cleaning/maintenace after every ride? weekly?

MikeB1986

Got my new bike I went for a Voodoo Hoodoo figured I should look after it better than I did my old one. Theres so much conflicting information online. Realistically what should be done if anything after every ride and weekly

I figured when its dry its OK not to do anything, just wipe and oil the chain once a week.
when its wet and muddy? hose down and oil the chain? do you oil the sprockets and everything too or does it build up a lot in there if you do.

What about forks? a wipe down with a clean rag? oil them? with what?

also whats the difference with all the oils you can buy? dry lube, wet lube, general bike lube, 3-in-1?

Thanks

felix.london

I'm riding a 12-16km XC trail everyday - I'm also riding in (usually) very dry, dusty conditions so give the bike a good hose down every 2 or 3 days and re-lube the chain with finish line ceramic wax.

I put the chain through a chain cleaner maybe once a month - a few times with some citrus degreaser, dry it and lube it up again.

Seems to work well for these conditions i.e. never have any sticking, jumping gear shifts and there's never any grit in the drivetrain

Tazzedx

Whatever you do don't use WD40 or GT85. Finish Line, Rock 'n' Roll, wet or dry all good stuff and often as not personal choice and type of riding will decide people on what they use.

At the least check and lube your chain at least every two to three days and wipe your fork stanchions down and keep the seals clean, maybe even a light spray of fork lube.

Regular cleaning helps you to spot problems early and then fix them or make adjustments.

As you say your bike is new I strongly advise keeping a close eye on all the fittings, check all the bolts to make sure none of them are coming loose, make sure there is no play in the wheel bearings, pedals and the bottom bracket. All of this stuff can come loose while you bed the bike in, if you find any play get it sorted straight away.

My Hoodoo was fine but not every store is good, better safe than sorry.

GT1984

Why do you say not ot use gt85???

Tazzedx

It's no good for chains as a lube, it's too thin. It's ok for sticky cables and you could use it to get the muck off your chain, I know plenty of people who instead of a de-greaser use WD40 or GT85 to help clean the chain by taking the chain off, hanging it up and giving the chain a good soaking to get the crud off, then dry the chain thoroughly before lubing the chain with something like Finish line or Rock 'n' Roll. Not my preferred method but that's their choice.

There are many, many lubes to choose from, they suit different uses and conditions and it can depend on how often you ride and the mileage you do. You'll probably find, like many others, that you'll try different lubes out until you find one you like and that suits what you do.

I prefer the Rock 'n' Roll products, others like Finish line.

I'd hesitate to advise you on what lube to use, read up on it, go on CRC, or the MTB magazines, read the reviews and especially the customer reviews as they are by people who use the stuff on a daily/weekly basis. Good luck!

skullthaw

on chain lube

dryish or road conditions suit dry lube/ wax ( needs to be degreased an dry before applied- ideally)

wet muddy conditions suit wet oil (lube)- wipe excess off with cloth then apply

oh and curry grease is not suitable seen it done tho made me starving

as mentioned gt85 is a penitrant/ light oil and good for cables brake levers cleats etc

oh and to clean mud off paint an stop it adhearing as well

check the lower headset bearings every now an then they get rusted quick compared to other bearings or but a bit of inner tube around it stops dirt and acts as a cable scuff protector as well

Tazzedx

Two broken fingers again, .......ouch! Wish you a quick recovery. I just healed up from multiple fractured ribs. I really prefer that to broken fingers though, makes life damned awkward that does.

S-M

I use GT85 as a cleaner

I wipe the paintwork down on the bike with it :?

I take the chain off, hang it from the garage roof and use GT85 to clean the chain by spraying from top to bottom, it works well.

I was recently on Morrisons and they had some own brand maintenance spray for 99p/can so i have been testing this stuff as well, seams to do the seam job and it cleaned up my rear cassette in no time at all last sunday after a 30mile session in the woods.

cooldad

S-M wrote:

I use GT85 as a cleaner

I wipe the paintwork down on the bike with it :?

