Cleaning road bike

[Kate1]

I cleaned my full carbon road bicycle yesterday with something similar to clean green. I was told not to use soap and water. I just saw a YouTube video with a guy using soap and water and a sponge. I have to give my bike another clean because it was so dirty. Can I use soap and water? Thanks

[Jbr]

I cleaned my full carbon road bicycle yesterday with something similar to clean green. I was told not to use soap and water. I just saw a YouTube video with a guy using soap and water and a sponge. I have to give my bike another clean because it was so dirty. Can I use soap and water? Thanks

yes you can, curious to hear why soap wouldn't suit bikes..

 

Personnaly 9/10 times I clean using a cloth and some spray from sportsman, I only use water/hosepipe after a wet ride or if I rode close to the ocean and feel the bike mght be a bit salted. I just find that no matter how well I rinse it I'll still have to finish with the cloth so might as well just do that part

Edited March 18, 2021 by Jbr

[JBK]

You're gonna get loads of comments and should search these forums for (many) previous discussions...

 

You know that Cleen Green is corrosive...!! Has Sodium Hydroxide, caustic soda, and another acid with a name to long to type and shouldn't be allowed within 10m of a bicycle...

 

As always, my suggestion is ecologic - non toxic, non corrosive & food safe - that kinda says it all...

 

It's even a registered disinfectant so you can even use it in your kitchens and bathrooms

 

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

 

And now to address the next 20 people who are going to recommend either dish washing liquid or only water :

 

Why the hard headed approach for "Dishwashing Liquid for everything"..? I get it that we're all annoyed with Marketing mumbo jumbo, especially suppliers selling the same thing with different names for different pricing. But Dishwashing Liquid is exactly that.! Dish Washing Liquid.! That's what they call it and that's the purpose for which they market and sell it. They don't advertise it as a general purpose cleaner, do they.? So why use it as such.?

 

We've moved on as a civilisation and have specific products that are better for some things than other things.

 

I also get the "I don't need to wash my bike" story but I don't really understand it.! Why have only an 80% clean bike.?

 

I confess that when I do a relatively short (mid week) ride where my bike gets only a bit dusty and one or two splashes of mud, I will come home and just gently spray it off with a gentle hose whilst rubbing the frame, rims, etc gently with the soft inside of my riding gloves. But I will always give the drivetrain either a wipe down or a good clean - with the cost of chains and 12 speed cassette's these days, you don't want to cause dirt to reduce your product lifespan by 50%.!

 

But this doesn't leave my pride and joy looking like it did when it was new.! Hence a proper wash after the weekend riding or at most every second week. Drive train gets wiped down with a very diluted degreaser sprayed onto a cloth or when cleaned, sprayed directly onto the drivetrain.

 

I use ECOLOGIC and have been doing so for a few years already. It's cheap as chips, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-abrasive and works a charm on everything bike, car and in and around the house.

 

Let's look at the numbers : ecoLogic is R230 for a very concentrated 5L bottle - I use a ratio of 1:100 for washing bikes, cars and floors in the house. So 30ml to 3L water in a bucket - so R 1.38 per wash cycle. I also premix into a spray bottle at a ratio of 1:6.5 (100ml to 650ml Water into a 750ml spray bottle), so R 4.60 and about 30-40ml of this to spray the drivetrain, so 25c per wash. With a total of R 1.63 to wash my bike and make it look like new. Is it really worth holding fast to dishwashing liquid.?

 

I do agree that other 'pre diluted' bike wash brands on the shelf are absurdly priced where the cost per wash will be about R30 - R40.

 

It works so well and is so cost effective and a registered disinfectant that ecoLogic has now replaced 90% of all other cleaning products in our home and we're saving a fortune.! Yes, we do still use dishwashing liquid for the dishes and Stasoft / Omo etc for the clothes but a tiny bit of ecoLogic also works wonders to clean soap-sud grime out the pipes of washing machines.

 

And to be clear...

