Kids' bikes left out in the rain are causing a headache for our local repair guy...

I was at the playground with my kids and saw three bikes with chains so rusty they barely moved... Our local bike mechanic, Joe, told me he's been fixing a lot of these lately. He says parents often forget to store bikes properly after rainy days. For example, my neighbor's kid had a seized chain just last week, and Joe had to replace the whole drivetrain. It's a simple fix if caught early, just some oil and a wipe down. But now Joe's spending hours on jobs that could be avoided... Makes me wonder if we need more community workshops on basic bike care.

3 comments

3 Comments

burns.jenny2mo ago

That part about community workshops on basic bike care really stuck with me... I guess I'm just not sure they'd work. If someone can't remember to bring a bike in from the rain, would they really show up for a workshop on a Tuesday night? It feels like the problem is more about just not thinking about it at all. So what's the actual fix here, if not more info?

the_jennifer2mo ago

My nephew's bike last spring was a total loss after being outside all winter. The chain was one solid orange rust piece, and the brakes were shot. You're right, it's not about knowing what to do, it's about the habit just not being there. His mom would never go to a workshop, she just doesn't think about bike care as a thing. Maybe the fix is just making that wipe-down part of putting the bike away, like taking off muddy shoes.

miles_fisher2mo ago

My cousin's bike looked like a science project after one winter. At this point a workshop would just be a history lesson on how bikes used to work.