How to clean bike covered in mud - UPDATE

redrabbit

I've read that jet washing a bike isn't great. So I guess the alternative is bucket and sponge?

The problem with this, is yesterday I did a sportive which was through flooded swamps, muddy tracks, which has left a thick crust of mud ALL over the bike.

I kinda thing the jet wash is the only option?

Or is there a trick to washing a bike as dirty as this?

Thanks

Chunkers1980

Rinse with hose, scrub with sponge

Angus Young

Garden hose to soften and remove the bulk of mud. Bucket of hot (nicer on the hands!) soapy water and sponge or car brush (I use a big brush and a small brush for hard to get at places) to wash it down. Then back to the garden hose to flush it all off.

Mind you, last time I washed it I had to pull lumps of mud off with my hands before I got started with the hose.

redrabbit

Unfortunately no hose or access to one. I live in a block which has no outside taps or houses.

I could use the bath but that might be messy

njee20

How do you have a jet wash with no hose? Or do you mean a garage jobby? You can do it, just be aware it will fuck your bearings up. It's how all pro bikes are washed.

redrabbit

njee20 wrote:

How do you have a jet wash with no hose? Or do you mean a garage jobby? You can do it, just be aware it will fark your bearings up. It's how all pro bikes are washed.

We have a jet wash in work, or alternatively could go to garage

I think I will have to on this occasion as its literally caked thick in mud in every area

Chunkers1980

Mud doesn't matter if your drive train is clean and lubed

batmo

If you are going to use a pressure washer, at least wind the pressure to the minimum and try not to point it straight at bearings, hubs, bottom bracket, suspension seals etc.

warpcow

What chunkers just said. If you have to, just let the mud dry and then you should be able to poke/brush it off.

*AJ*

This could help....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-Powe ... 46252d9982

redrabbit

UPDATE

So I used a power washer to clean the bike as we have one at work and the mud was deep in the pedals, the tyre had doubled in size due to the mud drying and just getting into every millimetre of the tyre. There didn't seem much choice.

Before cleaning the tyre when spun made a real gravely noise, like metal on metal. This is coming from the brake disk area I think

After cleaning it was the same.

I've not used any lubricants, oils, cleaning fluids on it. My GFs bike which is virtually brand new is the same after the mud got stuck to it.

if I spin the tyre now, it does go round, but just scratchely and really unsmoothly.

Any ideas on how to treat this?

The Rookie

Yup, take it for a ride, it'll stop after a bit, or just pore lots of water through the brake calliper.

step83

Been using pump sprayers for a while on mine had no issue, pressures enough to push off the mud but not enough to breach seals from what ive found.

Also expect some brake squeal while the brake pads dry out.

This is what I have

jimmyion

I used to live in a block with no outside tap. In these cases, i knocked the thick mud off, sprayed the bike with muc off (other alternative brands available!) and then got a brush that would normally go on the end of a hose with a bucket of hot water with a cup of muc off (other alternative brands available!) solution in it and scrubbed.
Refill bucket with plain hot water and rinse.
As most the posts say above, keep your disks free of lube or chain spray.. lube the chain etc and you should be fine!

To be honest though, muc-off is the nuts!!

paulneenan76

Mud dry's. Use a stiff hand-brush to remove it all, give the chainset a good brush off with a chainset brush and claw type thing, I use cheap baby wipes (non-moisturising) on the frame, forks and chain, then gt85 cables and chain and lube the bits you lube. Easy peasy. When really shitttty, the hand pump sprayers are ideal.

Twelly

Step83 wrote:

Been using pump sprayers for a while on mine had no issue, pressures enough to push off the mud but not enough to breach seals from what ive found.

Also expect some brake squeal while the brake pads dry out.

This is what I have

Plant sprayers are awesome bike washers, however I can never be arsed anymore so I just wait for it all to dry, wipe the fork, shock, reverb and lights with a wet cloth, soak same cloth in WD40 or GT85 and wipe the chain and cassette down, lube it up the night before the next ride. I have a multi layer protective mud coating on everything else.

bagz3

I just let it dry, brush off and lube up. Far easier and less mess.