Im going batshit crazy not riding and the ol exercise bike aint cutting it anymore. I need to go fer a rip.
That being said, will road salt damage my bike?like will it get into the nooks and crannies and mess things up? Id just be ripping around the apartment and power lines but to get to the power lines i would have to do a bit of road riding first.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Biggest issue is around your rotors. Salt can cause major braking issues. But, if you clean things up with soapy water and re-lube all major components immediately upon getting home, it should be fine. If the roads are dry, it’s not even an issue at all.
I commute year-round, including winter and basically replace my entire drivetrain every Spring. But, other than lubing my chain after a nasty storm and salty roads, I don’t do much with that bike for maintenance until the bad weather is gone.
Perfect. Thank you man. Looks like im gunna go for a ride tommorow after work 
I agree with @brightwhite . Dry roads, not a problem, but I wouldn’t take my good bike on a wet, salty road. That’s why I have a beater bike. Wet, salty roads, and carrying a bike on a hitch rack on wet salty roads can be harsh on a bike. Doesn’t really hurt any Aluminum parts, but anything steel can seize, like chromoly frames, chains, brake disks, brake and shifter cables, bolts, seatposts. Best to wash the bike and rinse it immediately after exposure to salt water. If you don’t have access to a hose, a hand pump garden sprayer works well.
I don’t ride roads much these days anyway, but when roads are wet and singletrack trails are soft, I ride skateparks, the paved pump track at Shubie, and the paved Cole Harbour trail that starts at the end of Mount Edward Rd (don’t know it’s name).
Even “in season” brakes can get contaminated travelling on Hitch Mounts.
I carry a bottle of ISO Propyl Alcohol diluted with water and spray my rotors post travel. Minimizes noise and keeps things running smooth.
True @Enduro_Performance . My bike goes inside my vehicle to rides now, but whenever I used to put my bike on our hitch rack, I’d be annoyed any time we had to drive through rain. Dusty roads can coat a bike on a hitch rack as well.
You’re supposed to bed in new disks and rotors before using them on trail. I assume that’s also true after you’ve cleaned a rotor with alcohol? Water and soap probably not an issue, as long as you’re not scrubbing the rotor.
Good quality ISO shouldn’t leave any residue. Definitely no re-burn in required. They’ll squeak on the first few pulls, but that’s it.
I love having a small truck so in the winter I can transport my fatty in the bed without having to remove a wheels, which keeps the bike out of the car, but no road spray really hits the bike either.
I have never had that issue, when I say spray its more of a light mist. And I regularly sand my pads with high grit sand paper.
Bedding in the pads transfers brake pad material on to the surface of the rotor for better friction. Alcohol won’t remove this so you won’t need to do it again.