Degreaser and Forks. Be warned

[Furbz]

I've stopped using any chemistry on the bike. Honestly, it comes clean with a wet cloth and to be fair, no chemistry helps the wax and grease on drivetrain bits.

 

After having brake pistons get stuck, issues with bearings, etc, nothing with any kind of degreasing action goes near it, even car wash products.

 

Water on the frame and bits, dry cloth to clean the drivetrain parts, and Ultrasonic for the chain. Any particularly grubby spots get a harder wipe with the cloth and it removes greases and messes. Have had so much less trauma and cleaning is also quicker than when I used to use soap on the bike!

 

parafin works wonders with a chain cleaner. better yet remove the chain and shake in in a coke bottle filled with the stuff.

 

Question: how would your brake piston get stuck if its a sealed unit?

my best are it was a shimano brake system?

 

ultrasonic cleaner... nice...

[Furbz]

Eish... have you read the MSDS for Clean Green..? Everyone used to use it for everything but now there's other products that work just as well if not better, without the corrosive chemicals and are better for the environment...

 

In the original post, he says he did rinse the bike before taking a break and that the damage was done during washing...

 

Personally, I use ecologic, non toxic, non corrosive cleaner / disinfectant / degreaser for my bikes (cars) and drive train (in different concentrations) - my wife now also uses it in place of almost everything else for the house, kitchen, bathrooms, etc.

 

https://stealthhealth.co.za/ecologic/

 

i'll check it out. thanks

 

i'm stuck in my ways, and have never thought about changing that up until now.

[madmarc]

Been down that route with fork legs for a motorcycle. OEM or nothing. The aftermarket stuff is never as good when it comes to suspension

 

I beg to differ - I would have no problem with ND Tuned stanchion & steerer replacement - all the write ups and technology is said to be better than OEM especially on the coating.

 

Some over seas suspension shops who have access to both Fox & Rockshox OEM parts swear by ND Tuned products as well. 

 

But hey that's just my opinion and what I've researched.

[thebob]

I beg to differ - I would have no problem with ND Tuned stanchion & steerer replacement - all the write ups and technology is said to be better than OEM especially on the coating.

 

Some over seas suspension shops who have access to both Fox & Rockshox OEM parts swear by ND Tuned products as well. 

 

But hey that's just my opinion and what I've researched.

And you are entitles to your opinion    Personal experience has shown me that OEM for suspension is the way to go. Also ND don't seem to do 35mm stanchions. As good as they are, a 32mm stanchion is going to be like throwing a vienna down an elevator shaft in a set of Pike lowers

Edited October 1, 2020 by the_bob

[Schnavel]

i've been using diluted clean green for years....

no issues at all.

that said i have never left it on the bike. rather a sponge bath over the frame and parts followed by a proper spray off.

never had any issues

 

Also been using diluted clean green for years and never had any issues! 

 

OP, I really don't see how a cleaning agent can damage the fork anodizing that badly! Are you sure it wasn't something else?

[thebob]

Nothing else was sprayed onto the fork. Water and cleaner, that is it

[Furbz]

has a pic been posted of the damage?

[thebob]

There it is. Can clearly be felt whilst running a finger nail up and down the stanchion. Fork seals also generate significantly more drag when passing over that area

 

[TNT1]

There it is. Can clearly be felt whilst running a finger nail up and down the stanchion. Fork seals also generate significantly more drag when passing over that area

 

CA53EEF1-CEB8-4D93-AF21-3DF990C4D1C7.jpeg

That looks highly unlikely that it happened from washing, no matter what you washed it with.

[JBK]

There it is. Can clearly be felt whilst running a finger nail up and down the stanchion. Fork seals also generate significantly more drag when passing over that area

 

CA53EEF1-CEB8-4D93-AF21-3DF990C4D1C7.jpeg

Have you contacted the manufacturers of the cleaning product for comment ? I'd really like to know the brand but not until they've had the opportunity to comment.

[JacBrand]

I think you had dirt under the sag indicator O ring and it rubbed the station. My sag indicator O ring is hard and loose and could easily cause that type of ware.

[thebob]

The sag indicator did not move. There was also some anodising damage to my stem. The only thing that touched that was the cleaner and water. Two anodised parts with the same treatment and both damaged. Has to be the cleaner. 

 

I will run an experiment once I have the new CSU on the old one with the cleaner. I'll document what I did as proof and also share with the manufacturer.

Edited October 1, 2020 by the_bob

[Butterbean]

Please excuse my ignorance, but is there any reason we can't use dishwashing liquid? Have been using it to wash my bike all the time and haven't had any issues yet. Thought it was the least caustic of any cleaning solution

You know that nice thick viscosity it has? They use salt to get it to thicken up. It's a lively liquid detergent, but it's full of salt and will strip clear coat and damage paint the same way salt water does... You've seen those cars with patches of clear coat coming off? 100% they used sunlight to wash it for the life of the vehicle...

[Butterbean]

Also been using diluted clean green for years and never had any issues!

 

OP, I really don't see how a cleaning agent can damage the fork anodizing that badly! Are you sure it wasn't something else?

Caustic. If there's any caustic in the mix it'll damage it like crazy...

 

Its unlikely that there is, however. But keep in mind very few of the end use brands manufacture their own product and instead have a Toller making the product from a set range. They could have had an issue in packaging the wrong product, or even been out of stock of the normal product and swapped out a replacement. Very common and it's easy for someone to forget that an ingredient is harmful for the application.

[Butterbean]

So, just a little tip here for those interested in the cleaning agents they use.

 

You want to find a neutral cleaner. This doesn't mean it has a pH of 7, it means that the product won't damage anything that wouldn't be damaged by water.

 

These aren't that common on the shelf, so be careful. Also avoid enzyme based cleaners as they are designed to digest grease and fats. They're lovely and green and sustainable and all, but they break down grease over a short time and a bicycle has little opportunity to deactivate them. So they'll just keep breaking the grease down.

[Butterbean]

parafin works wonders with a chain cleaner. better yet remove the chain and shake in in a coke bottle filled with the stuff.

 

Question: how would your brake piston get stuck if its a sealed unit?

my best are it was a shimano brake system?

 

ultrasonic cleaner... nice...

Yeah did the whole paraffin thing. Then my Mrs bought a small ultrasonic cleaner for her jewelry and it does the best job possible. God it really is good.

 

And no, it was sram brakes. The lubrication around the pot was stripped of its grease, and would get stuck out and wouldn't retract. Regreasing them with dot grease helped, but I now just avoid degreasers and soaps entirely as they don't do anything more than the cloth can do without the harmful stuff.