What to wash your winter crud away with?

Whiteeddymurphy

New cervelo due in next 2 weeks and need to get straight out on it. What would you suggest are the steps I should take prior to heading out into the wet when I return and best products to use. Thanks guys

simon_masterson

I only use Green Oil products, and therefore use their bike wash and degreaser. They work well, but it doesn't matter much as long as you're using something.

pinarellokid

STOP... cover it in heli tape before you even build it

Trust me

animal72

The motorcycling world is your friend.

Scottoil 365 to protect the bike, Fuchs degreaser to clean it.

Whiteeddymurphy

Thanks for that.

sloppyschleckonds

Whiteeddymurphy wrote:

New cervelo due in next 2 weeks and need to get straight out on it.

I'd wait until winter is over.

Muc off works well.

gavbarron

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Whiteeddymurphy wrote:

New cervelo due in next 2 weeks and need to get straight out on it.

I'd wait until winter is over.

Muc off works well.

Similarly I'll be waiting till winter is over





To wash my bike

homies35

My cervelo got put away in october stripped down all the stuff rebuilt onto a titanium planetx.I also have an aeron for when it turns really shitty,and scouring the internet now for stuff for the cervelo .... di2 or sram red..

Whiteeddymurphy

Won't be going out if covered in salt etc but up to now this is mild by any means so will be out

MattC59

Wash most of the censored off with hot water and fairy liquid, rinse well as fairy has salt in it, then clean any remaining oily goop off with baby wipes. There are loads of sprays etc which will make a film to repel dirt, but 'Mer' car Polish is as good as anything and is cheap.

cougie

The long term weather forecast was for winter to begin Mid January - so I'm sure it will get much worse before it gets better.

The roads round here turned into an ice rink when it was 5 degrees last week - so its not the best time to be getting out on a new bike.

I use a muc off spray and then hose/sponge the bike down.

100%

+1 MucOff here.

I also use GT85 as a water displacement/cleaner on things like pedals plus Rock N Roll Extreme lube on the chain.

Cheers,
Steve

Brant

Muc-Off is very good but expensive for what it is...soap. Their bike spray is also handy.

I use car shampoo a lot and it's just as effective, rinse bike down thoroughly beforehand and have different sized brushes to hand for the fiddlesome bits. Don't forget the lube.

Secteur

After every ride I do this;

1) hose bike down
2) spray with pink muc-off spray, scrub rims quickly with firm brush to loosen "baked on" dirt
3) hose bike down
4) spray with pink muc-off spray, spray cassette with Morgan Blue degreaser (whilst spinning the cranks)
5) leave for 60 secs
6) hose bike down
7) put bike in garage wet
8) in the evening; oil the chain


EDIT how do I get 8 ) to display properly, in stead of a smiley?!

buddy_club

water

GiantMike

Jet wash then 3-in-1 lube for the chain.

Iamnot Wiggins

GiantMike wrote:

Jet wash then 3-in-1 lube for the chain.

100% agree on this. Make sure you get the head of the jetwash right near the bearings.

cycleclinic

the above is good. I lube the chain I rarely clean the winter bike. The muck is on the frame and that does it little harm. When I clean the frame it is only with water the plus gas (or WD40) to polish the tubes but I make sure I spray the rag not frame. The oil from the chain I leave on the chainstays as it protects the stays (steel frame no protectors). I never clean up the hubs as cleaning them does not make the bearing last longer (or they last an age without cleaning so why waste my time). The winter bike is for riding not cleaning or posing. I would not worry about cleaning to make you parts last longer cleaning will not do that. Lube the chain. It is a bit like washing a car really what is the point, it not make it run better.

paul64

In the past I found it all too easy to smear dirty oil on the frame once the brush was contaminated from the drivetrain. So for cleaning at any time of the year I clean that first as it makes it much easier to clean the rest of the bike afterwards. I am also mindful how abrasive the paste is to rims, brake pads and the drivetrain if left.

My routine is that I keep a separate (car wheel) brush just for the drivetrain and begin there with a quick water rinse to wet it, spray with muc-off or whichever degreaser equivalent I pick up cheaply, scrub the chainset cassette and chain,use a Park chain bath with Fenwicks, a bit more degreaser and another scrub of the whole drivetrain and rinse it.

This seems to make the biggest difference for me and the rest of the bike is then simple no matter how much winter grime is on it. I typically use a little car wash & wax and my normal bike brush which has no oil residue on it. I always remove the wheels to scrub the tyres and rims and take the point that the hubs don't need it although scrub them as I might as well whilst I'm at it.

Also I don't use a pressure wash on the road bikes or wheels, just a watering can which I find is sufficient.

Finally I dry the chain with cheap commercial-type roll-paper, oil it then wipe off excess.

In answer to the OP about pre-care rather than after-care I do keep a can of bike spray around and use occasionally on frame only, the polish allegedly making it even easier to clean but I don't bother on the winter bike.

outcastjack

I spend much of my time in a flat with no access to an outside tap so tend to used a car shampoo called 'Optimum No Rinse' which is pricey but brilliant.

Order of washing is not especially original and happens about once a week or after a mucky ride

-Degrease chain etc (Normally using muc-off or Autoglym degreaser and an old tooth brush)
-mist over with pink Muc-off spray
-wash using Optimum No Rinse. about 1 ml in a 5 l bucket is adequate.
-Dry bike with with a microfibre towel, chain with a 'j' cloth or similar
-re-lube: currently using muc-off dry lube for cables and Bike line wet lube for the chain.
-once or twice a year non sealed bearings get some Comma high temperature grease

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washing-a ... d_773.html

Anonymous

For a quick wash at the end of every ride, I use warm water with some soap and the hose, I also use a firm cloth/sponge, to wipe down the chain with the same water and soap. I then re lube the chain.

bowdy1987

Question.

Do you all remove the chain for cleaning ?

I do but sometimes find that my gearing is all over the place when I replace it.

This is my method

Turn upside down and place bike on a soft mate as not to damage hoods or saddle.

Remove both wheels and chain.

Use a wallpaper adhesive brush. £2 in asda and clean cassette with hot water and fairy liquid. And clean rims and spokes.

Place chain in a jar with de greaser inside .

Clean frame and forks a with a soapy sponge, use old cloth on rear mech and clean jockey wheels by spinning in between fingers covered with cloth.

For the rest of the clean I floss between the from mech and around the bottom bracket area.

Remove chain and lie along floor and go at it like a mad man with adhesive brush.

Rinse in soapy water and allow to dry.

Put bike back together and wipe chain with an old tea towel.

Spray the oilers with tf2 spray to lube cables. Spray tyres with silicone spray to give that 'wet look'
Mind you don't get any on braking surfaces.

Wipe off any loose drips and then spray a bit of tf2 on a cloth and wipe over bike frame.

Lube chain.

animal72

For chain cleaning, you can't beat paraffin and an old towel.
Cheap as chips, and just as good as any chain cleaner you'll find in a bike shop.