The POST wet ride bike clean up..........ugh !!

Raffles

I took the day off work yesterday and met up with the club for the early morning 50 miler . When I peeked out the window it was dry so I donned my nice new Pinarello short sleeve jersey for its maiden outing and met up with the rest of the riders. That particular ride ventures along a fair few country lanes which are scenic , have no traffic lights but unfortunately quite a lot of cows clap and horse todds splatterred along the road. Well.............20 mins into the ride, didnt our UK skies just start chucking it down :roll: As we were heading up a road there was a loud crash from the back and one of the group had gone down like a tonne of bricks. Turns out the poor guy had dislocated his shoulder and we all had to stand in the rain waiting for an ambulance we had called for him. We all cooled down dramatically and the cold shakes started as it became freezing. Needless to say everybody`s enthusiasm for the ride dwindled rapidly. I just wanted a hot shower and after the ambulance left, I headed for home. After the shower I went out to look at the bike........... :shock:

It was filthy in the filthiest possible sense. Thank god I had the afternoon to clean it. The chainstays were covered in the deposits from animals backsides, the wheels were caked in mud, the seat tube was caked in god knows what and I had a stone embedded in my front gatorskin which left a big slice in the tyre and a future puncture waiting to happen. I have a spare gatorskin in my garage so that got fitted straight away. What a job cleaning up the bike though !! If it starts raining, in future Im heading back home as the sogging feet and caked in everything bike just aint worth it. Do you lot ride in the rain and go through the ole filthy bike scenario. The fact that we were on country roads just made the clean up 10 times worse to be honest.

the_cyclist_of_catan

I'm thinking of rule five here.

Bikes get dirty. After the summer we've had, bikes get really dirty. Hosing it down after a ride deals with the worst of it.

TommyEss

This is why I have a winter bike with guards (for when it's raining at the start of the ride/forecasted rain) and an "autumn" bike, which is for wet/mucky roads but no forecasted rain (if that makes sense?)

Best bike only comes out when I'm pretty certain of it remaining dry (so not often!)

rolf_f

My Ribble has Cruds on all year round. That keeps a lot of crap off and mostly it takes only about 15 minutes if that to get it looking presentable and the chain cleaned (on the basis that it was clean before it went out!). Generally, there is a bit of muck around the calipers, a little on the chainstays and a little on the down tube. Otherwise generally it stays pretty clean.

cougie

I just ride. If its winter or especially foul - then its the winter bike and full guards. If its just summer rain - its the best bike. Hose the bike down - take a sponge to it and you're sorted. Its no bother at all really.

clickrumble

I have a bike with mudguards that I use for days like this. There are plenty of deposits on the raods round here too and they don't only spray up onto the bike if you're riding without guards!

slowbike

Muc Off

It's pretty good stuff and I use it periodically ... both the cleaner and the protection spray ...

In between I just use a hose, sponge and rag to clean off again.

Chain gets cack on it anyway so you end up cleaning that frequently ...

Graydawg

I don't have that luxury. I have 1 road bike which will get used regardless of weather and 1 MTB which is the same...

man, I need more bikes!!

Mikey23

Yup, more bikes it is then

meursault

Rule 5 all the way.

Once we have had a few rains, the roads will clean up no problem.

Bhoy1888

1 bike and a commute to work. Looks like a good clean as and when for me. Really looking forward to the winter kicking in properly, honest.