How do you clean your bike

[Plax]

After a horrendous bike cleaning experience I thought I'd ask how people went about cleaning their bikes.

My Galaxy has been badly abused these last few months i.e. not cleaned AT ALL. My winter hack is faring even worse but I'm leaving that for another day.

The chain and chainrings/cassette was horrific. I had to do several Sheldon shakes with Halfords citrus degraser just to get the mud off the chain. It looked like chocolate milkshake. I'm running out of this degreaser and not overly impressed so will be looking for something else. The muc off stuff I bought (see below) is in a spray can and I like to take my chain off and shake it about so makes the muc off stuff a non-contender.

So as for the bike. I used my Tesco vouchers to buy some Muc Off stuff. I followed their new "3 step urban programme"
http://www.muc-off.com/urban/
(I used the chain & gears degreaser (step 2) on the cassette, chain rings & jockey wheels etc and not the chain as I did as above for the chain).

I used a washing up cloth (2 of them) and they were quickly caked in crap and ripped easily which made the task harder. Are the dedicated bike cleaning brushes worth getting or is something else better? Also do you use plain warm water if you use this muc off cleaner? Or does it have to be cold? Mine was verging on cold water.

My bike frame is now nice and shiny so I'm kind of impressed with the cleaner. Not sure about step 3 though. Does this mean I don't need another lubricant on the chain? I got the urge to put some of my finish line stuff on it, but if the muc off step 3 is all I need then I'll resist. Also the muc off wet lube seems to have some good reviews, is this worth getting if step 3 of the "urban programme" is inadequate?

Any bike washing tips appreciated before I tackle the winter hack.

 

[HLaB]

Baby Wipes

 

[betty swollocks]

Get the worst of the crap off with hot soapy (washing up liquid) water and brush and then baby wipes.
I find Johnson's baby wipes work best.....they don't even disintegrate when you run a chain through them.

 

[Mark_Robson]

Baby wipes and GT85 for me. I only use shampoo and water as a last resort.

 

[tyred]

Spray some WD40 on a rag and wipe everything down with it.

 

[coffeejo]

I accept I may be opening a can of worms, but I was led to believe that WD40 is a no-no for chains?

 

[Fiona N]

...but I was led to believe that WD40 is a no-no for chains?

Only insofar as it's not much use as a lubricant for chains. And it dries up so you have to reapply pretty much every ride. Basically it's not made to be used in a high wear situation like a chain drive.

 

[ianrauk]

I accept I may be opening a can of worms, but I was led to believe that WD40 is a no-no for chains?

Was gonna say .. but Fiona got there first.

 

[Hilldodger]

I don't know, you'll have to ask the apprentice.

 

[HLaB]

I accept I may be opening a can of worms, but I was led to believe that WD40 is a no-no for chains?

I don't use it either but if you don't use it alone (i.e regrease after) I don't think it'll be too much of a problem, you have to be aware though it can clean too good in places you can't easily see or regrease such as inside the chain.

 

[tyred]

There is a huge difference between running a chain through a rag which has been slightly dampened with WD40 and spraying it willy-nilly all over it.

 

[Brahan]

Fairy liquid and a wire scrubber.

 

[coffeejo]

There is a huge difference between running a chain through a rag which has been slightly dampened with WD40 and spraying it willy-nilly all over it.

Fair 'nuff, thanks for clarifying. I'm determined to learn how to maintain my bike myself, but the wibbly wobbly net is as confusing as it is helpful.

 

[ianrauk]

Why WD40 is bad for your bike chain
Bike Tutor vid here

 

[Davidc]

For a quick de-crudding I just put a car brush on the hose pipe and rinse and brush using just water. The water here is compltely soft so there are no little white marks left afterwards.

Beyond that car shampoo works well, and anything left gets cleaned off with WD40. WD40's excellent as a cleaner - really gets grease and tar off well - but I don't use it near any bearings or the chain.

If I'm doing a thorough wash I take the wheels and chain off so I can get to all of the frame, it also makes cleaning the rims and hubs easier. The chain gets a Mickle Method treatment, as that's really quick and easy with the thing off, and so is scraping any gunge off the chainrings, cassette and jockey wheels.

I finish off with furniture polish on the frame and rims which puts a good water repellant finish on them.