Cleaning and Servicing My Bicycle

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Octet

Veteran
I haven't used my bicycle properly in a long time, I only really use it to take the fifteen minute ride down to the shops and then back. I am ashamed to say, the most I do in terms of servicing is spraying a bit of WD-40 on the chain every month or so and pumping the tyres.

Now I am looking to get into the sport more seriously, I thought it would be about time to do a proper service, and restore as much of the bike to health as I can.
From articles I have read on this forum and on the rest of the internet, I understand that you should de-grease the parts and wash it down with water (and car wax?) and then apply proper bicycle lubricant.

If anyone can give me any suggestions on how to properly clean the bike and maintain it in the future I would be appreciative. I'm guessing that bits of hay and sand stuck in the chain aren't good for your bike?

Thanks in advance!
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
Hi Octed, I'm no expert myself :smile: but you surely mean wash it down with water and car shampoo, not wax ;)
Personally, I don't degrease, 'cause my rides don't get that dirty. A good place to start for a clean chain and smooth drive train is this. Read Mickle's excellent tips here. Happy cleaning!
 

Pauluk

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
You could treat your chain to a de-greasing with a citrus degreaser then just wash your bike with warm soapy water and rinse to get it all nice and clean.

Let the chain dry for 10/20 minutes then either lube it with a decent chain lube or use GT85. You can spray GT85 over the derailleurs and front and back cogs then just wipe off any excess. Make sure it doesn't go near the brake pads, rims/discs, bottom bracket and ends of the wheel hub bearings.

You can spray some GT85 on the frame paint work (sparingly) and wipe with a rag, cleans the surfaces and smells nice.

Once its all nice and clean spend 10 minutes running the chain through a rag to wipe off as much of the lubricant as possible so that the outer surfaces of the chain are nice and clean and free from lube (leaving lube on the outer surfaces just lets muck and grit adhere to the chain so spend as much time as you can wiping the chain).

Repeat the chain lube procedure at regular intervals (I do mine every time I clean my bike as I don't like to use heavy or thick lubes on my chain and derailleurs) Degreasing doesn't need to be carried out each time though, you could do this when you do a more major service.

There are a few other things to do but this would be a good starting point.
 
OP
OP
Octet

Octet

Veteran
Thanks for the Articles, shall give me something to read before going to bed. On the Weekend, I shall get the old toothbrushes out alongside a warm bucket of water and start scrubbing. Shall also order some bicycle chain oil from Amazon, hopefully it shall arrive by Monday :biggrin:
 
OP
OP
Octet

Octet

Veteran
Thanks Pauluk, shall take that advice on board. I will however need to find an image somewhere on the internet for the anatomy of a bike... what's a derailleur?
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
Thanks Pauluk, shall take that advice on board. I will however need to find an image somewhere on the internet for the anatomy of a bike... what's a derailleur?
Back derailleur: back round set of steel wheels with teeth that engage the chain.
Front derailleur: front (one pedal comes out of it) round set of steel wheels that engage the chain.
 

lpretro1

Guest
Sorry but the rear derailleur is actually the mechanism which hangs on the frame and allows you to change up and down the 'steel rings with teeth on that engage the chain' (otherwise known as a cassette). Likewise the front derailleur is the mechanism attached to the seat tube which allows you to move up and down the front set of steel wheels aka (crankset or chainset)
 
OP
OP
Octet

Octet

Veteran
Ok, thanks for the updated info lpretro1.

Still need to clean it, whatever it is called :tongue:
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
bicycle_parts_labeled.jpg
 
OP
OP
Octet

Octet

Veteran
Thanks Cubist, should come in help! Shall print of a picture of it for when I clean and oil it.
 
OP
OP
Octet

Octet

Veteran
Just finished cleaning it, I'm still waiting for the oil which should arrive here by Monday at the earliest so unfortunately it won't get used on this beautiful, sunny weekend.

Here it is though, a Shogun Cult Mountain Bike. It's slightly scratched and isn't your £1000 carbon fibre racer but it should get some good use out of it now :thumbsup:

IMAG0003.JPG


She scrubbed up rather well :P
Shame I can't say the same about the patio :sad:
 
OP
OP
Octet

Octet

Veteran
Would WD-40 be suitable? That's all I have, other then olive oil which I don't suppose would be any good...
 

PaulSecteur

No longer a Specialized fanboy
Would WD-40 be suitable?

Personally, I wouldnt use it. There are many arguments for and against but its not a proper "lubricating" oil as it would need to be on a chain, and it doesnt have the shear strength needed, also, alot of wheat you put on will quickly evaporate with the naptha that is the carrier to get the very refined oil into the tight spaces.

I would use GT85 as a very short term lube, but not WD40.

Please bear in mind I could be wrong. Someone will be along in a moment to prove it!
 
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