Bike cleaning in the winter months
- Thread starter johnnyb47
- Start date
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One of the lads I work with recently bought a secondhand road bike for commuting to work. Hand it to him, he's going at it rain, hail & shine. As said bike didn't come with mudguards, the whole of the lower part of the bike & drivetrain gets covered in roadmuck which he has to clean off on an almost daily basis. 
Let's hear it for decent mudguards - !
Let's hear it for decent mudguards - !
iluvmybike
Über Member
Mudguards - oh yes they are a real help and they keep the crap off your clothing as well. I hate seeing those without 'guards with that filthy gritty strip up their backs. If bikes are not cleaned regularly and things like pivot points on derailleurs & brakes go unlubed they will start to corrode and stick, mucky brake pad and rims mean they wear more quickly. So yes, my bikes gets cleaned regularly even if it is really cold - quick wash-off outside with hose, bike cleaner & brush down, rinse then let it drip dry while I have a brew then in the shed and ready for a bit of a wipe down and lube. And no, I am not 'bored' or not 'have anything better to do'. That's what I choose to spend a bit of time on as my bike gives me a great deal back 
Gixxerman
Guru
- Location
- Market Rasen
We use that on our EE Lightning that I am an engineering team member for. She is stored outside and this stuff has kept all the mechanical bits free (including the engines). It is superb stuff but not cheap.
Yeah its not cheap but if it protects aircraft on carries at sea
edit: just googled EE Lightning
guessing you know about the aircraft bit then 
Gixxerman
Guru
- Location
- Market Rasen
Yeah. We have a live aircraft up at the old Binbrook airfield (service code XR724). She hasn't run for about 10 years now as a lot of the enigineering team left and some sadly died. It was bought by a consortium of enthusiasts (The Lightning Association) when it went out of service. I think we got it for £2000. It was based at Warton when she left service. That gave us a issue as how to get it to Binbrook. Road transport was out as that would mean chopping the wings and vertical stabiliser, which would mean that it would be the end of it as a live aircraft, and would scupper our (then) plans to try and return her to flight (no chance now BTW). So after much head scratching and a kind offer from BAE systems (the OEM), they offered us a loan of 2 flight certified engines as the ones in it were not flight certified having exceeded their service life. If we could do an engine swap and get it through tests, BAE would do a one-off ferry flight to Binbrook. So, a team of ex-lightning ground crew who were part of our engineering team went to Warton and performed the engine swap. It passed all tests and it was ready for it's flight to Binbrook. However, there was a problem. For BAE to fly it, they had to own it. So we made a gentleman's agreement to sell it BAE for £1 and they would then sell it back to us for £1 upon landing at Binbrook. So it was on 23 July 1992 BAE's chief test pilot flew her into her spirtital home of Binbrook. She then had her original engines refitted (they had travelled by road) and the loaned engines were returned to BAE systems. We hope to have her running again soon. We would have been close now, but the pandemic put a stop to the engineering meets. You can check our progress on our Facebook group (search for XR724 Lightning F6).edit: just googled EE Lightning
Warton is just down road from me. Will google and have a shufty, sounds fantastic 👍
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Just done mine outside and its taken over an hour to get feeling back in hands and feet
I've largely given up cleaning my bikes at home in winter- too cold, might have a quick go at one if it's like +8 or something.
I give the rims a wipe down then run the chain through a rag and oil it, and I do it at work where it's warm - all the managers (except me) are working from home now anyway.
Very unusually I had to rinse down the Elephant bike yesterday because I used the local Sustrans path to go to a lock & key shop. Cyclocross-style mud, had to put my trainers in the machine when I got home. I usually avoid it, then a couple of years pass and I think 'ah, it won't be that bad'.
I give the rims a wipe down then run the chain through a rag and oil it, and I do it at work where it's warm - all the managers (except me) are working from home now anyway.
Very unusually I had to rinse down the Elephant bike yesterday because I used the local Sustrans path to go to a lock & key shop. Cyclocross-style mud, had to put my trainers in the machine when I got home. I usually avoid it, then a couple of years pass and I think 'ah, it won't be that bad'.
confusedcyclist
Veteran
But... but... BUT, then where is my excuse for a 10 minute coffee and kit kat break?!
Good idea though.
rockyroller
Guru
- Location
- 20 miles northwest of Boston, MA
here are the 2 bikes I used for winter commuting (2009-2010) both with mud guards & studded tiresLet's hear it for decent mudguards - !
the main steed, a 700c wheeled hybrid w/ DIY drop bars
the 26er tank experiment, which I didn't really need
On the point of 'decent mudguards', one thing I've not seen in years are the 'shortie' mudguards that were popular on road bikes back in the day. They were, as far as I'm aware there to keep road debris off the mechs of the front & back brakes, but the only place that seem to have any available are vintage ones on E-Bay - ! Surely the same logic still applies, but why don't we see them available today - ? 
itboffin
Guru
- Location
- Marlborough, Windshire
You’d get that in 5 mins on the main road in “summer” down these parts, I’ve reverted to using winter grime as a lubricating sealant
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
You don't need an excuse. Have the break anyway. Without bothering to wash the bike.
GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
After yet another muddy ride yesterday, I can't see the point in doing any proper bike cleaning until spring at least, just a hose pipe wash and basic lube will do.
