on Earth”–has the unfortunate downside of also producing some of the saltiest roads around. Good for drivers, but bad for your bike, if you intend on bundling up and riding through the cold.
To make the most of riding in the cold while avoiding the stealth damage that can occur to your bike, we recommend:
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Use fenders to protect the drivetrain, bottom bracket, and headset.
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Wash regularly—remove salt and debris with bike-specific cleaners.
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Lube and wipe your chain after every ride to prevent rust.
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Check bottom bracket bearings or upgrade to Wheels MFG serviceable units.
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Clean rotors and pads with isopropyl alcohol to avoid contamination.
3) Winter Bike Storage: Set It, Before You Forget It
More of a fair weather cyclist, choosing to ski, board, or dare we say, pickleball for the next few months instead? No worries, we get it.
If hanging up your rig until spring, we recommend the tips below, to avoid coming back to a host of mechanical and repair issues.
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Thoroughly wash and dry your bike to remove moisture.
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Lube the chain and all moving parts.
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Store dropper post extended to prevent sluggish return.
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Drain tubeless sealant before it hardens.
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Use downtime for service: suspension, cables, brake bleeds, linkage rebuilds.
Learn More
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Read: bullish on riding outdoors through winter? Check out the Contender Journal on layering & apparel for winter road biking. Looking to ride indoors? Check out our deep dive on setting up your indoor cycling space.
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Shop: not quite ready to winterize your bike? Have a look at Contender’s handpicked collection of lubes & cleaners. Need help refining your indoor cycling setup? Check out tons, a Danish brand known for its innovative, sleek products.
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Engage: have questions on winter bike maintenance or storage? We’d love to help out. Visit the shop, send us a message here, or call us at (801) 364-0344.
