Obsessive bike cleaning

[Funtboy]

It can't be just me and Fossy who are obsessive bike cleaners... there must be others. C'mon show yourselves. Who else likes nothing better then a 3/4 hour strip down and clean of their pride and joys... And is there anything really wrong with cleaning a bike mid ride..

Every now and again I do a big strip clean but that must be about twice a year at most. Give it quick wipe down when I get in if it needs it.

There is something seriously wrong with cleaning a bike mid-ride. Do you not fall off???

 

[MajorMantra]

My carbon road bike gets a wash something like every 1-2 weeks at the moment what with all the salt on the roads.

I pop the front wheel off and put it in the bath on top of a scrap of old bedsheet. I don't remove any other components but everything gets a quick wipe-down and shower, and then the chain gets wiped and re-lubed.

I've got a pic somewhere...

Matthew

 

[potsy]

Looking at my bike sat behind me (it was very wet and slushy this morning), I think my bike might be due its second big wash in 2 months! I really am becoming obsessed!

Don't do it mags,resist the urge it'll only get dirty again tomorrow.
My white bike is looking a tad dirty after todays commute in the wet,will try to clean it at weekend(if i've got nothing to do for 20 minutes)
Ian-you have OCD,seek medical help immediately
Fossy-mild OCD for you,there's a bit of hope for you

 

[AlanW]

I always strip my bike down once a week, wheels out, spindles out and chain off and cleaned. Then once a month, chainset out and front chain rings cleaned, both rear mech pullies cleaned and lubed. All the brake blocks removed and sanded plus any bits of swarf picked out, then lightly dress the rims with a Mavic sanding block.

The same is done, apart from removing the chainset if it was a wet ride.

And if I do a muddy ride on the MTB, then its even more rigorous and time consuming. Tyres off and check the Slime tubes for signs of punctures.

 

[Funtboy]

I always strip my bike down once a week, wheels out, spindles out and chain off and cleaned. Then once a month, chainset out and front chain rings cleaned, both rear mech pullies cleaned and lubed. All the brake blocks removed and sanded plus any bits of swarf picked out, then lightly dress the rims with a Mavic sanding block.

The same is done, apart from removing the chainset if it was a wet ride.

And if I do a muddy ride on the MTB, then its even more rigorous and time consuming. Tyres off and check the Slime tubes for signs of punctures.

W.T.F.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Like my car, I like my bikes to work but I'm not really bothered how scruffy they are. So the car is currently covered in oily fingerprints after its engine rebuild. The bikes usually get a transmission stripdown and clean in paraffin once or twice a year, or whenever they need it: other jobs get done as they need doing. The frames never get washed.

 

[ttcycle]

Ian, I hazard to say that well, I like a clean bike and to keep it maintained but hell you take it one, two, three maybe even four steps too far!

 

[magnatom]

I always strip my bike down once a week, wheels out, spindles out and chain off and cleaned. Then once a month, chainset out and front chain rings cleaned, both rear mech pullies cleaned and lubed. All the brake blocks removed and sanded plus any bits of swarf picked out, then lightly dress the rims with a Mavic sanding block.

The same is done, apart from removing the chainset if it was a wet ride.

And if I do a muddy ride on the MTB, then its even more rigorous and time consuming. Tyres off and check the Slime tubes for signs of punctures.

Now try doing that whilst looking after 3 kids under 5! If I can manage 5 minutes a week working on the bike, that's been a good week!

 

[PaulSecteur]

If its cleaning geeks you want, they are over here...

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php

The forum is car based, but they will clean anything. Also has some bikers on there too...

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=134344&highlight=bike

 

[Headgardener]

Layout of the above two forums looks remarkably familiar even down to the colour scheme.

 

[Crankarm]

Following on from the summer thread, I shall be spending 10 minutes giving my steed a thorough clean this weekend. All this muck on the road is really having a detrimental effect on her/him/it .

 

[Debian]

I did wash my commuter bike two or three weeks ago (maybe it was four?) and I slopped some lube on the chain and pivot points last weekend.

The MTB got hosed down and lubed after my last proper ride two weeks ago, I might spend ten minutes on it with some muc-off and a hose this weekend if I can find the time.

 

[thegrumpybiker]

On Monday night I had the road bike up on the workstand, and I went over it with the hoover's brush attachment! That brushed off the accumulated muck from the previous week and prevented it going all over the floor! That was followed by a going-over with baby wipes, followed by a buff-up with a soft cloth.

Once it was clean, I adjusted the brakes and gave the gears a tweaking, then gave the chain and various parts a lubing.

The job's a good 'un

Come on, admit it, you gave it a kiss goodnight too.

 

[swee'pea99]

I always strip my bike down once a week, wheels out, spindles out and chain off and cleaned. Then once a month, chainset out and front chain rings cleaned, both rear mech pullies cleaned and lubed. All the brake blocks removed and sanded plus any bits of swarf picked out, then lightly dress the rims with a Mavic sanding block.

The same is done, apart from removing the chainset if it was a wet ride.

And if I do a muddy ride on the MTB, then its even more rigorous and time consuming. Tyres off and check the Slime tubes for signs of punctures.

Don't you polish the tyres?

 

[Paulus]

I wash my bikes when they are dirty. The chain gets a proper clean every month or so. Once a year or so I strip the chainset and BB and clean and regrease all the threads. Keeps my bikes going well.