The misery of bike cleaning

[Easytigers]

I'm sure I don't clean the bike properly but actually don't mind doing it...car is another matter...although it's due to rain today so it'll get another wash (why spend time doing what mother nature will do for you!!!)

 

[I like Skol]

I'm sure I don't clean the bike properly but actually don't mind doing it...car is another matter...although it's due to rain today so it'll get another wash (why spend time doing what mother nature will do for you!!!)

Bikes are the same you know. Once equilibrium is achieved the bike doesn't get any dirtier and then it is just a matter of maintaining the status quo!

 

[Crankarm]

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

Every week .......... blimey! Every 3-4 weeks for me. I hate cleaning and re-lubing. It is the second reason, apart from being knocked off, that would make me give up cycle commuting everyday if I could. Winter wet weather sucks. The most dispiriting is having a clean re-lubed bike monday morning for it to sound like an old sewing machine by wednesday because of all the fecking rain and crud washing off all the lube and the bike becoming covered in crud, mud, grit and horse sh1t.

Use nitrile gloves, brushes of varoius sizes, washing up brush and tooth brush, bucket of warm water and shampoo. Take off chain (SRAM quick link invaluable), cassette and jockey wheels, de-grease and re-lube each. Degrease and clean chain rings. Clean underside of mudguards to stop mud dripping down on to wheels, frame and drive train. A horrible job but it has to be done. This is the down side of winter commuting and the majority of the summer as the climate in the UK is crap.

Sometimes if my bike is freshly cleaned and re-lubed and the weather is forecast to be sh1t the next few days, I mean seriously wet, I drive the whole way to work as I can't face getting totally soaked and having to clean and re-lube so soon. I ride 35-40 miles a day but sometimes 60 if I ride the full return commute.

 

[billy1561]

OMG... I'm Ianrauk like Woe is me
Is there a cure?

Soon as you hit 11000 miles a year you turn into his doppleganger

 

[Drago]

Every week in the commuter, after every ride on my road bike and MTBs.

 

[Cubist]

Can anybody tell me what's on the ingredients panel of Muc-Off?

Don't know, but I sometimes mix Gunk Green degreaser 5:1 with water and bung it in a spray bottle to use just like Muc-Off. Much cheaper, smells nicer.

 

[wanda2010]

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.

The next time you are in town for a Sunday ride, if you wouldn't mind diverting to Balham............................

 

[Globalti]

I'd have thought that commuting by bike is like being a professional mountain guide or ski instructor... you do so much of it that the pleasure of a casual weekend trip is lost on you.

 

[Hip Priest]

I'd have thought that commuting by bike is like being a professional mountain guide or ski instructor... you do so much of it that the pleasure of a casual weekend trip is lost on you.

You're kidding! After a week of riding in traffic on a heavy hybrid, I can't wait to take my road bike out on the undulating, quiet country lanes!

 

[ianrauk]

I'd have thought that commuting by bike is like being a professional mountain guide or ski instructor... you do so much of it that the pleasure of a casual weekend trip is lost on you.

Not on your nelly...
Love the cycle commute, love the leisure rides even more.

 

[StuAff]

Not on your nelly...
Love the cycle commute, love the leisure rides even more.

Indeed. The commute's only 5 miles a day, but principle's the same!

 

[Psyklon]

I have one of these specially for bike cleaning:

Dipped in a bucket of hot water with car shampoo it's easy to slosh lots of water over the bike, the bristles get into all the nooks and crannies including between the cogs and spokes and it's soft enough not to scratch the paint.

The only downside is that if your cassette is oily the brush picks up oil and spreads it to the rest of the bike; I keep mine pretty clean and dry.

Use car shampoo; it contains wax whereas dishwash liquid contains salt as a thickener.

Same here Globalti but I use this brush. It's a windscreen scraper with a brush for removing Ice. The brush is really narrow, less than an inch wide and easily gets between the forks, brakes etc on the scraper has been removed! Cracking piece of kit IMHO!
http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bluecol-snow-brush/invt/0324575/?VBMST=Ice Scrapper

 

[Trickedem]

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.

I don't really like cleaning my bike. But this ^^^^^^^^ is who I ride with
My Van Nicholas is lying in its lair at the moment covered in Ashdown Forest. I will be giving it a very thorough clean tomorrow though.

 

[snorri]

Yes a miserable task, but I take comfort in the fact it doesn't need to be done

 

[Fab Foodie]

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.

I am the Yang to ianrauk's Ying .....