Unnecessary cleaning guilt trip
prophet01
Posts: 26
Since buying my first ever decent bike some 4+ months ago feelings of guilt over my failure to ever once attempt any cleaning operation have grown increasingly to the point when, this morning, I decided to get stuck in and right the wrongs of the past months.
Truth be told, I've been spurred into action by the increasing squeaking noises probably due to my additional failure to have attempted any lubrication of the chain etc.
So, down from the loft came my, so far, unopened and unused Aldi bike stand and up on the stand went the bike. I have to say how much I was immediately impressed with this £30 stand. I hadn't appreciated that it could hold the bike with perfect stability at a chain/eye level height whilst standing fully upright. So convenient for inspection and servicing.
Given that I cycle everyday, albeit short 10 minute road journeys to either my squash club or to grocery shop at my nearest Aldi, I was pleasantly surprised to see, on close inspection, that there was very little real dirt either on the bike or on the chain. I suspect I hadn't appreciated the extent of the cleaning effect that regular cycling in the rain provided.
So, my guilty feelings turned out not to have been necessary at all and all I need to do, I think, is to wipe the frame with a wet towel and thoroughly wipe the chain and cassette with blue roll.
As for the lubricant, unless anyone advises against it, I'll just nip out and get some, £3.99, Muc-Off chain oil from Aldi
Any constructive suggestions or criticisms are most welcome.
Ciao
Prophet
Truth be told, I've been spurred into action by the increasing squeaking noises probably due to my additional failure to have attempted any lubrication of the chain etc.
So, down from the loft came my, so far, unopened and unused Aldi bike stand and up on the stand went the bike. I have to say how much I was immediately impressed with this £30 stand. I hadn't appreciated that it could hold the bike with perfect stability at a chain/eye level height whilst standing fully upright. So convenient for inspection and servicing.
Given that I cycle everyday, albeit short 10 minute road journeys to either my squash club or to grocery shop at my nearest Aldi, I was pleasantly surprised to see, on close inspection, that there was very little real dirt either on the bike or on the chain. I suspect I hadn't appreciated the extent of the cleaning effect that regular cycling in the rain provided.
So, my guilty feelings turned out not to have been necessary at all and all I need to do, I think, is to wipe the frame with a wet towel and thoroughly wipe the chain and cassette with blue roll.
As for the lubricant, unless anyone advises against it, I'll just nip out and get some, £3.99, Muc-Off chain oil from Aldi
Any constructive suggestions or criticisms are most welcome.
Ciao
Prophet
0
Comments
-
Its not as dirty as it could be. The chain and cassette are not thick black with gunge.
Any chain oil will do. Just be sparing with it and only put it on the rollers on the inner parts of the chain and wipe of the excess. The more oil you have sitting on the chain the more dirt it invites onto it and more wear to the moving parts which will cause premature failure. Oh and next opportunity you get to remove the dork disc.......0 -
Done. Squeaking cleared.
As for the "dork disc"; had to google that as new terminology to me. It's done nothing wrong to me so I think I'll leave it be.0 -
I'd be happy if mine looked like that after I'd finished cleaning it.0
-
I'm not a big fan of clamping bikes by anything other than the seatpost.0
-
Arthur
Straight question, why is that?0 -
With double or triple butted frames the tube thicknesses can be quite thin, if you aren't careful you could deform the tube if you clamp too firmly. Best to clamp the seat post or at least the seat tube where the seat post is inserted.prophet01 wrote:Arthur
Straight question, why is that?0 -
My bike gets dirtier on any Sunday ride than that.
When the gritters come you'll have to improve on frequency of cleaning. Salt will corrode it in no time.0 -
Nothing really constructive to add, but I will say that you did a damn good job with the cleaning. I wish I could get my bike to look that good. I live in the country, which is great for a lot of places to go out and bike peacefully. Heck I can commute to almost anywhere I want, with rolling wheat/corn fields, Amish buggies going by I can wave at, and even commute with some fo the Amish bikers.
But when it rains, storms, or whatnot? My bike gets insanely dirty really quickly. I'm usually going to town hosing it down, lubing the chain, and going in with a brush all over the spokes and everything just to get it looking nice and to prevent rusting.0 -
Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:
With double or triple butted frames the tube thicknesses can be quite thin, if you aren't careful you could deform the tube if you clamp too firmly. Best to clamp the seat post or at least the seat tube where the seat post is inserted.prophet01 wrote:Arthur
Straight question, why is that?
Interesting point. I'll certainly take that into account although I adjusted the clamp to pinch just enough to prevent roll which is helped by the tube having a triangular rather than a circular cross section.0 -
Huismans wrote:Nothing really constructive to add, but I will say that you did a damn good job with the cleaning. I wish I could get my bike to look that good......
Ha ha, the photographs are prior to cleaning the bike. I use the bike on road and for only 20 minutes average per day hence the lack of dirt.0
