What is it about cleaning your bike?

Chalky76

I know it won't apply to everyone, but i absolutely love cleaning my bike, especially when it is really caked in all the good stuff you pick up on the trails. If my wife didn't keep on at me, i'd spend all afternoon out the back scrubbing, polishing and lubing!

And yet I couldn't care less about my car...

cjw

Just about the same here. Car gets to go through the auto wash every few months (for few read 3 to 6). Bike gets cleaned after almost every ride.

However, after todays ride (pouring with rain and mud everywhere) it got a quick hose down, then dry off in the garage, then spray with GT85. Not the usual pampering... too wet and cold.

jeffers696

i know what your on about too, i think my bike is cleaner than me sometimes. but i gess if your proud of your bike then you want to keep it looking like it was when you bought it! crap cars = crap care!

zero303

I'm the same but this time of year it becomes too much. My best bike is my only bike and when I'm training twice a week plus weekend rides it's a case of a few squirts from the dirtworker slap some lube on the chain and pack it away

I probably get through too many chains but what can you do!

scazzer

ooohhhhh yes,dont know wot it is about cleaning your bike after a good filthy ride :?
i think it is satisfaction of knowing you had a good ride,hitting every bit of mud you can getting bike as MINGING as poss :twisted: then giving it a good clean and thinking it was well worth it ............

While we are on subject of cleaning,just took del of new Malt 4and want to give it all the love and care i can :oops: ,but on my last bike after washing off,i would give it a good going over with GT85,and fella in LBS told me to make sure i cover brake discs with plastic bags when spraying it which ive never done in the past :roll: so,is it wise to keep on using GT or is there a better lube to use that is bike friendly???????

Scazzer

Nick Dastardly

scazzer wrote:

,but on my last bike after washing off,i would give it a good going over with GT85,and fella in LBS told me to make sure i cover brake discs with plastic bags when spraying it which ive never done in the past :roll: so,is it wise to keep on using GT or is there a better lube to use that is bike friendly???????

Scazzer

I would imagine that getting any sort of lube on your brake discs is a Very Bad Thing.

Personally I don't mind a bit of dirt on my bike, it's a bit of a badge of honour. Quite similar to if you see a 4x4 and it's clearly never been offroad! I do always try to keep all the moving parts clean though.

zero303

NO lube is brake friendly - covering disc rotors in plastic bags is something we all have to put up with I'm afriad!

scazzer

ye,i know where you are coming from,but when i said i give it a good going over ,i meant chain n gears and trying to stay away from brakes as much as poss but is GT the best to lube with?????

jpembroke

You just can't beat a good bit of bike buffage. I hose the bike down, spray it with GT85, then bring it in to the kitchen to dry. Later, when it's completely dry I give it a jolly good buff with an old T-shirt, oil the chain, stand back, admire for a few minutes, then put it to bed.

Smashing

dav1

I hate cleaning the bike but love to see it sparkling when I am done,

jpembroke

You must learn to love it: wax on, wax off, wax on................

stumpyjon

Personally I don't mind a bit of dirt on my bike, it's a bit of a badge of honour. Quite similar to if you see a 4x4 and it's clearly never been offroad! I do always try to keep all the moving parts clean though.

I don't mind the dirt on the bike when I'm riding, and to a certain extent muck on me is also fine (makes me feel / look like I'm a real mountain biker :roll: ), though I do like to clean the bike when I get in. It's got some scratches and chips on it now but I think that a clean bike with wear and tear shows you're really taking it all seriously (possibly too seriously, I really should scrape the mud off the car at some point ).

zero303

stumpyjon wrote:

Personally I don't mind a bit of dirt on my bike, it's a bit of a badge of honour. Quite similar to if you see a 4x4 and it's clearly never been offroad! I do always try to keep all the moving parts clean though.

I don't mind the dirt on the bike when I'm riding, and to a certain extent muck on me is also fine (makes me feel / look like I'm a real mountain biker :roll: ), though I do like to clean the bike when I get in. It's got some scratches and chips on it now but I think that a clean bike with wear and tear shows you're really taking it all seriously (possibly too seriously, I really should scrape the mud off the car at some point ).

This time of year it only takes 30 seconds to build up a decent badge of honor!!!

delcol

i must be sad cause both my car and bike are cleaned waxed polished regularly

more my bike i tolove cleaning my bike after a hard day on the trails..

god bless muck off and fenwicks.. and wet lube... i also have several waxes and polishes to i love my shiney bike.

manc_ian

Im the same as you chalky. I spend way more time cleaning my bike than my car. The car just gets the drive through treatment every couple of months. I spend most sunday or saturday afternoons cleaning my bike though. This time of year around the peaks is a nightmare when it comes to your bike getting covered in poo. I spend at least an hour on cleaning. Any longer and i get an earfull off the missus. Some people just dont understand but i love the joy of seeing your bike gleaming at the end.

