Bike cleaning ?

[mark st1]

Hallelujah Brother!

Im dreading next time you speak to Venge he was fiddling with my di2 set up last week and id forgot to clean my cassette i wont repeat what he called me for a slight built fellow he has a vicious tounge ! lol

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

The problem with using anything which breaks down oil and resists water is that unless you remove the solvent properly it will have residue which will break down any new oil you put on there.
My own routine is to use straight 'cheap' (pound land) washing up liquid on the cassette scrub with a stiff paint brush, wash with water and dry, I then spray with WD40 to protect from corrosion, remove the jockey wheels and clean, wipe the chain with baby wipes and oil with finish line dry.
Oil the mech with finish line dry in a syringe.
The is the mech on my after a 14 months being ridden in all weathers.

 

[wanda2010]

V, sweetie-pie, bestest friend-for-life and all that? When you have a free 2 hours or so I've got three bikes that would love some of your attention

@ Mark st1 - you made me laugh despite having my sympathy.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

V, sweetie-pie, bestest friend-for-life and all that? When you have a free 2 hours or so I've got three bikes that would love some of your attention

@ Mark st1 - you made me laugh despite having my sympathy.

Love cleaning bikes, its really very relaxing, I have been known to clean my clean bikes again just because I'm bored...
Marks cassette was like a horror movie, I'm still having nightmares about it Seriously needs some bike cleaning lessons that fella.

 

[wanda2010]

Whilst I'm glad my cassettes aren't as dirty as Mark's sounded, I may have to make a greater effort before I go on a SLR and add wipes to my toolkit

 

[fossyant]

A rag and lube is all you need. You don't want to be degreasing stuff, just remove the crud. Degreasing strips oils on the inner of chain rollers. Oil it, and wipe and wipe more.

Cassettes, run a cotton rag (old T shirts are great) between each sprocket, no need for any degreaser. If its caked in crap, then a little squirt of WD40 on cassette, and use the rag to clean.

My chains, sprockets and chain rings are spotless just using the oil and rag treatment, and that's on the commuters as well.

Takes very litte time giving the chain a quick wipe, oil, and wipe. No messing with degreasers etc.

 

[jazzkat]

I use diesel to clean really mucky motorbike parts in a 'parts washer' but I wouldn't let it anywhere near my bike.

I take the chain off and clean it in a couple of jars of white spirit. Then into the sink with the washing up liquid. Dry it off and once dry relube. My chains last forever (well a lot of miles anyway) I don't put anything degreaser-ish near the cassette, I've had bad issues with washing grease out of freewheel hubs in the past.

edit - beaten to it by fossy

 

[MattHB]

Another for baby wipes. Don't use pampers, they're rubbish for cleaning bikes. The tesco value ones are good.

WD40 for me and light oil after with mickle method. Mr.sheen on the carbon frame and buff. Then wipe the rims round with a tiny bit of carb and brake cleaner to get rid of any over sprayed solvent.

 

[mark st1]

Marks cassette was like a horror movie, I'm still having nightmares about it Seriously needs some bike cleaning lessons that fella.

My lords ladies and gentlemen fellow cc'ers i present the following evidence to prove these vicious rumors are false...................



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[Mr Haematocrit]

OMFG...... I can finally sleep at night

 

[ianrauk]

Whats with the greasy hubs and rims then?

 

[mark st1]

Whats with the greasy hubs and rims then?

Its just a bad light for a picture

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Whats with the greasy hubs and rims then?

Baby steps Ian ... I only took the stabilizers off last weekend

 

[billy1561]

All these cleaning methods are all well and good but how do folks stabilise their bikes to do the work?
I guess a bike stand is the answer but not everyone will have one so is it the one handed job on the frame as the other hand cleans...
whenever i stand my bike against anything i usually end up with a desperate lunge to stop it falling as i wipe too hard or the front wheel shoots left or right unexpectedly

 

[mark st1]

Baby steps Ian ... I only took the stabilizers off last weekend

You should have put them on your own bike when we were going through Stockley Park