Washing the Bike

[winjim]

Dry rag - baby wipes - dry rag - GT85 - Mickle.

After most, if not every ride. Conversely to the op, a dirty bike would discourage me.

 

[Globalti]

After every ride, unless I'm riding the next day. Car shampoo in hot water applied with a long-bristled hand floor brush, rinse with a gentle sprinkle of water then dry the chain. Every week I clean the brake blocks and pick out the grit.

I got one like this for £2.00 in ASDA yesterday - long soft bristles and a narrow head - perfect. I've thrown away the dustpan.

 

[swee'pea99]

I washed my bike once. It was awful. Not doing that again.

 

[coffeejo]

I mickle the chain after each ride if it's been raining / muddy but otherwise ... erm...

 

[fossyant]

The commuter, once a week but gets a good rag down at work during my lunck break if it has been raining.

Slacker.

Commuter is washed at the end of every wet 'day'. Which is each evening at present ! Only takes 10 minutes

 

[Mile195]

You don't need to go crazy on the "bodywork" as it were, but do keep your drivechain clean. You'll wear through chains in particular very quickly if you leave it covered in grease and grit - this makes for a wonderful grinding paste. My winter cleaining regime is as follows:

Weekly (or maybe a bit more if the weather's been particularly grotty):
- Clean chain with Muc-Off degreaser and their chain cleaning device thingy, wipe off the excess with kitchen towel and re-lube (approximately 3 minutes)
- Clean crap out of jockey wheels (kitchen towels and degreaser) - 2 minutes.
- Check chain wear (5 seconds, plus half an hour to find the chain wear tool which invariably isn't where it should be)
- Washing up brush to get the grit off of the deraillieurs and brakes, and throw some light oil down them (not on the pads, obviously!) (approximately 2 minutes)
And after any wet ride:
- Hose down bike before putting in Garage (15-20 seconds)

As for making the rest of the bike look shiny and pretty, I only do this when I really have nothing better to do, since it usually ends up taking about 2 hours (when I do it, I go a bit overboard! Full degrease, clean and silicon spray to make it sparkle)

 

[BSRU]

Every weekend with car shampoo then clean and lube the chain.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

As often as possible - and when I can, I do them both together. A dirty bike also discourages me from a ride, so much so that I have to go around with a baby wipe or two however superficial it may turn out to be.

I use one of those garden spray things, fill it with warm water and washing up liquid which takes just long enough for the Muc Off already sprayed on the bikes to settle in... a quick pump and away I go. I too use a dustpan brush and use the bike stand to begin and then do the underside with the wheels removed with the bike frame turned upside down. If it's a major wash then the cassette comes off and chain removed and area around the mechs degreased with baby wipes. Wait for it to dry and re-lube.

Job's a good 'un.

 

[winjim]

As for making the rest of the bike look shiny and pretty, I only do this when I really have nothing better to do, since it usually ends up taking about 2 hours (when I do it, I go a bit overboard! Full degrease, clean and silicon spray to make it sparkle)

That's also what I understand as "washing" the bike. Strip down, clean and adjust the lot.

 

[Globalti]

use a dustpan brush and use the bike stand to begin and then do the underside with the wheels removed with the bike frame turned upside down.

Eeeeeeek! NEVER wash a bike upside-down! The water will flow straight into the head bearings.

 

[tyred]

I thought that was why God gave us rain.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Eeeeeeek! NEVER wash a bike upside-down! The water will flow straight into the head bearings.

Fair enough but I've already done the low pressure hosing - if you can even call it that - with the bike the right way up and I'm merely going over with the rag and a wet wipe for all the grit on the underside of the downtube and the crunt inbetween the forks.

But thanks for the heads up!

 

[vernon]

I've oiled the cables on my Woodrup once in the past 20 months. I've washed it throughly a few times and gave it a rinse after taking it to the Tan Hill Inn on New Year's Day. I've replaced and adjusted the front brake blocks once. There's no chain to lube or fret about.

I love the low maintenance aspect of the Chimera.

 

[jazzkat]

I clean mine after every ride except during a warm dry summer where it gets a clean once a week, unless it's rained, in which case it gets a clean after the ride.
The joys of owning a white bike

 

[welsh dragon]

Ermm wash it ? No, don't know that one. Does not compute