Its a good job my LBS offers a £2.50 refill on Hope Sh1t Shifter when you take the empty bottle in.

prophet_1000

2 hours Sunday afternoon wife Hoovered/polished inside of her car (Freelander 2) and I was still out putting the finishing touches, lubing chains etc on my bike long after she had gone in, got moaned at a few times. But hey it looks mint again can't wait to get it messed up again :roll:

KonaMike

My wife always laughs at how long I spend cleaning the bike,especially at this time of year when its wet and muddy,its very satisfying to get it sparkling again after a really mucky trail !

omegas

My full suss gets cleaned after every ride as it lives in the house in a cupboard under the stairs.

My hard tail is used to commute Monday to Friday mainly off road and lives in the shed and gets a clean about once a month.

Just find it relaxing to clean the bike and bring it back to looking like new, I also put a few hours in midweek taking it to bits as I always find something to repair or strip and lube.

Thewaylander

there is always something to tweak and make her that bit more sweet and tastey!

Matteeboy

Full works this weekend to both bikes and one of the cars (other is a 4x4 so gets washed very rarely...!).

Great having the right kit too - powerful hose and pressure attachment, Muc Off, the right brushes, some Bike Spray and chain lube.

Car and bike gleaming!

Now I must do the lawn - about 1/2 an acre of it

steveo450

Im a bit lazy at times when it comes to cleaning. I have a company car and i cant remember the last time it got a wash.

My 1 month old Kona Hoss is also in the garage in need of a good clean too at the moment right next to my 2008 LTR450 quad bike which is completely caked in the stuff after my last race. I really should get the hose pipe out i suppose. :oops:

Chalky76

On the odd occasion I have to chuck the bike in the shed without a proper clean due to lack of time it bugs me until I get to clean it one night after work, I like to know its all ready to go first thing Saturday or Sunday morning.

Quick question: Does anyone have any tips on protecting your brakes, or are plastic bags the only answer?

Matteeboy

I left my old Stumpy for ages without cleaning (it was a daily commuter bike at the time).
It got very grimey with grease and crud and took me AGES to clean when I finally got round to cleaning it.

Now I rinse and Bike Spray mine after every ride (still do a daily 10 miler) - a case of a stitch in time...

I don't mask my discs - it's a mountain bike and if you can't get the brakes wet, then you may as well bin the bike. I'm just very careful with Bike Spraying and regularly GT85 the non braking surfaces of the brake body to keep it rust free.

KonaMike

Mine got a quick wash down after Sundays very muddy ride but I'm going to sneak out tonight whilst the wife is watching TV and give it a proper wash and lube up ready for the weekend.I always feel guilty if I put it away dirty

Steve_F

Sounds like there aren't many of us who leave it filthy most of the time!

Living in a 2nd floor flat and being worried about the bike getting nicked if I leave it for 5 minutes outside (it probably wouldn't but...) means it is very rarely clean.

Still if I do get the chance it tends to be a proper job and does give me huge satisfaction.

Chaka Ping

I try to quickly hose down and lube up after most muddy rides, but I can't say I've ever actually enjoyed cleaning my bike.

I actually like the pattina of dust that builds up over a dry summer of non-cleaning.

NEILHEAD

My routine is hose off worst of the mud spray with hope sh1t shifter leave for a few mins then spray with water bike is then left whilst i have to strip off in the garden and have a quick shower. then i come down and dry polish and lube. I cant rest until its done maybe its a bit OCD

stucon

i run the prep dept for an audi dealer so getting my car cleaned once or twice a week is not a problem for me, i just give the key to someone else and they give it back when its all nice and clean!! woo hoo!!

as for the bike, it comes with me to work on a monday and gets a nice clean... norm takes the day to do it but as there is only 3 of us in the unit i work in and im the boss noone seems to mind to much!!!!!!

Jimbob_no5

aye i do the same aswell, just cleaning for hours taking parts off and apart then putting them back together and back on, makes me happy

delcol

i once spent 5 hours cleaning my beloved car did the works wash ,chamois ,clay bar ,meguiars 3stage treatment, polish, then wax, car looked like it was chrome when i finished,..
i am the same with my bikes my rockymountain hardtail gets cleaned after every ride at least once a month i will remove wheels clean them clean cassette clean chain with chain bath give everything a good lube , then polish and wax the bike.
same with my heckler fullsuss.

but the bike i use the most my scott road bike daily commuter very rarely sees a wash most times i forget to lube the chain....

its funny i hardly use my car these days but clean it regular use my mtbs on a weekend clean after every ride then lube and polish. but the one bike i depend on to get to and from work daily gets negleted...
although i did just treat her to a new drive chain crank cass and chain... :P

cjw

kona_cowan_rider wrote:

aye i do the same aswell, just cleaning for hours taking parts off and apart then putting them back together and back on, makes me happy

SRAM shifters.... go on ... I dare you to take them apart and put back together