The misery of bike cleaning

[Mr Haematocrit]

I love cleaning my bikes, almost as much as I enjoy riding them.
I put them on the work stand, remove the wheels, I spray the frame with muc-off bike cleaner and the chain with muc-off chain cleaner.
I then wash the bike with car shampoo and rinse.
I then spray the frame with muc-off bike spray.
The wheels are washed and inspected. Brake blocks are checked, the grooves cleaned and brake surfaces filed flat. Before refitting
Chain is then cleaned and oiled with finish line dry lube.

 

[defy-one]

^^^^^ obsessive compulsive disorder

 

[potsy]

I love cleaning my bikes, almost as much as I enjoy riding them.
I put them on the work stand, remove the wheels, I spray the frame with muc-off bike cleaner and the chain with muc-off chain cleaner.
I then wash the bike with car shampoo and rinse.
I then spray the frame with muc-off bike spray.
The wheels are washed and inspected. Brake blocks are checked, the grooves cleaned and brake surfaces filed flat. Before refitting
Chain is then cleaned and oiled with finish line dry lube.

And you do this every Christmas?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

And you do this every Christmas?

I cringe when I say I do this after every ride on my good bikes, I do it once a week with my commuter... you know those obsessive weirdos people whisper about, I'm that person

 

[DCLane]

Baby wipes for mine - I probably don't clean them well, but enough and often. Mechanical parts always get more attention though.

 

[EltonFrog]

I don't ever look forward to do cleaning my bikes, but I do find it therapeutic and get a great deal of satisfaction of looking at my clean bikes. I too use car shampoo and a brush, then I dry them of with a collection of microfiber cloths and a wd40 type spray, and clean the chain and cassette etc., with the spray then lube. Takes about 30 mins a bike. I always wear latex gloves too, it's much quicker than cleaning my hands afterwards.

Edit: tryping ellor

 

[ianrauk]

I love cleaning my bikes. I spent an hour cleaning one on saturday for it to get thoroughly filthy on yesterdays ride. So another 2 hours today of cleaning. I even took the wheel bearings out to clean and regrease.

Bike now looks nice, sparkly and clean.
I have even been known to give my bike a wipedown mid ride.

 

[palinurus]

Does anyone enjoy it?

Doubt it

 

[palinurus]

Does anyone have any tips?

Take up cyclocross.

Cleaning your commute bike doesn't seem so bad after.

 

[Sittingduck]

I despise cleaning. Tyres get a top up once a week and my chain gets a clean once every 1 or 2 weeks. Baby wipes on brakes and parts of the frame, every now and then.

 

[redcard]

Anyone take their bike to the manual car washes you see dotted around?

 

[Cubist]

Wheels out, repair stand.
Bucket, car shampoo, hot water, sponge, soft brush, bristle brush.
Wet the bike to loosen the mud then sponge clean it, plus brushes for corners.
Sponge the chain (it's dry lubed to just dislodges the small amount of crap on it.)
Sponge rims, washing up brush for cogs and tyre treads.
Rinse with hose avoiding any bearings, sealed or otherwise.

Wipe dry with old Tee shirt. GT85 on all surfaces except grips and brake surfaces
Isopropyl alchohol on brake rotors
Relube chain a la Mickle (ie dry it, GT85 to disperse water, wipe thoroughly, then single drop per roller and wipe, wipe, wipe)

Well less than an hour, very therapeutic, gives you a chance to tick over the gearing and make any adjustments necessary.

 

[HLaB]

Baby wipes for mine - I probably don't clean them well, but enough and often. Mechanical parts always get more attention though.

My theory a dirtier frame is less attractive to thieves and all we really need is a mechanically sound ride

 

[Globalti]

My roadie gets the full monty after almost every ride and the chain gets cleaned in paraffin every month or so. I reckon the most important maintenence job is cleaning and picking the bits of grit out of the brake pads. The winter bike/crosser gets a wash and rinse after a muddy ride, that's all.

 

[EltonFrog]

I love cleaning my bikes.....I have even been known to give my bike a wipedown mid ride.

No offence, but you're just odd.