Shiny clean commuter?

Compost
Compost Posts: 63
edited February 2010 in Commuting chat
How often do you clean your commuter bike?

Mine gets a scrub down and lube every few months in the summer but once a month in the winter. I park it next to a Tricross that's absolutely gleaming every day.

Am I a heartless neglector of my bike or is he a little OCD?!

Comments

  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    It you own a mighty Tricross, you too would be lovingly cleaning it every night.....
    Just make sure you do not use your cape to dry it!!
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    My Tricross would be filthy in the winter if it wasn't for the SKS chromoplastics.

    So instead it's at a level I like to call "medium gruxy".
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    Whenever the weather is good enough on a Friday. I don't really have room in the shed so have to clean it outside :(
    Whippet
  • amnezia
    amnezia Posts: 590
    Does cycling in the rain count as washing?
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    I try to clean and lube my chain weekly then every other week give the frame a wash. Its a nightmare though, so many bits you just can't get to! Just spent a good 2 hours on my Allez and could probably spend another two... need a hose or maybe a jet washer!?
  • andrewc3142
    andrewc3142 Posts: 906
    I try to clean it properly every week (weather permitting)

    I find easiest is stick it on the workshop stand in the street, take both wheels off, cover the saddle and use a hose, spray on some Muc Off and then bucket of soapy water/cloth. Autoglym works well. With drying and greasing about 30 mins for a thorough job.

    Worse is getting stuck with doing all the family bikes ....
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Depends on the riding weather. If the conditions are crap I will clean it weekly otherwise bits wear out real quick. I will take the chain off and clean it thoroughly and clean the cassette off as a minimum, otherwise I notice a difference in the way it rides.

    In the Winter my frame is usually pretty mucky too after a week (150 miles) so I try to give that a warm water clean down if I get the time...it usually gets done less frequent though.

    My racing bike however gets cleaned after every ride wet or not, gotta look after that baby! 8)
  • mudcovered
    mudcovered Posts: 725
    Compost wrote:
    How often do you clean your commuter bike?
    Frame: Clean it when the mud build up adds too much weight or starts to interfere with the movement of the gear or brake cables. (Probably every 2-3 months in winter).
    Chain: If conditions are bad I end up cleaning it every day. :cry:
    Cassette/chainrings: Whenver they get gunked up enough to not shift right or if they are depositing dirt on the chain.

    Having a clean shiny bike every day is OCD or a very fair weather cyclist ;)

    Mike
  • SmellTheGlove
    SmellTheGlove Posts: 697
    Wipe over chain with white spirit a couple of times a week.
    Yearly - clean roadkill from cowcatcher and place in freezer.
    All she wrote.
    "Consider the grebe..."

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