 

* Use at very low concentrations for general washing (cars, bikes, floors, etc) - rinse, wash, rinse, dry do not leave to stand in between. Typically 1:100 / 1:150

* Use at mild concentrations for drivetrain - spray on cassette and chain whilst turning crank - enough to cover, don't drench such that it will settle into bearings - leave for a few minutes then clean with a small brush (I use a nail brush), rinse, done, dry, apply lube. Typically 100ml : 650ml in a 750ml spray bottle.

* You should never leave your bike standing with any cleaning agent applied

* Use also at mild concentrations to remove mud stains from your riding kit

* Use also at mild concentrations to clean and disinfect cycling shoes (with a soft brush). Once dry, spray with Viromist to freshen, fragrance and keep germ free.

[dasilvarsa]

1 Tablespoon Shield Car Wash in 1/2 Bucket of Cold Water and Sponge.

Rinse with a Cloth and Clean Water.

Wipe With a Shammy.

No Hose Pipes.

Friendly to All Bikes and Cars.

[Grease_Monkey]

You're gonna get loads of comments and should search these forums for (many) previous discussions...

 

You know that Cleen Green is corrosive...!! Has Sodium Hydroxide, caustic soda, and another acid with a name to long to type and shouldn't be allowed within 10m of a bicycle...

 

As always, my suggestion is ecologic - non toxic, non corrosive & food safe - that kinda says it all...

 

It's even a registered disinfectant so you can even use it in your kitchens and bathrooms

 

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

 

And now to address the next 20 people who are going to recommend either dish washing liquid or only water :

 

Why the hard headed approach for "Dishwashing Liquid for everything"..? I get it that we're all annoyed with Marketing mumbo jumbo, especially suppliers selling the same thing with different names for different pricing. But Dishwashing Liquid is exactly that.! Dish Washing Liquid.! That's what they call it and that's the purpose for which they market and sell it. They don't advertise it as a general purpose cleaner, do they.? So why use it as such.?

 

We've moved on as a civilisation and have specific products that are better for some things than other things.

 

I also get the "I don't need to wash my bike" story but I don't really understand it.! Why have only an 80% clean bike.?

 

I confess that when I do a relatively short (mid week) ride where my bike gets only a bit dusty and one or two splashes of mud, I will come home and just gently spray it off with a gentle hose whilst rubbing the frame, rims, etc gently with the soft inside of my riding gloves. But I will always give the drivetrain either a wipe down or a good clean - with the cost of chains and 12 speed cassette's these days, you don't want to cause dirt to reduce your product lifespan by 50%.!

 

But this doesn't leave my pride and joy looking like it did when it was new.! Hence a proper wash after the weekend riding or at most every second week. Drive train gets wiped down with a very diluted degreaser sprayed onto a cloth or when cleaned, sprayed directly onto the drivetrain.

 

I use ECOLOGIC and have been doing so for a few years already. It's cheap as chips, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-abrasive and works a charm on everything bike, car and in and around the house.

 

Let's look at the numbers : ecoLogic is R230 for a very concentrated 5L bottle - I use a ratio of 1:100 for washing bikes, cars and floors in the house. So 30ml to 3L water in a bucket - so R 1.38 per wash cycle. I also premix into a spray bottle at a ratio of 1:6.5 (100ml to 650ml Water into a 750ml spray bottle), so R 4.60 and about 30-40ml of this to spray the drivetrain, so 25c per wash. With a total of R 1.63 to wash my bike and make it look like new. Is it really worth holding fast to dishwashing liquid.?

 

I do agree that other 'pre diluted' bike wash brands on the shelf are absurdly priced where the cost per wash will be about R30 - R40.

 

It works so well and is so cost effective and a registered disinfectant that ecoLogic has now replaced 90% of all other cleaning products in our home and we're saving a fortune.! Yes, we do still use dishwashing liquid for the dishes and Stasoft / Omo etc for the clothes but a tiny bit of ecoLogic also works wonders to clean soap-sud grime out the pipes of washing machines.

 

And to be clear...

