Bike Cleaning - What Works For You?

lighty89

What do you guys do when cleaning your Bike?
I use Muc-Off mainly, however, am slowly losing faith as it just seems to leave dirt on the bike!
Also, how do you go about chain cleaning? I use some Halfords Citrus Degreaser and scrub it (along with deraileurs), although am thinking about getting a chain cleaner!

njee20

Hose bike off. Big soft brush, splosh of Turtle Wax Zip Wax on the brush, rinse bike top to bottom, hose off. Finish Line Grunge Brush on the chain with some Fairy liquid. Big scrubbing brush on the tyres. Frame again if you've missed bits, hose off. Done. 15 minutes or so.

lighty89

njee20 wrote:

Hose bike off. Big soft brush, splosh of Turtle Wax Zip Wax on the brush, rinse bike top to bottom, hose off. Finish Line Grunge Brush on the chain with some Fairy liquid. Big scrubbing brush on the tyres. Frame again if you've missed bits, hose off. Done. 15 minutes or so.

It ok to use Turtle Wax on bike?
Take it that it cleans and shines lol...

njee20

I hope so! Can't say I've noticed any ill effects after several years.

mrmonkfinger

njee20 wrote:

Hose bike off. Big soft brush, splosh of Turtle Wax Zip Wax on the brush, rinse bike top to bottom, hose off. Finish Line Grunge Brush on the chain with some Fairy liquid. Big scrubbing brush on the tyres. Frame again if you've missed bits, hose off. Done. 15 minutes or so.

this, but, asda car wash soap.

+ some oiling/lubing after the wash.

lighty89

I must be getting conned with this Muc-Off then!
It seriously does not clean as well as I would like it to for how much it costs and how much you have to use!

njee20

It's crap. It's not 'bubbly' enough to be a detergent, nor strong enough to be a degreaser.

If you need something stronger on your chain then white spirit works.

lighty89

njee20 wrote:

It's crap. It's not 'bubbly' enough to be a detergent, nor strong enough to be a degreaser.

If you need something stronger on your chain then white spirit works.

Nice one pal.

andhr

I got some muc-off cleaning kit thing with my new bike, I used it twice and was distinctly unimpressed; leave it for the stated time and it dries leaving marks on the matt frame, wash it before and it does f*** all. Instead, I got a bike tub of Zip Wax, hottest water possible, brush down the bike with a soft carwashing brush and then hose off. Scrubbing brush with the zipwax/hot water on the chain, cassette and derailleurs - use a toothbrush to get grit out of the nooks and then hose down, wait to dry and then lube the chain.

I had read somewhere that you shouldn't use some washing up liquid's on chains/cassettes because it contains salt; but I always did as a kid and there was never any issue...

lighty89

Going to give the turtle wax a try!

Are chain cleaners worth it?
Or is it best to stick with degreaser/white spirit and scrub

lighty89

andhr wrote:

I got some muc-off cleaning kit thing with my new bike, I used it twice and was distinctly unimpressed; leave it for the stated time and it dries leaving marks on the matt frame, wash it before and it does f*** all. Instead, I got a bike tub of Zip Wax, hottest water possible, brush down the bike with a soft carwashing brush and then hose off. Scrubbing brush with the zipwax/hot water on the chain, cassette and derailleurs - use a toothbrush to get grit out of the nooks and then hose down, wait to dry and then lube the chain.

I had read somewhere that you shouldn't use some washing up liquid's on chains/cassettes because it contains salt; but I always did as a kid and there was never any issue...

That always happens to me! Makes my Bike look worse either way!

angry_bird

lighty89 wrote:

Going to give the turtle wax a try!

Are chain cleaners worth it?
Or is it best to stick with degreaser/white spirit and scrub

I'd read this

njee20

Are chain cleaners worth it?

I really like the Finish Line Grunge Brush, but hate the proper bath type ones, they're a faff to use, strip all the grease and lube out of the insides of your chain and then fall apart.

allthegearnoidea

ive been using the car shampoo method for years too, ive alwyas got some here as being ex trade it comes by quite easily! ;-) wash all the big mud bits off, wash the bike down with it, just keep it away form the disc's ,have an old Alloy wheel brush for the cogs, connical one with stiff bristles, and also have an x tools thin jobbyfor getting in the small gaps, have a tub that the brushes sit in with degreaser and whitye spirit mix in,
ive used the finish line chain bath for the past 6 years+ (the angled one), use it after every ride, white spirit in it, run through for a while, not had any issues with it, leave it hanging up to dry after a couple of bounces to get the worst of the water off and then re lube the chain and mech pivots,

used to use muc off in the early days but then startred to realise it was quite costly to do!!

supersonic

Hose down, 50/50 solution of washing up liquid/water in a pray gun, brush, hose, rinse, repeat.

mcnultycop

I just use water. I probably should try something "harder".

Northwind

I let it dry then brush the dirt off. Well, some of it anyway. Drivetrain and suspension get a proper clean, and every so often pivots and the like too.

I did just restore my Hemlock to whiteness though, for the first time in about 2 years... Was way beyond washing, needed to be attacked with wet and dry paper and tcut to get hte stains and marks out Still looks dirty but at least now it's dirty white, not brown.

WindyG

I use Poorboys Super Slick & Suds, it's a car shampoo but it's Ph balanced and works 100% better the Muc Off which I thought was overated for the money.

