January is on the way out and winter bike riding season is in full swing. You want to keep riding when the weather permits and it feels great to keep in shape for spring riding season. But, it's a different landscape out there, with mud, slush, grit and grime on the roads. 

So, what should you do for winter bike maintenance?

Winter conditions can be especially harsh on bicycles. With wetter conditions and more crud on the roads, your bike will bear the brunt of accelerated wear and tear. A little bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way.

1. Stay on top of bike washing.

Washing a bike in the winter time is tough. Cold temperatures can make for an unpleasant experience. But, it's worth doing.

All that grit and grime on the roads and trails is abrasive. It will cause your brake pads to wear faster, your chain to wear faster, and it can potentially work it's way into sensitive ball bearing surfaces. If you live in a location where the roads are treated with magnesium chloride or salt, it's even worse because these anti-ice compounds can corrode bike parts over time.

Do yourself and your bike a favor - wash it all off and prolong the life of your bike.

We have some tips on how to wash a bike in the winter.

2. Keep an eye on your chain and brake pads.

Your bike chain and your brake pads are likely the fastest to experience accelerated wear during the winter riding season. Road grime on these components will be especially abrasive. Even if you're unable to wash off your bike after most rides, try taking a rag to these parts and remove the worst of any crud that is accumulating.

Some folks might even want to change brake pads for winter and use a longer-wearing material. For example, semi-metallic or resin disc brake pads are softer and therefore might offer more braking bite, but they will wear out faster in wet conditions. If you live in a particularly wet climate, switching to metallic pads could save some money in the long run as the pads last longer.

3. Inspect your tires

Riding in the cold and wet offers several opportunities for your tires to give you some trouble. And changing a flat tire in the cold and wet is especially miserable, so let's stay on top of this, shall we?

For starters, depending on the actual riding temps that you're in and the type of tire sealant (if any) that you use, your tire sealant might not be doing its job. Which means, you should keep an eye on if your tire sealant is freezing or has dried up since the fall. Check your tires for sealant and make sure it's staying fluid so that it can slosh around and keep your tubeless tires from going flat.

Another hazard is associated with wet road surfaces. The wetness can cause sharp pieces of road crud to remain stuck to your tires and eventually work into the tire casing, puncturing it and causing a puncture. It may or may not be true, but it sure seems like there are more bits of wire, glass, metal and other sharp objects on the road in winter.

Check your tire tread surfaces before and/or after every ride and make sure there are no surprises stuck in the rubber that might cause a puncture down the road.

4. Plan for suspension and dropper post maintenance

If you're mountain biking in the wet and cold, your fork and rear shock seals will need attention more often than usual. Just like the other moving parts on your bike, as any grit and mud spray builds up, the seals have to work harder to keep the internals from being contaminated. Plus, the seal material is colder and therefore less pliable, so it could be subject to faster wear.

These parts are certainly made for rough conditions, but they do require maintenance after. 

Keep riding in winter. But keep your bike in good shape!

If you have the right apparel to stay warm, and if conditions are not slippery and dangerous, there is no reason not to keep riding in the winter. It's a great way to stay in shape. And you'll feel better going into the spring season with a little more fitness.

Just keep in mind that the conditions can be a little harder on your bike. You'll want to stay attentive to keeping your bike clean and the chain lubed to prevent accelerated wear.