Cleaning products and maintenance

Ross Gardner

It's time for me to get ready for cleaning. I have looked around at what bike-specific cleaning products are out there:

Disc brake cleaner
Anti-corrosion spray
Reproofing (for waterproofs)
Greaser
De-greaser
Lubes (various, e.g. suspension)

Obviously there are two types of bike maintenance:

-a labour of love
-cost effective

I'm the latter (no offense). All this stuff used after every single ride? I hope not. I'm guessing there would be recommendations to find somewhere that would do this for me (like a dog groomer). That's a hassle if I want to have my bike every day, so no thank you. So what do you guys use?

mattyfez

bucket of warm water with a squirt of washing up liquid, and a cheap pack of dish washing sponges for 99% of cleaning.

Disks generally keep themselves clean unless you get any grease/lube on them. Avoid getting anything greasy on the disks.
Also try and avoid dripping too much water down suspension stantions, and avoid jet washers, a good old fashioned small sponge is ideal as you are not drenching areas you dont want to with excess water/greasy detergent.

Keeping the chain and cogs clean is worthwhile as everything will run smoother, but you don't really need to degrease the chain, just scrub the crud off it so it looks clean and put some chain lube on it.

Anything else I'd just get on a need to get basis.

rockmonkeysc

Always remember to use degreaser before re-greasing.

mattyfez

Just to add a cheap bike brush set is handy, for cleaning in between sprockets, I use one of these, dirt cheap so the bristles don't last forever, but handy

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00H8KWJO0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1465240823&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=bike+brush&dpPl=1&dpID=41VjlhvUSfL&ref=plSrch

Ross Gardner

mattyfez wrote:

Keeping the chain and cogs clean is worthwhile as everything will run smoother, but you don't really need to degrease the chain, just scrub the crud off it so it looks clean and put some chain lube on it.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Always remember to use degreaser before re-greasing.

Contradicting.

StinkinHippy

Plain water and the muc-off bike cleaning brushes. Every few rides or when it gets particularly caked in mud in the winter.

The poundshop version of muc off spray is pretty decent, but I ran out of that couple months back and haven't really found myself missing it. Maybe when winter comes round again

The Rookie

Bucket of water and a sponge. I lube the chain with squirt so no degreaser needed there. Stanchions get a quick/light wipe with fork oil once dry.

Use car shampoo maybe once every 3-4 months for a degrease clean of the parts that shouldn't have grease on at all (such as frame). Quick smear of vaseline in steel bolt heads occasionally to prevent them going rusty.

timpop

@mattyfez "Our products will enhance your experience to unparalleled inspiration."
Brilliant.

Ross Gardner

The Rookie wrote:

Bucket of water and a sponge.

Just water and sponge, or soap as well?

The Rookie wrote:

I lube the chain with squirt so no degreaser needed there.

and

The Rookie wrote:

Stanchions get a quick/light wipe with fork oil once dry.

After every ride?


Which fork oil? I found these sprays:

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/s ... sion-spray

http://www.juicelubes.co.uk/fork-juice.html

The Rookie wrote:

Quick smear of vaseline in steel bolt heads occasionally to prevent them going rusty.

Ball park, how often is occasionally?

Jonesinamilion

Rightly or wrongly, this is my routine after most wknd outings...

Hose down with Adams Ale to rid most debris.
Degreaser spray to drivetrain, wait then scrub with stiff brush.
Liberal coating of muc-off bike cleaner
Clean with soft brush.
Rinse with hose.
Dry chain.
Hand dry most of frame.
Bounce bike & spin wheels to rid moisture
Ptfe based spray to forks, Front mech, rear mech
Light wipe of ptfe to frame.
lube chain (dry)
admire.