Cleaning Carbon Bikes? What to use? Safely!

[zacklaws]

I believe the washing up liquid and salt destroying your bikes metal components is a bit going too far and scares people off by those saying do not use it for that reason, used sensibly, wash your bike and a good rinse off will cause no problems at all apart from the comment in the last sentence at the bottom.

If washing up liquid is that bad, how much cutlery and other kitchen metalware and how much of that is plated gets washed in it every day etc including plated sinks which have drips of it left to dry up on it every day, but I do not hear complaints about damage to such items.

I ride my best bike throughout winter and it must come into more contact with salt than what would be in a small amount of washing up liquid, and as I always rinse off my bike on getting home, it shows no salt damage.

But as 2pedalstez mentions it will strip off layers of wax polish etc from your bike and it would also be undesirable like any other degreaser to get into your BB or other bearings unless you can flush it out.

 

[Globalti]

Well, most kitchen ware is stainless.

Agreed the amount of salt will be very small when the DWL is diluted but the strong detergent will strip the paintwork bare. Why not use a car shampoo? It is more benign and will add wax to the finish.

 

[tigger]

Another one for baby wipes. I use them on the chain and cassette too (mickle method) - you need to be gentle and careful not to leave fibres on the cassette though. Oh and Finish Line Cross Country Wet Lube for the chain, both summer and winter for me, the Teflon Dry doesn't hang around for long enough IMO.


Baby wipes and lube is all you need for bike cleaning and maintenance. 10 mins and the bike is perfect

 

[david1701]

Probably not to the carbon fibre but any plated parts may get caught. I used some diluted washing-up liquid to help remove some handlebar grips last weekend. I've since spotted the plating on the brake lever screws has suffered after being doused.

I can see the sea from my window, worrying about salt spray would kill me