Basic bike maintenance and cleaning

[tigger]

Sorry if these sound like daft questions but I'm looking for some tips for very basic cleaning. Mainly keeping the chain, cogs and sprockets clean. What products do you use, do you even grease the chain - I've heard conflicting opinions on using grease?

Also, whats the best products for keeping a carbon frame clean? Anything to avoid?

Cheers

 

[Gerry Attrick]

One product only needed..........Johnson's Baby Wipes.

No joke. They will clean anything on a bike from road muck to chain grease. If my bike is really muddy, then I wash it off with water and maybe car shampo. Then nowt but Baby Wipes.

Tesco's do a box of six packs of the thing for a fiver. They'll last you for months.

Harmless to CF.

 

[Globalti]

DON'T grease the chain, it will end up a horrible mess of black muck. Grease is for motorbikes where you want a lubricant that won't be thrown off. Use Finish Line dry lube with teflon, it's pretty good. use sparingly and keep the chain on the dry side rather than over-lubricated. Every couple of months it will pay to remove the chain and clean it in paraffin/white spirit/BBQ fluid/kerosine/turps subs. Buy a simple chain wear checker and replace the chain when it reaches the wear limit, this will save your rings and sprockets from wearing out too fast.

Wash the bike down with car shampoo, don't use dishwash liquid because it contains salt as a thickener. Dry and polish that nice carbon frame with car polish.

 

[Davidc]

If the car shampoo followed by water followed by Baby Wipes fail (I use wet wipes from Boots, just as good) then WD40 is an excellent cleaning fluid. Gets tar and oily gunge off wonderfully.

For the chain one popular system is known here as the mickle method.

Some here don't agree but I wouldn't let WD40 near the chain, just proper bike lubricants such as the Finish Line ones.

 

[- Baz -]

+1 for baby wipes. Plain hot water from a spray bottle gets rid of most muck from anywhere on the bike. Car polish is a bit of a faff. Don't know about a carbon frame, but I use Mr Sheen to polish (ordinary flavour) - gives a great long lasting finish and any water just rolls off...

 

[ianrauk]

DON'T grease the chain, it will end up a horrible mess of black muck. Grease is for motorbikes where you want a lubricant that won't be thrown off. Use Finish Line dry lube with teflon, it's pretty good. use sparingly and keep the chain on the dry side rather than over-lubricated. Every couple of months it will pay to remove the chain and clean it in paraffin/white spirit/BBQ fluid/kerosine/turps subs. Buy a simple chain wear checker and replace the chain when it reaches the wear limit, this will save your rings and sprockets from wearing out too fast.

Wash the bike down with car shampoo, don't use dishwash liquid because it contains salt as a thickener. Dry and polish that nice carbon frame with Mr Sheen.

Fixed that for you..

 

[lukesdad]

Baby wipes.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hot soapy water (Fairy liquid) and a sponge. A cheap 1.5" Paintbrush with insulating tape over the metal bits is useful for getting in the nooks and crannies.
Then Baby wipes.
Then Mickle the chain.
And agree with the Mr Sheen, makes the bike look fab and also easier to clean next time.

Lubewise I use Finish Line Green (Cross Country).

 

[Globalti]

Aerosol polish is a good idea and quicker than car polish, I agree.

 

[xpc316e]

Never use household washing-up liquid to clean bikes, cars, etc. It contains salt as a thickener - consequently, it leaves behind traces that accelerate corrosion.

 

[darth vadar]

Garden pressure sprayer, warm water and a tooth brush to get into all the nooks and crannies. Baby wipes for when the bike just needs a quick going over or the rims need a quick clean to stop squeeky brakes. Then, a spray of GT85 on the chain.

 

[tigger]

Thanks for all the replies gents. Think I've got a nice new cleaning regime with a mixture of all the above.

I've gone for:

Hose down to get the worst off - Spray Muc Off degreaser all over the chain, rings and cassette give a good scrub with a bike brush - hose off and repeat if necessary - Wash frame with warm water and car shampoo - dry off and polish frame with GT85 - finally rub off chain as per the mickler method and put a little Finish Line Dry Lube on. Looks great and all done in about 20 minutes.

Hmm I love the smell of GT85