It’s the rainy season and, while we appreciate slightly cooler temperatures when riding out, we have to make sure that our bikes are as roadworthy as possible. Aside from checking the ABCs (Air, Brakes, Chain), here are some quick bike maintenance tips to see if your bike is in top-notch shape for the wet weather.

Want to know how you can be ready for bike commuting? Read our tips on bike commuting in the rain.

Bike Maintenance Tip #1: Get a Bike Cover

It can be tempting to just leave your bike exposed to the elements, especially if you live in a building with limited shade and storage space for your treasured two-wheeled vehicles. Unlike cars, the components can rust when left out in the rain, and that can spread throughout your bike.

If you don’t have indoor space to store your bikes, invest in a cover to protect them. There are several types of bike covers on the market, but I recently purchased two from Shopee for my touring bike and mini velo. They can also protect your bike from dust and other foreign objects that could compromise your bike.

Prices may vary, but sufficient ones can cost less than P500. Decathlon also sells bike covers for over P1,000, so it’s up to you on how much you’re willing to spend.

Bike Maintenance Tip #2: Wipe Down ASAP

After finishing your ride and changing into drier, comfier clothes, you might want to give your bike some TLC. If you can’t access a bike shop for a complete bike wash, the next best thing is to wipe the bike’s drivetrain and other steel components. This prevents mechanical damage and unwanted purchases and replacements over time.

If you don’t wipe down within a few hours, you might see the dreaded surface rust, that neon orange gunk that could potentially reduce the efficiency of your bike parts. A wipe down effectively stops oxidation in time, and you can bring your bike to the shop for a more thorough bike wash when it next opens. The mechanic can check on the bottom bracket, headset, and other nooks and crannies–areas where water can accumulate, and rust can form without you knowing it.

If you do see surface rust on any part of your bike, you can get a rust converter solution in most hardware stores. Be sure to buy sandpaper or a metal brush, too, so you can scrub the rust off.

Bike Maintenance Tip #3: Future-Proof Your Bike Over Time

Assuming your bike is your daily driver, or at least a commuter bike without the fancy-schmancy proprietary tech that road bikes tend to have (no hate on RBs, all bikes are beautiful), you might want to start investing in a few more parts to avoid corrosion and future expenses.

1. Get full-coverage, bolt-on fenders (sometimes called mudguards). They are guaranteed to prevent most grime and muck from reaching your chain, derailleur, bottom bracket, and headset. You can also get mudflaps (often sold separately) to add to the protection.
2. Rust-proof your bike if it’s a steel bike. While we at The Trip Chainist love our steel bikes, they’re prone to rust and deterioration a bit more than aluminum and carbon bikes. You may look for a bike shop online that offers rust proofing as part of their services. We don’t recommend doing it on your own as it involves disassembling your bike and buying an aerosol rustproofer, and curing takes up to a day.
3. Get new chains. There are some brands that offer nickel-plated chains that are more resistant to flash-rusting if you don’t get to wipe them down immediately. These are a bit more expensive than regular steel alloy chains, but the rust-free peace of mind you get offsets the price.

There are many more future-proofing tips we can offer as seasoned bike commuters, but we’re not the experts. So…

Bike Maintenance Tip #4: Talk to Your Mechanic

If all else fails, talk to the mechanic at your local bike shop to educate yourself. If you’ve done everything you could to keep your bike in tip-top shape, but still can’t figure out why your headtube’s squeaky, take it to the shop. Your mechanic can both fix your issues and help you understand how to take care of your bike better.

Basic bike maintenance tips like ours are a dime a dozen on the interwebs, and nothing beats learning from certified people with years and years of experience.

Do you have your own bike maintenance tips for the rainy season? Chime in the comments below!