 

* Use at very low concentrations for general washing (cars, bikes, floors, etc) - rinse, wash, rinse, dry do not leave to stand in between. Typically 1:100 / 1:150

* Use at mild concentrations for drivetrain - spray on cassette and chain whilst turning crank - enough to cover, don't drench such that it will settle into bearings - leave for a few minutes then clean with a small brush (I use a nail brush), rinse, done, dry, apply lube. Typically 100ml : 650ml in a 750ml spray bottle.

* You should never leave your bike standing with any cleaning agent applied

* Use also at mild concentrations to remove mud stains from your riding kit

* Use also at mild concentrations to clean and disinfect cycling shoes (with a soft brush). Once dry, spray with Viromist to freshen, fragrance and keep germ free.

So are you in some way connected to the sales of ecologic? No one can be this passionate about a cleaning product.

[Latent_Blue]

1 Tablespoon Shield Car Wash in 1/2 Bucket of Cold Water and Sponge.

Rinse with a Cloth and Clean Water.

Wipe With a Shammy.

No Hose Pipes.

Friendly to All Bikes and Cars.

Why no hose pipes?

[love2fly]

You're gonna get loads of comments and should search these forums for (many) previous discussions...

 

You know that Cleen Green is corrosive...!! Has Sodium Hydroxide, caustic soda, and another acid with a name to long to type and shouldn't be allowed within 10m of a bicycle...

 

As always, my suggestion is ecologic - non toxic, non corrosive & food safe - that kinda says it all...

 

It's even a registered disinfectant so you can even use it in your kitchens and bathrooms

 

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

 

And now to address the next 20 people who are going to recommend either dish washing liquid or only water :

 

Why the hard headed approach for "Dishwashing Liquid for everything"..? I get it that we're all annoyed with Marketing mumbo jumbo, especially suppliers selling the same thing with different names for different pricing. But Dishwashing Liquid is exactly that.! Dish Washing Liquid.! That's what they call it and that's the purpose for which they market and sell it. They don't advertise it as a general purpose cleaner, do they.? So why use it as such.?

 

We've moved on as a civilisation and have specific products that are better for some things than other things.

 

I also get the "I don't need to wash my bike" story but I don't really understand it.! Why have only an 80% clean bike.?

 

I confess that when I do a relatively short (mid week) ride where my bike gets only a bit dusty and one or two splashes of mud, I will come home and just gently spray it off with a gentle hose whilst rubbing the frame, rims, etc gently with the soft inside of my riding gloves. But I will always give the drivetrain either a wipe down or a good clean - with the cost of chains and 12 speed cassette's these days, you don't want to cause dirt to reduce your product lifespan by 50%.!

 

But this doesn't leave my pride and joy looking like it did when it was new.! Hence a proper wash after the weekend riding or at most every second week. Drive train gets wiped down with a very diluted degreaser sprayed onto a cloth or when cleaned, sprayed directly onto the drivetrain.

 

I use ECOLOGIC and have been doing so for a few years already. It's cheap as chips, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-abrasive and works a charm on everything bike, car and in and around the house.

 

Let's look at the numbers : ecoLogic is R230 for a very concentrated 5L bottle - I use a ratio of 1:100 for washing bikes, cars and floors in the house. So 30ml to 3L water in a bucket - so R 1.38 per wash cycle. I also premix into a spray bottle at a ratio of 1:6.5 (100ml to 650ml Water into a 750ml spray bottle), so R 4.60 and about 30-40ml of this to spray the drivetrain, so 25c per wash. With a total of R 1.63 to wash my bike and make it look like new. Is it really worth holding fast to dishwashing liquid.?

 

I do agree that other 'pre diluted' bike wash brands on the shelf are absurdly priced where the cost per wash will be about R30 - R40.

 

It works so well and is so cost effective and a registered disinfectant that ecoLogic has now replaced 90% of all other cleaning products in our home and we're saving a fortune.! Yes, we do still use dishwashing liquid for the dishes and Stasoft / Omo etc for the clothes but a tiny bit of ecoLogic also works wonders to clean soap-sud grime out the pipes of washing machines.

 

And to be clear...

