How often to clean road bike?

[edindave]

Some of the teeth are starting to look shark toothed, Start saving for a new cassette:

Hope that's just the light/reflection. Each tooth has a good 3-4mm flat edge on it. No pointy ones
Only 4mnth old and 1500 odd miles on it, and well looked after to boot. I'd be writing to Mr Boardman if it's gonna wear out that quick!

 

[HJ]

Clean a bike?? Sorry don't understand the question, but then again I am not a roadie snob, I regard bicycles as transport not a fetish object...

 

[tmcd35]

Mmm, I clean my bike as bout as often as I put my car through the car wash - erm, never!

I like the fact that they look like they are used and abused and are the beasts of burden they were built to be rather than looking highly polished and 5 minutes from the show room (take your shoes off they may leave a dent in the carpet - pah-lease!)

That and I'm far too lazy

 

[chewy]

I love gt85

 

[davefb]

I love gt85

+1 .

 

[chewy]

Gives you a lovelyy kick first thing of a morning!!!!

 

[Fnaar]

I let the rain clean my bikes

Although I do occasionally clean the rims (oo'er missus) and brake pads

 

[potsy]

Aaahhhhhh A man after my own heart.. nice one.

I let the rain clean my bikes

Although I do occasionally clean the rims (oo'er missus) and brake pads

I agree with you Fnaar,surely a bit of rain is good enough to clean most of the bike,though I do occasionally give the moving bits a spray of WD if I'm feeling energetic

 

[davefb]

I let the rain clean my bikes

Although I do occasionally clean the rims (oo'er missus) and brake pads

i wish,, on my 'shorter route' as it involves some muddy bits,, i do tend to notice the gears need 'cleaning' ...


so how do people get the gears and chain so bright/clean? do you clean in situ or take the bike apart ?

 

[007]

***Edited for stupidity - not going to use a pressure washer ***

 

[2Loose]

Does anyone else use a pressure washer?

A bucket of hot water and a sponge only takes a couple of minutes and won't cause any damage.
How much quicker a fix are you after?

(I do tend to follow up with baby wipes on the nooks and crannies which must add another few minutes from time to time...)

 

[Downward]

After a year my roadie is still sparkling although there are a fair few stone chips now

 

[Peter10]

How often do people clean their chain and re-lubricate it? I clean the bike most days but wondered how often (especially with current weather patterns) the chain needs cleaning.

 

[potsy]

Actually given mine a bit of a spruce up today,both wheels off,chain off,bike cleaned and checked the tyres over and pulled a few pieces of glass from them.
Rear hub and bottom bracket both sound a bit 'gritty' but they have done 3,000 miles now so time for a service soon.
Chain actually looks silver again after weeks of looking a dirty blackish colour.

 

[edindave]

I use Muck-off on the rear cassette, deraillieurs and chainring, and a chain cleaner filled with water and citrus degreaser for the chain. I do this about once a fortnight and put lube on the chain and deraillieur hinges.

Bike mechanic at a maintenance workshop advised us never use wd40 on a chain - the particles are too small and it ends up doing more harm than good.