Idiots guide please - Cleaning my bike
- Thread starter Smithbat
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
As a long term rider who, in his working days, used to commute I think you have it wrong. Ride and save cleaning for another day. I'm still waiting for that day to arrive!
Seriously, washing road grit off the rims is all you 'have' to do.
Seriously, washing road grit off the rims is all you 'have' to do.
And clean the chain and gears
Youtube Link: GCN - The 5 Minute Bike Wash - How To Clean Your Bike In A Hurry
Though I don't use WD-40, I use citrus based degreaser to wash, then spray GT-85 to disperse water and ProGold Prolink lube on the chain.
Though I don't use WD-40, I use citrus based degreaser to wash, then spray GT-85 to disperse water and ProGold Prolink lube on the chain.
Last edited:
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Does anyone have a good alternative to the GCN method for more ordinary bikes? My wheels take ages to remove and the mudguards will bend (and probably the bike will knock down the fence) if I lean it against a fence like that!
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Also, does he use a new sponge for every wash, or just when he's being videoed?
Garry A
Calibrating.....
- Location
- Grangemouth
One cloth sprayed with GT-85 to wipe the frame clean and another for the moving parts such as derailleurs and chain followed by lube on the chain. Once in a while take off the drivetrain and degrease it.
*edit* water and not anything slippy for the braking surfaces.
*edit* water and not anything slippy for the braking surfaces.
sanddancer
Senior Member
- Location
- N/Wales
I use wd40 for dispersing water etc. I wouldn't use it as a lube as the video suggests as it is not a lubricant unlike gt85 which I do use.
I am going to get some dedicated chain lube though.
I pretty much clean my bike like on the video but one thing I do that he doesn't mention is to blast the bike first with the hose pipe to wash any grit off so It doesn't pick up on the sponge and scratch the paint.
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Here's what I do on my daily use commuter:
Wipe down the rims regularly with a damp cloth/rag (every week or so in summer, more in winter)
Clean the chain and re-lube - search for the mickle method on here to find a nice quick, easy and effective method to do this (every 1-2 weeks)
De-gunk the rear derailleur pulleys and squirt a drop of oil on all pivot points and cable entry/exit points (every 2-3 weeks)
My racer I clean less often (maybe monthly) since it's only used at the weekends and mostly in good weather. On the other hand the MTB usually needs a thorough de-muddification every couple of rides - a kebab skewer is useful for poking crud out of the front derailleur and other bits where it's lodged in.
Cleaning the frame itself doesn't take much extra time if you're already doing any of the above. As well as keeping the bike clean and avoiding unecessary wear and tear on components, it's also a great opportunity to check for any cracks/dings etc that you might otherwise miss (underneath 6" of dirt!)
Everyone seems to have their own way of doing it though - from OCD squeaky cleanliness to "is there a bike underneath all that?"
Wipe down the rims regularly with a damp cloth/rag (every week or so in summer, more in winter)
Clean the chain and re-lube - search for the mickle method on here to find a nice quick, easy and effective method to do this (every 1-2 weeks)
De-gunk the rear derailleur pulleys and squirt a drop of oil on all pivot points and cable entry/exit points (every 2-3 weeks)
My racer I clean less often (maybe monthly) since it's only used at the weekends and mostly in good weather. On the other hand the MTB usually needs a thorough de-muddification every couple of rides - a kebab skewer is useful for poking crud out of the front derailleur and other bits where it's lodged in.
Cleaning the frame itself doesn't take much extra time if you're already doing any of the above. As well as keeping the bike clean and avoiding unecessary wear and tear on components, it's also a great opportunity to check for any cracks/dings etc that you might otherwise miss (underneath 6" of dirt!)
Everyone seems to have their own way of doing it though - from OCD squeaky cleanliness to "is there a bike underneath all that?"
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Bamboo skewer rather than metal, I assume?
2IT
Everything and everyone suffers in comparisons.
- Location
- Georgia, USA
4. Retire and clean bike after each ride.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I ride on roads mainly so I don't have to deal with much mud. Lots of city street stuff, puddles, glass, general road grit and oil etc. I just clean the chain every few hundred miles, and oil it. If the cassette looks gunged up, I try and get the grit out from between the cogs with pipe cleaners or a thin electricians screw driver. You can get the grit off the jockey wheels of the rear mech using a 6mm wide flat-bladed screwdriver. Don't forget to check for chain wear when you oil the chain. I stick the chain and cassette in a solvent-filled ultrasonic bath about three times a year, and get rid of film off the wheel rims with a rag soaked in some isopropyl alcohol.
My personal philosophy is that the rest of the bike can get a bit grubby if it isn't going to come to grief mechanically. It gets washed very quickly with car shampoo and a sponge about once every thousand miles. It's just a bike, after all.
My personal philosophy is that the rest of the bike can get a bit grubby if it isn't going to come to grief mechanically. It gets washed very quickly with car shampoo and a sponge about once every thousand miles. It's just a bike, after all.
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Bamboo skewer rather than metal, I assume?
Yep - it makes for an interesting flavour when you re-use them on the barbecue