Myster101

Washing up liquids do contain salt which is why they're not recommended for washing cars etc (also quite harsh). I normally use Chemical Guys Maxi Suds for the wash with Megs APC sprayed on the really dirty bits first. Rinse then dry with a Sonus towel then treat with Chemical Guys Jetseal 109. Maybe a bit anal but its a hangover from my car detailing :shock: Haven't used the rotary on my bike yet though

bowden769

Myster101 wrote:

Washing up liquids do contain salt which is why they're not recommended for washing cars etc (also quite harsh). I normally use Chemical Guys Maxi Suds for the wash with Megs APC sprayed on the really dirty bits first. Rinse then dry with a Sonus towel then treat with Chemical Guys Jetseal 109. Maybe a bit anal but its a hangover from my car detailing :shock: Haven't used the rotary on my bike yet though

Ahhh a fellow detailer!!!! Good on ya

mrmonkfinger

Angry Bird wrote:

lighty89 wrote:

Going to give the turtle wax a try!

Are chain cleaners worth it?
Or is it best to stick with degreaser/white spirit and scrub

I'd read this

KMC make good chains, but I'm not sure about all of that advice.

KMC wrote:

NEVER EVER use a so-called ‘chain washing machine’ in combination with solvent. This is the one and only sure way to instantly ruin your chain.

Re-lube afterward = no problem.

felix.london

If I'm riding the following day; Nothing

If I'm not riding the following day; Hose down, clean & lube stanchions

If I'm going away to work; Hose down thoroughly, dry with rag, de-grease chain & re-lube, clean & lube stanchions, lubricate mechs, wipe down the whole bike

Getting home on Sunday after three weeks away..and they're gonna be shiny 8)

...ready to get dirty again...

Myster101

bowden769 wrote:

Myster101 wrote:

Washing up liquids do contain salt which is why they're not recommended for washing cars etc (also quite harsh). I normally use Chemical Guys Maxi Suds for the wash with Megs APC sprayed on the really dirty bits first. Rinse then dry with a Sonus towel then treat with Chemical Guys Jetseal 109. Maybe a bit anal but its a hangover from my car detailing :shock: Haven't used the rotary on my bike yet though

Ahhh a fellow detailer!!!! Good on ya

Oh yes, it's an addiction :shock:

Panthera

I use the Muc-Off range to clean and 'detail' my bike. I fine them brilliant and do a fantastic. So long as you use the product correctly and you your nonce it works wonders.

Using my Nomad, hose the bike down throughly, then spray on the bike cleaner liberally and leave for about 5 mins-ish to do its thing. In the meantime using a bucket filled with some car shampoo (Megs Shampoo plus) and various brushes, and sponges attend each part of the bike to clean etc... For the chain, I use the Degreaser and Chain Cleaner with doc and various Muc-off brushes. Hose down the bike with the Nomad. Spray Muc-off bike Spray over the bike and using a clean MF cloth wipe over the bike, rims any excess. Once bike is clean and dry and I am happy, spray Disc Brake cleaner on both sides of the disc, the follow with a clean MF cloth to wipe the dirt off. Take about and hour+


P.S. I am a little OCD

ThePriory1978

Have always used Fairy liquid to wash bike with a soft long bristle brush. It has never damaged anything as far as I’m aware.

Routine goes.
Hose bike (never near bearings)
Scrub drivetrain with degreaser Muc-off, Fenwicks, Hope Sh1t shifter, whatevers on offer.
Fairy liquid, soft bristle brush rest of bike.
Use a separate clean small brush for cleaning around rotors/brakes.
Hose down.

Personally it takes me longer to dry the bike down especially drive train and re-lube than it does to wash it.

Also every now and again when forks start feeling sticky I Fork Juice them and always after that a Fenwicks brake disc cleaner to remove contaminents.

Washing 10minutes, drying/finishing 20. I’m like a blur when cleaning it, quick as possible. Always comes out spotless but I hate doing it.

bennett_346

mrmonkfinger wrote:

Angry Bird wrote:

lighty89 wrote:

Going to give the turtle wax a try!

Are chain cleaners worth it?
Or is it best to stick with degreaser/white spirit and scrub

I'd read this

KMC make good chains, but I'm not sure about all of that advice.

KMC wrote:

NEVER EVER use a so-called ‘chain washing machine’ in combination with solvent. This is the one and only sure way to instantly ruin your chain.

Re-lube afterward = no problem.

The lube doesn't ever properly get back into the rollers.

lighty89

Seems to be some rather conflicting opinions about whether degreasing the chain should be done.

Northwind

Aye. My experience says, better to degrease it and relube it occasionally- there's nothing magical about a chain that means degreaser can get into the rollers but thin lube (or muddy water) can't. No orings etc in a mtb chain. Soaking the chain in lube doesn't seem to make any difference over applying it direct, either.

jndb72

supersonic wrote:

Hose down, 50/50 solution of washing up liquid/water in a pray gun, brush, hose, rinse, repeat.

This ^^^, except I use a spray gun

Also degrease the chain from time to time.

Monkeymuff

Mountain bikes look crap all sparkly,I think Santacruz recently displayed some of their new bikes all muddy,looked so much better in my opinion.
I leave my Whyte 905 all nice and dirty but keep the drivetrain well maintained.

Bigmitch

Angry Bird wrote:

lighty89 wrote:

Going to give the turtle wax a try!

Are chain cleaners worth it?
Or is it best to stick with degreaser/white spirit and scrub

I'd read this

Turtle triple wax spot on :P