How often do you clean your bike?

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Are you asking me whether I ride clean?

That is such a tired, old story that nobody else takes seriously...

If you want to know whether I ride clean, test me.

Troll!
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
I'll be cleaning mine later, usually gets done at the weekend after a weeks worth of commuting, it is slightly dirty at the mo :whistle:
dirt 1.jpg
 

Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
Another vote for "when I can be bothered" here, meaning the bikes are cleaner in summer than in winter. (Although the Raleigh doesn't usually come out in winter as I don't want to expose it to the salt & muck.)

In my defence, I am fussy about the mechanical stuff so tend to try and keep things working properly - the chain and mech clean and oiled for example.
I'll be cleaning mine later, usually gets done at the weekend after a weeks worth of commuting, it is slightly dirty at the mo :whistle:
View attachment 17994
That's almost as bad as mine.;) (Before I cleaned it yesterday that is:tongue: ).
 

Guyincognito76

Senior Member
I had my bike pinched the other day. Last week I ordered a chain wheel brush, and when it arrived I was going to strip my bike and give it a deep clean. Can you imagine how annoyed I'd have been if they'd pinched it after I'd done all that?!
 
I pretty much have to clean all of bikes each and every time I ride one of them - I live at the end of a tarmac lane that is covered in mud for most of the distance. if I don't do something about the build up of mud, my bike would weigh twice what it should and whilst it may help build some muscles up, it also stops my brakes from working - the mud is wet and freezes in a block around the brake blocks. Also the chain and pretty much any moving parts get caked in mud and they don't like it much and it is much easier to get off when it is still wet.
(One of my neighbours deals with this issue by driving his bike to the end of the lane, parking up and cycling to work from there! but I don't have that luxury) A thorough clean with rag is usually only once a fortnight though for things like the frame, rack, spokes, spoke reflectors, wheels rims etc
 

Nearly there

Veteran
Location
Cumbria
On average twice a week but If it gets too mucky from a ride I'll do it anyway or its not allowed back in the house until its clean so im told
 

Paul.G.

Just a bloke on a bike!
Location
Reading
I used to be obsessive with regard to cleaning my bikes, especially my two Colnago's which I would clean meticulously after every ride, dry or wet. Now I don't love my bikes any less but as long as the mechanicals and braking surface on rims are clean, I tend to leave them until they get quite bad then do all the bikes in one hit. as for the cross bike, hardly ever clean it but I think it looks better dirty!,
 
Mine usually gets a wipe down (and a hose down if the weather is warm enough) after every wet ride, so that's just about every ride at the moment. Recently spent the best part of a Saturday de-gunging and adjusting the front changer after the crud from local roads did their best to to destry it. It is nice and smooth and shiny at the moment so it's getting a lot of extra attention right now.
 

Duckehhh

Active Member
i wash mine in the garden. so if its cold/dark/raining ill just give it a wipedown in the hallway where it lives after a wetride. rather annoying trying to do anything in the dark/cold with a torch between my teeth
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
MTB, rarely. MTB's should be covered in mud. It gives them character.
Hybrid, usually when needed, but in this weather I hose it down after every ride. Not so much to clean it but to wash the salt thrown up from the roads off.
 
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