# Preventing cassette rust



## Adodero (Jul 16, 2009)

Wife and I bought our first 29ers a few weeks ago. We live in FL and have taken up riding and, despite the limited trail selection, have had a great time.

I'm having a bit of an issue with our cassettes, though. It worries me that after 2-3 weeks they are already showing signs of surface rust, which is sure to develop into a bigger problem. I'm pretty diligent about washing them off with fresh water, lubing the chain, etc, but I can't figure out what to do with the cassette.

When we ride the bikes on the trail or at least once a week, I spray the bikes down with fresh water and soap, use a chain cleaner, scrub the cassette with a brush, lube the fork seals, lube the chain, and lube the cables. Nothing else has shown signs of corrosion, yet.

Any advice?


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

Unless you always ride through/around salt water, do not wash the bikes so often. Can do more harm than good.

Clean occasionally, store them under cover, do not worry.


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## keen (Jan 13, 2004)

^hosing off a bike isn't good for bearings and unfinished components. Keep the fork stanchions clean and uses brushes on the drivetrain.


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## rockhopper97 (Jul 30, 2014)

never get it near water and never feed it after midnight....lol


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

Wow ur going way overkill on maint. Washed my bike once this year cause it got mud on it. Wipe it down with slightly damp cloth when dust and dirt bothers me. Clean my chain only as needed, once a month or 2 at same time I clean rest of drive train. And I make sure to lube each time but very lightly. Found lube staying inside and keeping outside dry minimizes need for cleaning constantly. I lube cable once every couple months.

Wipe of stanchions after every ride.

Everything works for lack of a better word, perfect.

Your biggest problem is the washing. DONT but once in a while. By doing what ur doing, destroying ur bike faster than not washing it at all. Soap and water on a chain is the worst possible thing u can do to it and any other moving part.
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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

I haven't used water on my bike. I wipe it once dry with a microfiber or an old bath towel. You could use baby wipes for cleaning. 
Wippermann makes a stainless chain.


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## SandSpur (Mar 19, 2013)

Adodero said:


> Wife and I bought our first 29ers a few weeks ago. We live in FL and have taken up riding and, despite the limited trail selection, have had a great time.
> 
> I'm having a bit of an issue with our cassettes, though. It worries me that after 2-3 weeks they are already showing signs of surface rust, which is sure to develop into a bigger problem. I'm pretty diligent about washing them off with fresh water, lubing the chain, etc, but I can't figure out what to do with the cassette.
> 
> ...


Im also in Florida.. stop washing your bike...


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## velo99 (Apr 18, 2014)

You should get enough lube from your chain to protect your cassette. Only wash your bike if it's really nasty or to be stored long term.


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## yzedf (Apr 22, 2014)

Wd40


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

thin film of lube protects things. no lube + humidity = rust.

you're washing so much you're stripping off the lube. After a ride, I wipe my chain with a dry rag, give it a little fresh lube, and put it away. Once every couple months in the dry (more often if wetter and muckier), I will use a chain cleaner/degreaser on my chain to clean more thoroughly. Let dry, relube immediately.


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## Adodero (Jul 16, 2009)

Well then, I guess I'm washing too much. I figured that I was washing too little. 

I'll cut down on that and see how it does, thanks.


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## Freightlinerbob (Feb 4, 2014)

WD40. Spin the pedals backward as you spray the cassette. I do this in the winter to displace the salty water from ice melting operations. WD 40 works to keep ice from forming on the exposed cables around the BB as well. 

The bonus is easier shifting. 


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

Freightlinerbob said:


> WD40. Spin the pedals backward as you spray the cassette. I do this in the winter to displace the salty water from ice melting operations. WD 40 works to keep ice from forming on the exposed cables around the BB as well.
> 
> The bonus is easier shifting.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not needed in Florida.

I have never used or needed WD40 in the northwest, either. Snow, ice, mud-- just normal lube works fine and does not breakdown because of the presence of the above solvent.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

Omg no, stay away from wd40 lol. It breaks down grease and oil. I guess getting a light coating on cassette and rings wouldnt hurt as long as no liquid form left to get into chain but i wont chance it. i ride in the winter here, snow etc. I use a wet lube that's "meant" for wet riding conditions and never had any rust issues. Use marine grease in all my bearings (that I can access without ruining seals). Works great for me and I live in northwestern Illinois.
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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

Anytime I was something with water and I don't want it to rust i rinse it with rubbing alcohol. That will push the water out and evaporate. To prevent rust, wd40 on a thin rag and just get it on the cassette in between each gear. You much and it can get into your wheel bearings and freewheel, nevermind the chain. 

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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

ou2mame said:


> Anytime I was something with water and I don't want it to rust i rinse it with rubbing alcohol. That will push the water out and evaporate. To prevent rust, wd40 on a thin rag and just get it on the cassette in between each gear. You much and it can get into your wheel bearings and freewheel, nevermind the chain.
> 
> Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk


wd40 in the wrong place will remove grease from bearings

and it is better to get an old toothbrush to apply anything to the cogset. soak wd40 on toothbrush, run it around the cogs. don't allow wd40 to drip anywhere else


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

Wd40 is not evil as long as you understand what it is. It is not a lubricant. It is a water dispersant and solvent with a bit of residual light oil. 

Use it sparingly a a cleaner and drier and replace the lube it displaces and dissolves.

Apparently, the combination of solvent and light oil can produce a gummy or even hard varnish if left alone llng enough. I have never seen it, but it's fairly well documented in the gun and knife communities.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

TwiceHorn said:


> Wd40 is not evil as long as you understand what it is. It is not a lubricant. It is a water dispersant and solvent with a bit of residual light oil.
> 
> Use it sparingly a a cleaner and drier and replace the lube it displaces and dissolves.
> 
> Apparently, the combination of solvent and light oil can produce a gummy or even hard varnish if left alone llng enough. I have never seen it, but it's fairly well documented in the gun and knife communities.


I understand what WD40 is and keep it far away from my bikes because of it. Works great!


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## Phinias (Aug 28, 2014)

shiggy said:


> I understand what WD40 is and keep it far away from my bikes because of it. Works great!


Exactly, in fact since I sold my last vehicle equiped with a carb, I have had almost no use for WD-40 as there are far better solutions (pun intended) for most needs.


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

The Shimano HG20 cassette rusts badly, you can look up reviews and lot of people complain about near instantaneous rusting. You need to keep that cassette unreasonably dry, Florida seems like an awful climate for it.

You may want to consider getting a cassette with chrome plating as that will take forever to rust, cassettes are pretty cheap if you dont care about weight and the tool to remove them is just $8


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Do you have a compressor? Blow dry your bike and components after a wash, lube everything correctly and you should be fine.


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