cleaning and maintenance

[craig kennedy]

ok so newbie still here.

I am cleaning my bike tomorow, its grubby. Also the brakes require significant pull to stop, I mean when I pull the brakes I nearly have to pull them fully on to brake.

Questions:

1. Cleaning with washing up liquid ok?
2. presume just wash it thoroughly top to bottom, remove wheels etc clean it all.
3. will standard car degreaser be ok on all chain related stuff?
4. WD40 or is a proper bike oil needed (I have a small bike oil)
5. Dry with hairdryer? (how do I make sure its totaly dry to avoid rust)

I know it seems stupid to ask these, but as a kid I had the same bike from age 10 to age 17, and not one single time did I either oil or clean the bike, granted I had only rear brakes at one point, having lost the front ones, the frame bent after a crash so was no longer able to pedal while turning (over handlebars) and eventually it got stuck in 3rd gear, unable to move.

 

[MontyVeda]

I use a bit of washing up liquid, but others will say it's a no-no.
I have a big tyre brush which does the job.. i don't normally take anything off (eg wheels).
WD-40 will degrease your chain but it won't lubricate it... so make sure you lubricate it.
forget the hairdryer.

 

[craig kennedy]

lol, hairdryer was a joke. Just hand dry I guess

So in order, clean down with whatever cleaning liquids (I guess car shampoo would be better)
then de-grease with degreaser (car one is fine)
then dry thoroughly
then re-oil everything

sounds like a 3 hour job to me., so thats sunday sorted, no gardening for me

 

[raleighnut]

lol, hairdryer was a joke. Just hand dry I guess

So in order, clean down with whatever cleaning liquids (I guess car shampoo would be better)
then de-grease with degreaser (car one is fine)
then dry thoroughly
then re-oil everything

sounds like a 3 hour job to me., so thats sunday sorted, no gardening for me

If using car shampoo with wax DO NOT get it on the wheel rims or if you do clean it off them with washing up liquid (I always take the wheels off to get at em better with my scrubbing brush plus it makes it easier to get at the brakes, stays and the inner face of the forks)

 

[mrbikerboy73]

Washing up liquid is actually an oily substance so it won't do the braking surface of rims any favours if left on there but let's be realistic here. A small amount of it, or car shampoo will be fine is rinsed away properly. Keep on top of the cleaning regime and it's a piece of cake. A damp cloth is usually good enough if it's just lightly soiled. I use a bit of car shampoo when it needs a bit more of a thorough clean but washing up liquid is fine and I've used it before too.

 

[MontyVeda]

I don't bother drying my bike after a wash or a run out in the rain... it's not going rusty either.

 

[Citius]

Washing up liquid is actually an oily substance so it won't do the braking surface of rims any favours

What do you mean by 'oily'..?

 

[mrbikerboy73]

If you look at the bubbles from washing up liquid, you can see those rainbow colours, like diesel on a wet road.

 

[Citius]

If you look at the bubbles from washing up liquid, you can see those rainbow colours, like diesel on a wet road.

Washing up liquid is a detergent - can you explain why it would contain oil?

 

[Profpointy]

If you look at the bubbles from washing up liquid, you can see those rainbow colours, like diesel on a wet road.

Good observation, but wrong conclusion. The colours are due to the thickness of a layer being comparable to the wavelength of light - giving you interference between beams reflecting back and forth between the surfaces. No doubt wiki has better explanation. Thus - thickness, or maybe thinness of layer of oil on top of water= colours. Ditto thinness of water layer in a bubble - no oil in the 2nd case

EDIT - and the colours on a beetle's back - thin colourless layer on top of the underlying carrapace

 

[steve50]

Good observation, but wrong conclusion. The colours are due to the thickness of a layer being comparable to the wavelength of light - giving you interference between beams reflecting back and forth between the surfaces. No doubt wiki has better explanation. Thus - thickness, or maybe thinness of layer of oil on top of water= colours. Ditto thinness of water layer in a bubble - no oil in the 2nd case

EDIT - and the colours on a beatle's back - thin colourless layer on top of the underlying carrapace

Refraction of the light much like a rainbow.

Having looked after and detailed many cars in the past I can safely say using washing up liquid is a definite no no as it contains salt and as we are all aware salt promotes rust. Fine if you have a carbon bike but on steel or aluminium I would say no, use a drop of car shampoo instead. If you have V brakes make sure you clean , rinse thoroughly and dry off to remove ant residue shampoo / wax.

I have also been informed using expensive cycle oil for your chain etc is no different from using a drop of clean car engine oil which I have used myself, if the oil is good enough to look after my car engine in extreme temperatures it is good enough to lube my cycle chain.

 

[Profpointy]

Refraction of the light much like a rainbow.

Having looked after and detailed many cars in the past I can safely say using washing up liquid is a definite no no as it contains salt and as we are all aware salt promotes rust. Fine if you have a carbon bike but on steel or aluminium I would say no, use a drop of car shampoo instead. If you have V brakes make sure you clean , rinse thoroughly and dry off to remove ant residue shampoo / wax.

I have also been informed using expensive cycle oil for your chain etc is no different from using a drop of clean car engine oil which I have used myself, if the oil is good enough to look after my car engine in extreme temperatures it is good enough to lube my cycle chain.

Regarding soap bubbles - it is interference, not refraction like a prism, or a rainbow. Different thing
Off topic now, but here's a linky - http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/15E.html

On the salt thing, I've heard it before, but am a bit sceptical it matters that much. My pans and cutlery don't corrode, but I admit I dry and oil my carbon steel knives, and steel is mostly stainless, albeit kitchen stuff is not top grade stainless. You'd wash any soap off after all. I'm a rebel and happily put washing up liquid in my squirter bottle in the car, admittedly isn't as effective as the proper stuff.

Agree with the any-old-oil (within reason) point - what matters is oil as opposed to neglect.

Not a believer in degreasing bike parts (other than wheel rims).

 

[Citius]

Having looked after and detailed many cars in the past I can safely say using washing up liquid is a definite no no as it contains salt and as we are all aware salt promotes rust. Fine if you have a carbon bike but on steel or aluminium I would say no, use a drop of car shampoo instead. If you have V brakes make sure you clean , rinse thoroughly and dry off to remove ant residue shampoo / wax.

The salt 'issue' is massively over-stated. Most bikes will have a combination on steel and aluminium cycle parts, regardless of whatever the frame is made of.

 

[mrbikerboy73]

Washing up liquid is a detergent - can you explain why it would contain oil?

I'm pretty sure it doesn't contain oil as such, but it is certainly a slippery substance that you probably won't be wanting on the braking surface of your wheels!

 

[bpsmith]

It cracks me up when people say things like "if it's good enough for my car engine it's good enough for my chain". Not the same job, so why would you assume that it's suitable.

Shower Gel cleans my skin great, so should I use it to do my teeth too?