So in today's beautiful Snowpril (weather.com's word), I decided to bike into work. (Not sure about going home.)
Anyway, when I got into the office I noticed my rims were FILTHY. Fortunately I had a spare rag in my pack... but now it is so ick that I don't want it in my pack on the way home...much less sitting next to my laptop.
But has anyone come up for a good solution for having a few rags around the office? [My last office always had a few laying around... but my new one doesn't seem to...]
I fortunately have an office (and workspace) where we deal with lots of small water wipe ups- so the institution pays for a towel service for us. BUT I do not use these on my bike.
I do have a large supply of various sizes of plastic bags also to tote wet things in.
Regarding dirty rims- I never wipe mine, and the brakes keep the important parts clean.
Ziploc bags are a reasonable way to store rags...just be careful not to get the outsides of the baggie greasy, or it kinda defeats the purpose.
this may not be the best solution, but my first reaction would be to rinse it out in the sink and hang it to dry in some inconspicuous place in your office/cube (used to be, if it wasn't dripping, back of a monitor was perfect, but the new skinny monitors aren't so good for that).
If your office bathroom is too nice, and the rag is too icky, just as the maintenance people if you can have access for 5 minutes to their utility sink, they'll likely have better soaps anyway.
Dry and dirty is easier to transport than wet and dirty anyway, so if it's the kind of dirt that dries nicely, letting it dry and shake it off could improve the situation a lot.
you could also take two rags, keep one relatively clean, and use it to wrap the yuck one once it's drier.
You could also tie it to your bike to get it home. It wouldn't get it clean, but it would keep the cooties out of your pack. This is assuming you're not Mr. Dashboard or hauling a completely full bike. I know at least one person who keeps one water bottle on his bike for tools/rags anyway.
Does any of that help? I spend most of my spare logistical thoughts attempting to avoid disposables and plastic bags, so I'm always up for more ideas on how to practically use rags in a disposable world. If you find a solution, please post?
rainy day rides do make for nasty rims and tire sidewalls. I've gotten in the habit of using nitrile gloves and keeping some in my saddle bag. probably not the best environmentally friendly option... but then again neither are most degreasers.
I generally wipe down my rims and pads after a significant accumulation... grit and metal shards in the pads are good for premature rim death.
I generally wipe down my rims and pads after a significant accumulation... grit and metal shards in the pads are good for premature rim death.
Indeed. My concern is largely inspired by having to replace my rims last year.
Thanks for all the advice.
Though it isn't the most eco-friendly option, I an a big fan of Wypall rags by Kimbery-Clark. Uline also has a private label version.
They are really thick paper towels that are low-lint and behave much like cotton rags. In bulk they are extremely cost effective and there isn't the issue of storing of washing the wet towel.
using nitrile gloves and keeping some in my saddle bag. probably not the best environmentally friendly option
I wouldn't feel too bad about that. There isn't much material in a glove.
Go check out any profession where they wear nitrile/latex gloves. In chem & bio labs we couldn't wear them outside the bench area. If you had to run down the hall for some ice, off come the gloves. For the lay reader, there isn't any way you are reusing them. I probably used at least 10 pair/day.
I keep a pair of gloves in a plastic bag with my spare tube, just in case I am heading somewhere where I wouldn't want to show up with greasy hands.
I like the idea of gloves for bikework on the way to someplace where greasy hands would be frowned upon.
So how long should a rim last? I do admit I have worn through a few, but they had at least 10,000 miles on them, or over 3 years.
The nitrile gloves typically used in laboratories are designed to protect against "casual" contact with chemicals and/or body fluids and IMO don't hold up too well to mechanic stresses. There is a product called Action Wipes that work pretty well. Large in size for a wipe they can be reused (I don't have any experience with this though).
@helen s, I have no idea. I do know that I'm really rough on rims... largely because I tend not to see bumps in the road, but also because I'm not good about cleaning my bike in general.
My road bike (w/ 23s) had to have the rims replaced last year...after somewhere between 4-8K on them. (I had about 18 months were I wasn't tracking my mileage at all... so that is a best guess.)
When I purchased my new ones, I made a significant upgrade...so I'm much more careful now.... 
My 'green monster' which is supposedly a MTB has something like 10K on it and the rims were fine last time I rode it. (August 2009). Although there was a hub replacement in there somewhere....
The nitrile gloves typically used in laboratories are designed to protect against "casual" contact with chemicals and/or body fluids and IMO don't hold up too well to mechanic stresses.
This is true, and after cleaning a chain/fixing a flat I almost always have some holes/tares in the nitrile gloves. It doesn't make much difference though, as mostly clean hands with a couple of pinholes with grease is still much better than the super greasy hands I'd have without anything.
Just dip your hands in Castrol Super Clean and that grease comes right off...
I just wear my cycling gloves or Mechanix gloves, sometimes nitrile as I try to keep a few pair in my bag anyway.
