How do you wash your bike?

harkins

Sorry about this, but being a bike newbie I keep asking what must seem like stupid questions.

So today I've been out on my bike for the third time but for the first time it's been wet - very wet!

I just wiped my bike down with a wet cloth and left it at that. But what do all of you do to wash your bikes and prepare them for the next ride? Any special procedures for the brakes and gear sets? And can you recommend any products?

Cheers

synchronicity

Well whenever I get a bike back that's got mud & sweat all over it, there's only one way to clean it, and that's with water + sponge + detergent.

Make sure you dry everything afterwards otherwise parts start to corrode.

Other than that, this is how I prep my bikes:
-pump the tyres up to ~100psi
-check they have the right pedals installed
-do a quick check of the headset / brakes / spoke tension
-clean the chain with a rag & relube. Clean pulley wheels + apply lube. to be honest, I'm still trying to find a budget oil because I can't afford to be using Krytech on the whole fleet (and sometimes it doesn't even last for the duration that they're rented which is no good for me). Currently experimenting with motorcycle chain oil. It seems to be okay, albeit a bit too tacky. Before that I was using standard mineral oil, and I got tremendous mileage out of the drivetrains that were using it (provided they were cleaned as above every week).
-check that all the gears work

unclemalc

see below...

unclemalc

I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to cleanliness. If you pays a lot of money for a beautiful bike - look after it!!!
In the summer, I just hose it down or do the bucket/soapy water/rinse thing all over. Wipe it down and let it dry. Its best not to put it away wet (unless its in a warm dry flat or something similar) as some cheaper bits will start to show rust very quickly. This is very true of chains stripped of lubricant.
Spray a water dispersant like GT85 over the chain links and run the chain through a dry cloth for a few dozen turns while holding it between the front and rear mechs - this will collect any dirty water gunge left.
Then repeat the performance with clean 3-in-1 type lube so that all the links are clean, lubed and not dripping oil. Clean the chainset and cassette too.
Occasionally put a drop of lube (no more...) where the mechs rotate within the derailleur systems (the bits, for example, on the rear mech where it says 'Sora'/'Tiagra' or 'Ultegra' if you use Shimano......,or the 'joints' on the front mech where it moves in and out to nudge the chain ) - these can get dry, stick, and cause gear changes to 'delay' or skip.
If you do that regularly (I do it almost after every ride 'cos I enjoy it.. ) then the bike stays on top line.

In the winter we have the joys of SALT . Hence one reason why many folks have a 'winter' bike. Now its almost imperative to wash it down every time with hot soapy water and rinse it off THOROUGHLY, otherwise the thing is drying in a thin layer of salt.
It wont affect carbon but it will bug---r everything else (a 'welded' seatpost-to-frame is common). In addition, old lube on the chain, mixed with filthy salt solution = a particularly corrosive 'paste' which is time-consuming and difficult to remove without resorting to de-greasers etc. This 'paste' also eats hubs, bearings and cables.

If it's clean to begin with, it's easy to keep clean.
I canot speak for MTBers....

nicklouse

here is a good guide.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=85

unclemalc

'pivot points'....that's what I meant....

MIsterGoof

seems a daft :oops: ? to ask but,

what detergent goes into create soapy water?

washing up liquid ? Car clear? Muc off? all of the above? none of the above?

ta

synchronicity

I just use normal washing up liquid. The normal green stuff - never the powder used for dishwashing machines :!:

nicklouse

synchronicity
Ooooo no the salts in the washing up liquid can do more damage than you will think. It loves to eat rubber. please use it appropriately.

on the road

I use car shampoo.

Nuggs

on the road wrote:

I use car shampoo.

Me too. Meguiar's NXT - lovely

Felix-da-house-mouse

synchronicity...

fairy liquid = wrecked bike. lol

i use bike shampoo not muc off but something very similar.

a good tip i got was to spray gt85 over the main sections of the frame i.e down tube, cross section etc etc as this will put a film on the frame and makes for far easier cleaning as the muc etc sticks to the gt85 and not the lovely paint job on the bike. go onto alpinebikes.com and ask for a free catalogue i picked one up yesterday in store and its very informative on the maintanence side plus its free,

synchronicity

nicklouse wrote:

synchronicity
Ooooo no the salts in the washing up liquid can do more damage than you will think. It loves to eat rubber. please use it appropriately.

Yes I've been using fairy. Most detergents are long-chain non-polar alkane molecules with polar functional groups on one end. That's the way they work - by dissolving grease/oil (non-polar molecules) in water (polar). They form what's called a micelle around the micro fatty droplets:



I would have thought it's all good if you wash it off. It certainly does no more damage than the human sweat I'm trying to get rid of.

Nuggs

Felix-da-house-mouse wrote:

a good tip i got was to spray gt85 over the main sections of the frame i.e down tube, cross section etc etc as this will put a film on the frame and makes for far easier cleaning

Or even better - try Pedro's bike lust. It's the equivalent of a car wax for bikes and does a great job of keeping the bike looking shiny and making dirt easier to remove.

il_principe

unclemalc wrote:

I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to cleanliness. If you pays a lot of money for a beautiful bike - look after it!!!

