Cleaning one's bike

Cafewanda

I need to outsource this aspect of cycling

The post-rain cleaning I've done so far didn't prepare me for the joys of cleaning the chainset this afternoon. How many cloths does it take? Slowly running out of old towels to use :shock: One hour later and I'm still not done but am taking a break to have dinner and a glass of wine. Had thought of taking the wheels off to give them a good going over but no way am I doing that. Next month and I'll start Sunday midday rather than at 5pm.

Hopefully should be done by about midnight, then I've got to clean the bathroom (again) as that is now my designated bike cleaning shed.

Must remember to lube the bloody chain too :roll:

Hopefully the satisfaction of an (almost) sparkly clean bike for the morrow will improve my mood, but right now I'm a woman on the edge :x

Jay dubbleU

Well done - of course your bike's performance will be improved by cleaning - think how good you'll feel tomorrow

Cafewanda

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Well done - of course your bike's performance will be improved by cleaning - think how good you'll feel tomorrow

Jay, I really hope I do. Took a quick look at it and the chain is not sparkling to my satisfaction so am tempted to give it (yet) another going over :shock:

Dinner/wine time!!

redvee

You've cooked the dinner and cleaned the bike. Sounds like my ideal woman, quick jump on the next train out of Paddington to Bristol and I'll put the kettle on.

PS don't forget to bring a vacuum, dusters and washing up liquid

Jay dubbleU

Wanda - there really is a time when you need to call it a day - clean is enough - sparkle is dangerously obsessive

redvee

If CW wants to put all her maternal efforts into her bike let her. Some women get dogs, CW has her bike.

Jay dubbleU

redvee wrote:

If CW wants to put all her maternal efforts into her bike let her. Some women get dogs, CW has her bike.

And your head is still on your shoulders ? Or did you miss the bit about 'woman on the edge'

iain_j

The more time you spend cleaning your bike, the filthier it will get on your very next ride. Fact.

Aguila

Cafewanda wrote:

I need to outsource this aspect of cycling

The post-rain cleaning I've done so far didn't prepare me for the joys of cleaning the chainset this afternoon. How many cloths does it take? Slowly running out of old towels to use :shock: One hour later and I'm still not done but am taking a break to have dinner and a glass of wine. Had thought of taking the wheels off to give them a good going over but no way am I doing that. Next month and I'll start Sunday midday rather than at 5pm.

Hopefully should be done by about midnight, then I've got to clean the bathroom (again) as that is now my designated bike cleaning shed.

Must remember to lube the bloody chain too :roll:

Hopefully the satisfaction of an (almost) sparkly clean bike for the morrow will improve my mood, but right now I'm a woman on the edge :x

What you need my dear is a chain cleaning set eg

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360024028/

This will change your ordeal into a 15 minute breeze when combined with a bottle of de-greaser.

Oddjob62

Just buffed and lubed Carly and she's now spotless and ready for another month of SCSing

itboffin

Oddjob62 wrote:

Just buffed and lubed Carly and she's now spotless and ready for another month of SCSing

You clean your bike once a month?

If I don't do some kind of cleaning every other day the bike seizes

Oddjob62

itboffin wrote:

Oddjob62 wrote:

Just buffed and lubed Carly and she's now spotless and ready for another month of SCSing

You clean your bike once a month?

If I don't do some kind of cleaning every other day the bike seizes

Not much to "seize" on a fg, she gets a rinse and basic maintenance check at the weekends, but this was a thorough, getting in everywhere and making her sparkle, removing, scrubbing and relubing the chain and even wiping down each spoke and buffing up the hubs.

Zachariah

I just did the monthly full clean - slightly easier than yours, as it's a SS. Normally I hate cleaning anything, but wiping down the bike then buffing it up with GT85 gives me a zen-like calm.

Sewinman

I do not clean the chain and gearing that much....am i wrong? I assumed that black and oily was a good place for a chain set, why would it want to be shiny...? I get rid of gunge etc but leave it at that.

Advise gladly recieved!

suzyb

I thought the same as you but from my time on this forum I've come to the conclusion that black and oily is in fact wrong and you want it clean and shiny with lube.

iain_j

Sewinman wrote:

I do not clean the chain and gearing that much....am i wrong? I assumed that black and oily was a good place for a chain set, why would it want to be shiny...? I get rid of gunge etc but leave it at that.

Advise gladly recieved!

Oil is good but in there too is grit and dirt and other muck which all becomes a gritty paste which grinds away at your chain and gears and knackers them.

