Degreaser

ross_mcculloch

At what stage in the washing process should you use it and on what parts of the bike?

Also...what's a good one to buy?

dave_hill

Gunk

Big aerosol £4.99 from Halfrauds.

Spray it liberally round the chain, sprockets, chainset and derailleurs, work it in with a stiff brush and then rinse off.

I usually do it as the first bit of my bike-cleaning routine.

Goose2k7

Hi Ross,

I use Fenwicks (supposedly good for the paintwork, some are quite corrosive?) as you can make up quite a few litres of the suff. Pretty much the same as Dave give everything a good soaking and clean from there!

Goose

rapid_uphill

gunk is good you spray it on first to loosen the dirt and grime. then wash the bike.

stumpyjon

Muck Off or Hope Sh1t Shifter for me. Spray all overall, scrub and quickly rinse off.

Halfords citrus degreaser for use in my chain cleaning tool.

ross_mcculloch

Thanks guys.

What other products do you use during the washing/lube process?

nferrar

If the bike's very muddy I hose it down first then spray Muc-Off all over and use a soft brush then hose it down again. I'll then clean the chain and use spray degreaser on the mechs and cassette if they need it then use a sponge + car shampoo all over then hose it down again. After that I use kitchen paper to dry the shiny bits + bearings and gt85 the chain to get the water out (i'll lube it properly later on).

zeroseven

No chemicals, just steam. Works better than anything.

Northwind

I use gunk for a degreaser, but it's not an everyday cleaner... Oh, and watch out if you have a tarmac driveway/garage floor, it'll dissolve it! Excellent stuff.

snotty badger

I use Fenwicks too- get loads for ya £££.

rowlers

this is the dogs danglies:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-Litre-Virosol-C ... dZViewItem

look locallly see if you can get it cheaper. diluted 10:1 it strips the kak off a cassette and chain in no time.

200:1 is a good general purpose cleaner the wife would be happy with!

JA27

Elbow Grease Multi purpose de-greaser from Yorkshire Trading company for anyone oop north, 95p for a big bottle works like a charm!

ross_mcculloch

That Virosol on eBay looks a good bet, wonder if it's ok on bikes?

I'm currently using muck-off, less than impressed with it.

Northwind

If you're trying to use Muc-Off as a degreaser you won't be impressed, it's a detergent cleaner, degreasers are a lot more powerful and specific. But it's a very good cleaner.

ross_mcculloch

What bits of the bike should you use degreaser on and which bits are a no-go area?

nferrar

Avoid degreaser in places with bearings (headset, hubs, BB, suspension pivots), unless ofc you're stripping those and regreasing them after.

Bmjboy

ross_mcculloch wrote:

That Virosol on eBay looks a good bet, wonder if it's ok on bikes?

I'm currently using muck-off, less than impressed with it.

Works wonders on bikes - I use it after finding info already on here. Its citrus-based and not harmful to the environment.

The stuff will last you about 3 years!

I use mine neat on the cassette/chain with a toothbrush and chain bath,I get a mirror like finish like new after about 30secs scrubbing. and diluted right down (150-200:1) for general washing the bike - works a treat!!

As a matter of caution I dont spray my exposed fork sections with it incase of ingress into the housing - other than that, its fine.

Ive got a 3l pump bottle (also on Ebay) with diluted Virosol in to soak the bike with before hosing off.

Best £10 - £15 you'll spend I guarantee it - Ive got 2.5l left after having it a year AND giving bottles of it to mates!!

The stuff is classed as a multi purpose cleaner, but I think it came to light in the car cleaning community as it brings alloys up a real treat.

ross_mcculloch

Purchased some of the Virosol, let's see how it cleans the bike now!

Yukon Lad

yep, i might have a look cos i cannot be bothered paying a rip-off price for basically just a degreaser with a sticker on

Yukon Lad

mudslinger

Can the virosol be used for cleaning brakes as well?

Jimbo.

Brake and Clutch cleaner makes a nifty "localised" or parts degreaser. I say "localised" as it's best left to small parts, ideally removed from the bike, and as it comes in aerosol only, gets somehwat expensive £/ml when compared to (comparatively less effective) degreasers like Fenwicks, Gunk etc.
Just keep it away from bottom brackets, hubs etc, as it wil eek its way in past seals and will melt away grease like nothing else.

Mattbot2

Is this the gunk stuff everyone is on about?

http://www.gunk.eu.com/html/products/731.html

Northwind

Yup. If you can find old stock, it used to be better, but some of the chemicals were banned :shock: It no longer eats tarmac quite as effectively

Mattbot2

Northwind wrote:

Yup. If you can find old stock, it used to be better, but some of the chemicals were banned :shock: It no longer eats tarmac quite as effectively

My sabotage plan is ruined!

Yukon Lad

Northwind wrote:

Yup. If you can find old stock, it used to be better, but some of the chemicals were banned :shock: It no longer eats tarmac quite as effectively

That would mess up a roadies day pretty well, get a litre of it and throw on the road

Yukon Lad

Northwind

Like an ACME Portable Hole

Mattbot2

Yukon Lad wrote:

Northwind wrote:

Yup. If you can find old stock, it used to be better, but some of the chemicals were banned :shock: It no longer eats tarmac quite as effectively

That would mess up a roadies day pretty well, get a litre of it and throw on the road

Yukon Lad

Bah, that's the wimpy way.

Get like 100 cans of it in the middle of a road, then throw a lit molotov at them.

Mattbot2

I'm in need of something to clean the bike with too.

Not sure what to get, has to be available locally as I'm riding tomorrow and going to get verrry muddy.

From the looks of things, Gunk aerosol degreaser for the chain, cassette and derailers, then muc off or similar for cleaning the frame / other bits?

Yukon Lad

[/quote]

Bah, that's the wimpy way.

Get like 100 cans of it in the middle of a road, then throw a lit molotov at them.[/quote]



Yukon Lad