How often should you wash your bike?

[ColinJ]

what is it?

It is the end of an old-fashioned square taper crank arm. The bit where it attaches to the bike had cracked so it would have probably broken off as some point when I was pedalling. That would almost certainly have caused me to fall off my bike!

 

[RoadRider400]

Road bike after every ride excuding the chain which gets attention every 500miles or so
commuter bike never. Not that it gets used at the moment

 

[the_mikey]

When it needs it, usually I only care about the state of the chain, cassette and derailleur, although I've started cleaning the disc brake calipers with a soft brush and making sure no grit or mud is impeding the disc brake operation, at least once a year I'll clean and check everything.

 

[Moon bunny]

I give it the odd scrape and hose-down. Never touch the bike though, fnaar
View attachment 545638

I hope you don't drink out of that bottle.

 

[I like Skol]

I hope you don't drink out of that bottle.

Why not? Wouldn't be carrying it around otherwise

 

[Grant Fondo]

I hope you don't drink out of that bottle.

No worries, its very organic

 

[fossyant]

I hope you don't drink out of that bottle.

That bottle is clean, you should see what happens to the one on my MTB. Covid germs, you haven't met a mountain biker's bug resistance !

 

[12boy]

Once when away at mandatory training I went for a little ride after work on back roads in the little town where the training occurred. It was 40C and when about 5 miles from the motel a semi truck with a huge tank went by with one of the hatches on top not closed. I then l learned the tank was full of liquid pig manure from a local pig raising operation when the oderous cargo slopped out of the tank and covered me and bike in liquid pig manure. And of course my water bottle. Fortunately my room had a door to the parking lot, so I dragged my dehydrated stinking self and bike into the shower. When clean I enjoyed a lot of water since I didn't want to drink until my lips and face were clean. The bottle was discarded because I couldn't bear to drink from it ever again. As we used to say at that time, "Sh#t Happens".

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Washed my recumbent yesterday, used turtle wax stuff I got for car many moons ago.

 

[fossyant]

Once when away at mandatory training I went for a little ride after work on back roads in the little town where the training occurred. It was 40C and when about 5 miles from the motel a semi truck with a huge tank went by with one of the hatches on top not closed. I then l learned the tank was full of liquid pig manure from a local pig raising operation when the oderous cargo slopped out of the tank and covered me and bike in liquid pig manure. And of course my water bottle. Fortunately my room had a door to the parking lot, so I dragged my dehydrated stinking self and bike into the shower. When clean I enjoyed a lot of water since I didn't want to drink until my lips and face were clean. The bottle was discarded because I couldn't bear to drink from it ever again. As we used to say at that time, "Sh#t Happens".

I remember drafting a big modern tractor with muck in the back of the trailer. Was great fun doing 30 mph for miles. Not until I stopped at home could I notice how bad I smelt.

 

[fossyant]

Full wash down on MTB. Chain degreased and cassette. Whilst cleaning cassette, noticed bearings in freehub need changing (they spin smooth but have play) so they are on order before a fail on a hill miles for anywhere.

There is a reason for cleaning bikes regularly, check your components. Road bikes you can get away with, MTB's need to be top notch, otherwise a very long walk.

 

[ColinJ]

... noticed bearings in freehub need changing (they spin smooth but have play) so they are on order

Funnily enough, I was just looking at freehub bearings! Where do you get yours from?

 

[itboffin]

Just went to get my bike ready for tomorrow’s club ride and noticed a rusty puddle underneath the BB so two hours later both my BB and headset bearings are rusted and shot to bits, thanks to a very wet week in Wales last month. Amazing because this bike has been ridden all over Europe in all weather since 2012 and yet a week in wales has killed it.

 

[Seevio]

Just went to get my bike ready for tomorrow’s club ride and noticed a rusty puddle underneath the BB so two hours later both my BB and headset bearings are rusted and shot to bits, thanks to a very wet week in Wales last month. Amazing because this bike has been ridden all over Europe in all weather since 2012 and yet a week in wales has killed it.

There is a lesson to be learned here about going to Wales.

 

[12boy]

I like sealed cartridge bearings for BBs and headsets. Put em in and forget them.