Why???????
Just why?

S-M

Cleans and stops the dirt sticking to it, hides all the scratches on the satin black paint, need i go on?

I spent nigh on 7 years as the owner of a car wash and valeting site, i have used WD40 wipes (and many a tin of gt85) on countless amounts of engines to clean parts up in the past, rubber, plastic, black paint, pretty much the same as a bike

Wash bike down with car shampoo, rinse, spray gt85 onto a rag and wipe over the paint once its dry, it leaves a nice slick coating that helps the dirt fall off the next time around.

I suppose i could get some of the VAST amount of valeting chemicals i still have stored in my garage out and do a full on valet, but that's a bit silly.

jon1993

First get the bike (especially from halfords) strip all the bearings and grease liberally theres never enough on these bikes. My 3rd one from there now and all have been the same. Check all the bolts and fixings throughout for yourself and get some threadlock use sparingly on parts that need it.

Then once thats done every ride - wipe forks with tooth brush around the seals and wipe with clean rag. Do any adjustments strait after the ride that way there fresh in your mind and ready to ride the next time you want to. Chain clean whenever it looks like it needs it to dependant on riding to say how often but just remember to clean the cassette chain rings and derailler. i do the chain with a jetwash between the chainset and wheel as it goes underneth frame in the gap there so i dont come in contact with bearings. This makes the chain spotless just remember to dry and relube instantly and its like new. A general cosmetic clean whenever it looks like it needs it.

Other than that routine maintainance every 500 miles strip bearings and re grease just to be safe and extend there life and follow your fork service manual for those as dependant what forks you have to what needs to be done when. Hope this helps.

Thewaylander

Also WD40 is good for driving water out of chains if you ride in very wet conditions.

jon1993

+1 to thewaylander or use as a degreaser if gunked up the chain badly.

timmy2shoes

[size=18] I have made a fatal error i fear, and sprayed my disc brakes with WD40! I have owned my rockhopper 3 weeks and i'm heading to a trail centre in north wales in the morning! Short of replacing the lot, what can i do?

I have read i can used rubbing alcohol? I'm looking for some advice.

Cheers[/size]

cooldad

That would work on the rotors, hopefully you haven't contaminated the pads.

WD 40 has no place anywhere near a bike, especially spraying it randomly.

weeksy59

cooldad wrote:

WD 40 has no place anywhere near a bike, especially spraying it randomly.

You're wrong. WD-40 is excellent on bikes.

Anonymous

timmy2shoes wrote:

I have made a fatal error i fear, and sprayed my disc brakes with WD40! I have owned my rockhopper 3 weeks and i'm heading to a trail centre in north wales in the morning! Short of replacing the lot, what can i do?

Give it to someone who won't spray things on their brakes.
It's for the best.

Chunkers1980

I've got a shelf next to my bike which I keep my WD40 on. That's a place near my bike.

CD and Nick (nick has said this in the past), you're just wrong, WD40 is great on bike if used sensibly.

felix.london

I must admit I used some the other day to clean my forks after stripping them down. They do seem to have a nice protective layer of goodness on them now - and my oh my are they shiny 8)

1mancity2

Fork Juice for Forks!
Chain lube for Chains!

Every ride wipe down with a cloth with warm water, dry and lube the chain and spray fork stantions.

cooldad

WD40 is fine for displacing water. Not for lubrication, and certainly not to be randomly sprayed on a bike.
As the op found out.
I would also avoid spraying it on forks. It is not good for the innards.

andy46

Just a little fact, WD stands for water displacement and the 40 just means it's the 40th mix. I wouldn't use it to lube anything on a bike though.

Northwind

cooldad wrote:

Why???????
Just why?

It takes dirt off and leaves a nice shine. And also helps reduce the amount of mud that sticks to the bike.