Oddjob62

suzyb wrote:

I thought the same as you but from my time on this forum I've come to the conclusion that black and oily is in fact wrong and you want it clean and shiny with lube.

A lot of that "black" is crap picked up off the road. As this gets between moving parts it gradually wears them away. You want to clean that off and replace it with fresh lube.

Jay dubbleU

Black and oily is a heresy - degreasing removes the old oil and all the crap it picks up - replace with new clean lube - don't forget to clean the rear mech as well as the chain - the jockey wheels pick up lot of dirt as well

Cafewanda

redvee wrote:

You've cooked the dinner and cleaned the bike. Sounds like my ideal woman, quick jump on the next train out of Paddington to Bristol and I'll put the kettle on.

PS don't forget to bring a vacuum, dusters and washing up liquid

:P I'm looking for one of those myself

Cafewanda

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Wanda - there really is a time when you need to call it a day - clean is enough - sparkle is dangerously obsessive

I contained myself, just. Still took me another hour and a half to clean the rest of the bike, lights and panniers and put a layer of Mr Sheen on her

Redvee is very lucky I've had two glasses of wine with my meal so my good humour is restored.

Chain cleaning kit is now on my list of things to buy next payday, along with brake blocks/pads/thingys.

Is it too late for a large bowl of icecream?

cjcp

Buy some babywipes. Brilliant stuff.

On a more conventional note, FS-1 and FS-10 are good products. And you can use kitchen towels to clean the brake pads and wheel rims.

wyadvd

Sewinman wrote:

I do not clean the chain and gearing that much....am i wrong? I assumed that black and oily was a good place for a chain set, why would it want to be shiny...? I get rid of gunge etc but leave it at that.

Advise gladly recieved!

www.chain-l.com

theres something about this stuff. the only place you need lub is inside the area between the rivets and the spacers somewhere. wipe it off anywhere else its just grinding paste.

Burleybob

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Wanda - there really is a time when you need to call it a day - clean is enough - sparkle is dangerously obsessive

This is so true. Call me obsessive but when I'm feeling at a low ebb I take a look at my gleaming bike and think "That's a job well done".

Jay dubbleU

On a more important note - its never too late for icecream

Cafewanda

............ after the final glass of wine and before a cup of hot chocolate

I really need to get back to running :oops:

roger_merriman

itboffin wrote:

Oddjob62 wrote:

Just buffed and lubed Carly and she's now spotless and ready for another month of SCSing

You clean your bike once a month?

If I don't do some kind of cleaning every other day the bike seizes

I tend to clean the old racer after every ride, at least with the rain and muck, the big solid hybrid doesn't need cleaning the drive chain is fairly shot, but works, its a black mess but thats fine.

stuaff

cjcp wrote:

Buy some babywipes. Brilliant stuff.

On a more conventional note, FS-1 and FS-10 are good products. And you can use kitchen towels to clean the brake pads and wheel rims.

+1. Just bought some FS-1. Good stuff indeed. Shifted all the crud off the Viner following Friday night's epic.

Cafewanda

Guys, guys, this talk about various products is all very well but what I need is for someone to deep clean my bike once a month.

I thought this was a friendly forum :roll:

stuaff

Cafewanda wrote:

Guys, guys, this talk about various products is all very well but what I need is for someone to deep clean my bike once a month.

I thought this was a friendly forum :roll:

Oh, you mean someone else.............. 8)

beverick

People keep mentioning this cleaning lark but I really don't understand what it is. Does it make bikes go fatser?

I also have a theory about chain cleaning insofar that most people only clean the muck of the outside of the chain when its the paste between the links and around the pins you need to get rid of.

Also, in my experience chain baths are especially good at removing surface dirt.

You really need to take the chain off, soak it in degreaser and use a stiff brush to get between the links. Give it a good rinse with a solution of washing up liquid and hot water, dry it off, give it a good spray with WD40, add a smear of lube and then put it back on. I sometimes take the cassette off and give it a clean but it usually gets away with a wipe.

I do this on the commuter "hack" a couple of times during the winter. I never do it on the "dry weather only" road bike, the chain just gets a wipe with a rag and a few drops of finish line.

Regarding chain cleaner the citrus are pants. 'Muck off' isn't too bad, finish line also but I still favour the old favourite "Gunk".

Bob

soy_sauce

CW, i also ran out of old towel for cleaning my bike... in fact, i haven't clean it for 5 months so i def need to clean it this week sometimes.

bought a chain cleaning kit the other week so gonna see what that get on.

also im thinking about using a stream cleaner to clean the bike, has anyone tried that before? and what the result from that?