 

* Use at very low concentrations for general washing (cars, bikes, floors, etc) - rinse, wash, rinse, dry do not leave to stand in between. Typically 1:100 / 1:150

* Use at mild concentrations for drivetrain - spray on cassette and chain whilst turning crank - enough to cover, don't drench such that it will settle into bearings - leave for a few minutes then clean with a small brush (I use a nail brush), rinse, done, dry, apply lube. Typically 100ml : 650ml in a 750ml spray bottle.

* You should never leave your bike standing with any cleaning agent applied

* Use also at mild concentrations to remove mud stains from your riding kit

* Use also at mild concentrations to clean and disinfect cycling shoes (with a soft brush). Once dry, spray with Viromist to freshen, fragrance and keep germ free.

Re Dishwashing liquid:

I used to work in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) game and back then it was said manufacturers added salt to dishwashing liquid to help it foam. No salt coming near my bike....

 

Also, foam is there purely as a visual cue to the (then) housewife (I wash the dishes now), that the product was doing its job - you don't need no foam.

[JBK]

So are you in some way connected to the sales of ecologic? No one can be this passionate about a cleaning product.

Yup... Unashamedly so...

 

I discovered the product about 18 months ago and love it...

 

Going into lock down I also came across the best sanitizer which is the only 70% alcohol one I've found that doesn't destroy your skin and its active for up to 4 hours...

 

So lo and behold, I said to my wife "let's start an online store selling all these awesome products that we use ourselves"...

 

We added Herbal Iceman Cooling Gel to the equation and Bobs your Auntie we launched our new business venture :

 

www.stealthhealth.co.za

 

Thanks for asking [emoji6]

Edited March 18, 2021 by JBK

[JBK]

Re Dishwashing liquid:

I used to work in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) game and back then it was said manufacturers added salt to dishwashing liquid to help it foam. No salt coming near my bike....

 

Also, foam is there purely as a visual cue to the (then) housewife (I wash the dishes now), that the product was doing its job - you don't need no foam.

Yup, I know that but people just don't wanna hear it... I believe the salt also makes it thick...

 

Dishwashing liquid has to be abrasive to remove the stuff that it does. That's why it dulls car paintwork when used consistently over time...

 

I'm not saying it won't clean a bike, but rather that it's not going to be kind to your bike, car, etc in the long run...

[Eugene]

It's a bicycle not a baby. Just wash it with soap and water.

 

Ive been using sunlight for 20 years and still have to see any negative effects.

[JBK]

It's a bicycle not a baby. Just wash it with soap and water.

 

Ive been using sunlight for 20 years and still have to see any negative effects.

Eish your poor baby, oops, sorry, bike...

 

I guess you've also ditched the shampoo and soap and just use dishwashing liquid in the bath / shower also...

[Latent_Blue]

What about something like Pinegel? I'm asking because I have buckets of the stuff...

[dasilvarsa]

Why no hose pipes?

Water Gets in Everywhere when under pressure.

Not So Much When Not

[Latent_Blue]

Water Gets in Everywhere when under pressure.

Not So Much When Not

Ah I see

[JBK]

What about something like Pinegel? I'm asking because I have buckets of the stuff...

To quote someone else from another thread :

 

"Was waiting for someone to mention pine gel. It’s the biggest waste of money, and the chemical companies selling it are making thousands off people who think it’s amazing. There’s a pine fragrance and a pine oil - the latter is expensive and hard to get hold of. Chances are most companies are making it from pine fragrance, so you get a blob of gel with a nice smell. There are better, cheaper products out there that do a better job, and also water-based."

Edited March 19, 2021 by JBK

[Latent_Blue]

To quote someone ride from another thread :

 

"Was waiting for someone to mention pine gel. It’s the biggest waste of money, and the chemical companies selling it are making thousands off people who think it’s amazing. There’s a pine fragrance and a pine oil - the latter is expensive and hard to get hold of. Chances are most companies are making it from pine fragrance, so you get a blob of gel with a nice smell. There are better, cheaper products out there that do a better job, and also water-based."

We use it to mop the floors... Smells and looks nice. R45 for a 5l bucket is bloody cheap