OK to completely submerge a bike underwater for cleaning...?

Bhima
Bhima Posts: 2,145
edited February 2009 in Workshop
My mate is a car mechanic and has a big pool of water and degreser at work that he regularly dips dirty car parts in. He says that I can go in in the morning, and submerge my bike, while the pool is freshly filled and clean. It's pretty powerful stuff - he put a few black car parts in it and after 5 minutes, without any scrubbing, they come out silver!

Anything wrong with doing this?

I'm going to take off my speedometer computer, saddle, tyres and innertubes first.

Also, there's a setting which would pump high-pressure bubbles of air through the tank - it acts like a degreaser jaccuzzi! I know you're supposed to avoid high-pressure water around the bottom bracket area... What about this high pressure air? A bad thing too?

Comments

  • pinkbikini
    pinkbikini Posts: 876
    Can you take a photo of your bike before and after?
  • Slow Downcp
    Slow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    Dipping in degeeaser would strip all lubricant out of the BB and hubs, so the air wouldn't damage anything that you hadn't already ruined.

    Aviod doing either.
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Yes, I will. It's not that dirty at the moment though so if I do it, i'll have to take close-up pics of the dirtiest parts before and after.
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Slow Downcp wrote:
    Dipping in degeeaser would strip all lubricant out of the BB and hubs,

    Ok, I thought there would be trouble with the bottom bracket...

    What if I took it out? Would there be any other components which could get damaged?

    What about the wheels?
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Sounds like a VERY bad idea! You want to lose your paintwork and the grease from your hubs etc, and fill your frame and cables with water/degreaser? I think it will result in a very clean bike that squeaks like hell on its way to a premature and ugly death! Greasy gunk is no bad thing in the right places, this desire to get things clinically clean is smothering your bike with (inappropriate) love.
  • caw35slr
    caw35slr Posts: 439
    An overnight soak will make it even shinier! :-D

    Really, don't do this. Sadly, there aren't too many shortcuts to cleaning your bike that won't damage it. Park Tool has cleaning instructions: http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=85

    If, on the other hand, you do decide to go for the full degreaser dunk, I'm sure that before and after photos would give us all a lift. ;-)
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Hmmm Bhima - I'm starting to think that you may not be for real ? :twisted: :?:
  • cullen_bay
    cullen_bay Posts: 256
    use a shitty bike in it first, check and see if it works
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Bhima wrote:
    Slow Downcp wrote:
    Dipping in degeeaser would strip all lubricant out of the BB and hubs,

    Ok, I thought there would be trouble with the bottom bracket...

    What if I took it out? Would there be any other components which could get damaged?

    What about the wheels?

    Let's see. The seat might not come out very well. It probably won't do the tires much good. Probably seep into the "guts" of your shifters. Can't see that helping anything.
    The whole bike will probably drip degreaser for a month or so. How does that sound?
    How much thought did you put in to this(if any)? Or is this just a strange troll? In any case I had fun answering it and it made me laugh to think that someone might actually attempt something like this.

    Dennis Noward
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    cougie wrote:
    Hmmm Bhima - I'm starting to think that you may not be for real ? :twisted: :?:

    In what way? :lol:

    Oh well, looks like I WONT be doing this! Don't really want to risk anything.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    If I were dead set on trying this, no wheels, no brake pads and no bottom bracket. You'll need to regrease your headset afterwards as well.

    The chain probably isn't a good idea...


    Oh FFS it's a really bad idea. If you want a shortcut use baby-wipes.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • padonbike
    padonbike Posts: 46
    that's a really good idea.
    go ahead
    do it
    do it
    do it.
    aspra nella virtu', dolce nel sacrificio
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    :lol:

    Well, the reason I asked is because the mechanic mate of mine suggested I do it and he seems to know what he's talking about. Obviously not! :roll: Maybe car parts are different. I knew it sounded fishy, just thought i'd get a reaction on here...
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    padonbike wrote:
    that's a really good idea.
    go ahead
    do it
    do it
    do it.

    I agree. And afterwards it will dry quicker if you use an oxyacetylene torch....
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Certain parts - yes. An almost complete bike - no.

