Cleaning pattern?

[Lien Sdrawde]

An amazing thing happened yesterday - I cleaned my bike. It was dirty, and I looked at it and thought 'that needs cleaning'. This is a first for me.


Anyway, its now fairly clean but I dont think I did it in a good methodical manner - advice would be appreciated.

Started with bike on bike stand and soaked the bike.

Sprayed all over with 'muck off' and left for a few mins.

Ive got two brushes, one for the bike over-all and one thats curved for gears rear mesh etc - I gave a good scrub to frame etc with first brush.

Now soaked rear mesh with more muck off and scrubbed with second brush.

Frame which i'd previously cleaned is now covered in dirt/ oil again from my scrubbing.

Cleaned frame again (mainly lower rear).

Now sprayed GT 85 lubricant liberally onto chain before wiping off with old t-shirt by spinning the pedals and letting the crap come off all over the frame again!

Ive now ordered a 'chain bath' to help me as iv'e now realised how dirty a chain can get, but i've now noticed my brushes are really dirty, so what do you clean those with?

All advice, as always, appreciated. Thanks, Neil.

 

[smokeysmoo]

i've now noticed my brushes are really dirty, so what do you clean those with?

^ Parrafin, I use this in my chain cleaner too, but I don't use the chain cleaner device very often as I find it a right old faff TBH.

I clean all the oily bits first, usually with Wurth brake and clutch cleaner, (automotive product we use at work), it does a magnificent job and evaporates quickly leaving no residue, (it's superb for fitting MTB grips too for this reason). Then I do the wheels, then wash the bikes from top to bottom. Chamois dry and re-lube, happy days

 

[rusky]

Whenever I clean my bike I always seem to end up getting rid of the road grime & spreading grease all over the frame!

 

[funnymummy]

Whenever I clean my bike I always seem to end up getting rid of the road grime & spreading grease all over the frame!

I usually end up wearing the road grime & grease all over me, think I may invest in an all-in-one overall thingy!

 

[JonnyBlade]

I wipe my bike down with baby wipes every time I go out on her. Wipe the chain and derailleur wheels down and oil the individual links. If it's dirt then it shouldn't be on my road bike! The more frequently the clean the less you have to clean. Treat her well and she will respond in kind

Whenever I carry out a friendly repair on bikes for the Boys and Girls at work and when I'm asked 'how much do I owe you?' I always respond 'just clean your bike'

 

[Rebel Ian]

I always start with the chain as cleaning it and relubing it always gets grease on the frame.

So it's chain first, then cassette and rest of gear mechanism. Then wheels and spokes and finally the frame but i don't use fancy bike cleaners. I use the best cleaning product known to man that has a million and one uses and is endorsed by hundreds of people on Cycle Chat - baby wipes!

 

[Lien Sdrawde]

Many thanks

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

My method is this is its been a wet week. Takes about 4-5 hours on a Sunday morning, but I really enjoy it

1 Chain off, its SRAM with power link, which is truly a wonderful thing. Rub and clean with cloth
2 Wheels off, tyres off, inners off, wash tyres, check for chips in tread, clean hubs, and spokes and rims
3 Rear wheel cassette off and clean, put back on
4 Front chain rings off and cleaned
5 Brakes off and cleaned, re lubed as necessary
6 Frame cleaned with polish or Meguiars car detailer
7 Front mech off and cleaned, put back on
8 Rear mech off and cleaned and put back on
9 Crank and pedals cleaned
10 Seat post off and cleaned
11 Brakes back on
12 Cables guides back on and checked
13 Wheels on, and brakes adjusted as necessary
14 Crank back together
15 Seat back on
16 Chain back on, lubed and cleaned thru after oil soaked in
17 Gears tested, brakes tested click wiz down the road
18 Back in house ready for work
19 Final polish!

When I do the big clean like above, I tend to take the brakes apart completely, clean, re grease and put back together, and I tend to fix any mechanical problems along the way.


If its been a dry week and no rain at all, just a quick rub down with polish, and lube, and a check over.

 

[beastie]

I wipe my bike down with baby wipes every time I go out on her. Wipe the chain and derailleur wheels down and oil the individual links. If it's dirt then it shouldn't be on my road bike! The more frequently the clean the less you have to clean. Treat her well and she will respond in kind

Whenever I carry out a friendly repair on bikes for the Boys and Girls at work and when I'm asked 'how much do I owe you?' I always respond 'just clean My bike'

FTFY

 

[HLaB]

It might have been the cheap quality Alex rims that were on my sirrus originally but I found muc off would fade parts, my road bikes now just see baby wipes. I'm less rigorous on cleaning of the hack its seen chain cleaners, degreasers etc.

 

[Pointydog]

Wipe down after every ride before I hit the shower. Takes no more than half hour from a wet ride, ten mins in the dry. Mr Sheen, an old cotton t shirt for the chain, various lubes and away you go. Bike looks as good as new and gets loads of comments.

 

[biggs682]

please explain this clean what does it mean

 

[baldycyclist]

Just used baby wipes for the first time.
Heavenly to use.
Accidently got fragranced ones so now my hands are lovely and fresh also!

Wish I had learned about them before.

Going to use them to do the chain as well I think

 

[fossyant]

This is why you need to wash the bike a bit more often.

Saves all the oily mess problems.