Spray a water dispersant like GT85 over the chain links and run the chain through a dry cloth for a few dozen turns while holding it between the front and rear mechs - this will collect any dirty water gunge left.
Then repeat the performance with clean 3-in-1 type lube so that all the links are clean, lubed and not dripping oil. Clean the chainset and cassette too.

Not nerdy enough I'm afraid! GT85 is a degreaser and as such should be kept well clear of chains. KMC have a great article on chain cleaning and they know their stuff.


http://www.kmcchain.com/index.php?ln=en&fn=service#2

unclemalc

jashburnham wrote:

unclemalc wrote:

I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to cleanliness. If you pays a lot of money for a beautiful bike - look after it!!!


Not nerdy enough I'm afraid! GT85 is a degreaser and as such should be kept well clear of chains. KMC have a great article on chain cleaning and they know their stuff.


http://www.kmcchain.com/index.php?ln=en&fn=service#2

Point taken jash.The above I was told by my LBS years ago. However as I have said elsewhere on threads like this, if you are prepared to keep the thing lubed properly, subsequent to grease removal, its not so much of a faux pas having degreased! Ta for the link.

Gussio

Baby wipes are excellent for removing light soiling and cleaning off grubby bar tape.

zenzinnia

No need for all this expensive car shampoo etc - use cheap hair shampoo. It's basically the same and dosn't have the salts that detergents have. Don't use a hose because the pressure can force water into places you don't want it. Do wipe the chain and re-apply bike oil after riding in the rain

To be honest I rarley bother cleaning the bike too much - just keep the chain and stuff lubed up and an occassional wash down or a wipe with a damp cloth.

Parsnip49

Clean? Bike?

wtf?

unclemalc

Parsnip49 wrote:

Clean? Bike?

wtf?

Felix-da-house-mouse

jashburnham wrote:

unclemalc wrote:

I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to cleanliness. If you pays a lot of money for a beautiful bike - look after it!!!

Spray a water dispersant like GT85 over the chain links and run the chain through a dry cloth for a few dozen turns while holding it between the front and rear mechs - this will collect any dirty water gunge left.
Then repeat the performance with clean 3-in-1 type lube so that all the links are clean, lubed and not dripping oil. Clean the chainset and cassette too.

Not nerdy enough I'm afraid! GT85 is a degreaser and as such should be kept well clear of chains. KMC have a great article on chain cleaning and they know their stuff.


http://www.kmcchain.com/index.php?ln=en&fn=service#2

thats what the gt85 does its degreasing the chain and cleaning it the you wipe off with a dry cloth and lube with your normal lube i.e finish line dry wet or whatever you like.

beegee

i always thought GT85 was similar to WD40. The GT85 people call it a lubricant : www.gt85.com

unclemalc

Description: The lubricant, penetrator and water displacer. Containing Teflon, this spray can be used in all conditions and contains no CFC's. Aerosol, Penetrating, With PTFE. No CFCs, for derailleurs, cables, brake levers, and for frame polish. NOT chain lube!

This was from a website. So officially its definitely NOT a chain lubricant.
So, back to square 1 - if you have a degreased chain, don't use GT85 as a lube, but just as a cleaner, prior to RE-LUBING with something made for the job.
If your chain is well greased, don't use GT85 on it (unless you want to get that grease off...).


Also see 'Maintenance Question' in this section....

Felix-da-house-mouse

Does wd40 wortk the same as gt? and why do bikers only use gt? or is it a fashion thing or what???

unclemalc

Don't think WD40 has the ptfe in it like '85.....
Stinks too.

STEFANOS4784

synchronicity wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

synchronicity
Ooooo no the salts in the washing up liquid can do more damage than you will think. It loves to eat rubber. please use it appropriately.

Yes I've been using fairy. Most detergents are long-chain non-polar alkane molecules with polar functional groups on one end. That's the way they work - by dissolving grease/oil (non-polar molecules) in water (polar). They form what's called a micelle around the micro fatty droplets:



I would have thought it's all good if you wash it off. It certainly does no more damage than the human sweat I'm trying to get rid of.

Exactly what i was about to say :!: 8)

feel

Felix-da-house-mouse wrote:

Does wd40 wortk the same as gt? and why do bikers only use gt? or is it a fashion thing or what???

have a watch of THIS

unclemalc

feel wrote:

Felix-da-house-mouse wrote:

have a watch of THIS

BRILLIANT!

Amen.

dennisn

I spray mine down with "Simple Green"(don't let it dry on the bike).Scrub any tough
spots. Hose off with water. Respray chain, front and rear mechs,crank, cassette, real good. Let soak a few minutes. Hose off with water. Use a shop vac to blow off the water. Clean the chain as best I can with a rag. Re lube, ride. Works for me. Used to be really anal about it and would spend hours. Those days are gone.

Dennis Noward

beegee

And to think for the last 25 years I've been using wd40 or gt85 to lubricate the chain, derailleur etc. No wonder I didn't win any races.

unclemalc

I think its time this particulat thread was snapped off.
No doubt we can add its link to the next time it comes up...