    He wouldnt dip an entire Volvo or anything would he ?
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    softlad wrote:
    padonbike wrote:
    that's a really good idea.
    go ahead
    do it
    do it
    do it.

    I agree. And afterwards it will dry quicker if you use an oxyacetylene torch....


    LOL :lol:

    You's guys aren't very helpful are you :wink::wink::wink:

    Imagine if you's 2 replied and he took your word for it!!!

    Bhima, get yourself some biodegradable degreaser, a chain cleaner and set of brushes and get your hands dirty. There are no short cuts, just be careful with the degreaser around ANYWHERE where there is any form of bearing










    Would have been funny though, I wonder how far you would have got before everything seized!

    Sorry Bhima, just as well you asked the collective wisdom of the forum eh? :wink:
  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    Maybe car parts are different.

    Yeah, they're usually big hunks of metal. I wouldn't mind putting a chainset or cassete or some other plain hunk of metal piece in but I certainly wouldn't drop the whole thing in.
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    I do remember once telling my cousin, who had asked me for advice on fixing his car,
    that as long as he was getting brake shoes to remember to also get brake socks and not to forget to ask the auto store guy to include a fan belt buckle too. He actually did it.
    Am I mean or what?

    Dennis Noward
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    softlad wrote:
    padonbike wrote:
    that's a really good idea.
    go ahead
    do it
    do it
    do it.

    I agree. And afterwards it will dry quicker if you use an oxyacetylene torch....


    +1
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
    Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg
  • Slow Downcp
    Slow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    Parts without bearings come up clean in the dishwasher, just lube pivot points of mechs etc when done.
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • NaB
    NaB Posts: 105
    NO NO NO would be my answer as has been pointed out stripping vital grease from bearings etc isn't the thing to do. Campag even say not to jet wash your bike because of this.
  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    Anything wrong with doing this?

    I'm going to take off my speedometer computer, saddle, tyres and innertubes first.

    Also, there's a setting which would pump high-pressure bubbles of air through the tank - it acts like a degreaser jaccuzzi! I know you're supposed to avoid high-pressure water around the bottom bracket area... What about this high pressure air? A bad thing too?

    I just wondered how far away is your mate,s garage, how long will it take to remove all the parts and then have to put them all back on again. Surely the most convenient way of cleaning your bike (without damaging anything is a good old bucket of water with a gentle cleaner and a couple of various sized brushes to get your bike sparkling clean. Dipping the bike in a tank full of water seems way O.T.T
    Ademort :?
    ademort
    Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
    Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
    Giant Defy 4
    Mirage Columbus SL
    Batavus Ventura
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    STEFANOS4784 wrote:
    softlad wrote:
    padonbike wrote:
    that's a really good idea.
    go ahead
    do it
    do it
    do it.

    I agree. And afterwards it will dry quicker if you use an oxyacetylene torch....


    +1

    But insert "Then give it a good blast with a jet wash." between "....agree." and "And afterwards......"
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • avoidingmyphd
    avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
    leave the bike out, but put yourself in and enjoy the jacuzzi.
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    It sounds a bit like the acid bath that guy in Mexico used to dispose of the bodies of those killed by the drug cartel...
  • chriskempton
    chriskempton Posts: 1,245
    I wonder if 'The Hutch' reads this forum? I could see him finding this thread useful for a certain regular feature he does.
  • aarw
    aarw Posts: 448
    reminds me of someone wnating to clean their laptop in the sink with fairy liquid....

    I'd be on the 'yeah, yeah, do it - lets see what it does' side of the fence. As long as it wasn't my bike!
  • pieinthesky
    pieinthesky Posts: 417
    Save yourself some time and effort.

    Pull a ready cleaned bike out of your local canal.
  • on the road
    on the road Posts: 5,631
    Bhima wrote:
    :lol:

    Well, the reason I asked is because the mechanic mate of mine suggested I do it and he seems to know what he's talking about. Obviously not! :roll: Maybe car parts are different. I knew it sounded fishy, just thought i'd get a reaction on here...
    He might know everything there is to know about cars, but how much does he know about bikes?

Categories