Bike washing theory

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, dasilvarsa said:

That's just Speculation.

I've Read most Fork and Shock Suspension Manuals and Not one of them tells you to use Motor Oil in the Lowers. That's why I don't believe everything that is posted on the Internet I do my own Research and Testing on my own bikes.

When I used 5w30 Motor oil on the RS I found that it attracted Sand to the Stanchions Made White parts Yellow and the Seals did not last. 

You can use Motor oil If you want. I will not use it on my own Bikes Forks and do not recommend using Motor Oil in the Lowers. I current use the full range of Motul Fork OIL Products and it's working for me and my NON Internet Friends.

5W30 is a 5W with a healthy dose of VI improver. The tackiness comes from the higher levels of Extreme pressure additives. Motorbike oil is not the same as motor car engine oil. Some are but not all. It depends on cooling mechanism and wether wet or dry clutch 

[TyronLab]

2 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Do you guys really clean your bikes after EVERY ride as described in the posts?

Every single ride?

Yoh..... I think I last cleaned my road bike the day before CTCT 

I mean I wipe the chain when I lube it and run a brush through the cassette every now and then, but yoh.... That is a LOT of cleaning

I'll do you one better. I have purposely gone out and done some muddy bog exploring and messing around on my bike (similar to what you would in a 4x4) to get it proper dirty to have the OCD-tickling joy of washing it afterward. 

Granted, I never have expensive drivetrains or suspension for that matter, so no resultant damage, and I get to spend time cleaning something that's important to me. My wife knows if I'm planning on being home at 09:00 then I'll be back in action at 10:00, as the hour after a ride is bike-washing time.

[Hairy]

19 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

I'll do you one better. I have purposely gone out and done some muddy bog exploring and messing around on my bike (similar to what you would in a 4x4) to get it proper dirty to have the OCD-tickling joy of washing it afterward. 

Granted, I never have expensive drivetrains or suspension for that matter, so no resultant damage, and I get to spend time cleaning something that's important to me. My wife knows if I'm planning on being home at 09:00 then I'll be back in action at 10:00, as the hour after a ride is bike-washing time.

sounds to me like you do not have kids in the house with all that free time to spend an hour to wash a bike AFTER you have been out for a ride too 
 

[Hairy]

I have not washed my bikes in a while as I have been a lazy b@st@rd and have not been cycling, and spending my free time on the bike with an engine fitted to it.

Only if the bike is caked in my would I do a full bike wash after a ride.

A standard ride might see me clean off the chain and lube it again, with a quick wipe down of the suspensions exposed moving parts ... if it is a dusty ride, the bike may be graced with a hose down.

Then on the odd occasion I would give the bikes a wash, all of them at once as it is more efficient RE time.

[Jewbacca]

2 hours ago, nox1111 said:

haha, I surely don't. I do a once a month 10min wash and dry. Basic chain lube after. Will clean chain every 4 -6 months with actual chain cleaner.

This is more believable/up my alley....

1 hour ago, Bub Marley said:

Road Bike - If it doesn’t rain, then maybe every 2-3 weeks. I will give it a wipe off in between though. If it rains, bike is pretty filthy so immediate wash.

 

MTB - After almost every ride especially this winter where it’s been terrible. If its dry you can ride for longer but I just prefer a clean bike versus a dusty one.

This also makes sense.... Some of the comments started with 'Every time I ride'

[dasilvarsa]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

5W30 is a 5W with a healthy dose of VI improver. The tackiness comes from the higher levels of Extreme pressure additives. Motorbike oil is not the same as motor car engine oil. Some are but not all. It depends on cooling mechanism and wether wet or dry clutch 

So We must not Use Motor Oil in the Lowers ? 

It was recommended in a Number of Threads (Magnatec 5w30)

When I used it I had a Bad experience. 

[DieselnDust]

57 minutes ago, dasilvarsa said:

So We must not Use Motor Oil in the Lowers ? 

It was recommended in a Number of Threads (Magnatec 5w30)

When I used it I had a Bad experience. 

Motor oil in the lowers is not an issue.

what did you use? 

[Murrob]

4 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

Road Bike - If it doesn’t rain, then maybe every 2-3 weeks. I will give it a wipe off in between though. If it rains, bike is pretty filthy so immediate wash.

 

MTB - After almost every ride especially this winter where it’s been terrible. If its dry you can ride for longer but I just prefer a clean bike versus a dusty one.

Similar protocol on my side. But with the weather the last 4 months in the Cape it has been wash after virtually every ride, mtb or road. I have bought some waterless wash spray to do a quick wipe down if appropriate to try save on a full wash. I will say though, my chains and cassettes do seem to last super long because of regular cleaning.

[dasilvarsa]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

Motor oil in the lowers is not an issue.

what did you use? 

Magnatec 5w30

[i24]

7 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

There’s no reason to make a multi grade hydraulic oil.

My understanding is that multi-grade has additives to prevent the viscosity getting too thin as the oil gets hot. In a modern car they can use thin multi-grade oil that does not cause too much drag and scores good brownie points on the emissions test while the engine is cold, but still stays "thick" enough when it warms up, to keep the engine happy till the end of the warrantee period.

None of that is applicable to fork oil - especially bicycle forks, cause there is no way you are going to get the oil very hot, even on a downhill run.

(Maybe on motorbike forks in competition use, but even then I doubt it).

Difficult scenarios for lubricants are things that get hot and things that rotate very quickly. Bicycle lubricants have an easy job.

[Kom]

5 hours ago, Hairy said:

Only if the bike is caked in my would I do a full bike wash after a ride.

A standard ride might see me clean off the chain and lube it again, with a quick wipe down of the suspensions exposed moving parts ... if it is a dusty ride, the bike may be graced with a hose down.

Then on the odd occasion I would give the bikes a wash, all of them at once as it is more efficient RE time.

Same here - ill preclean and lube chain every other ride at most - only clean/wipe down when necassary.

Rarely use soaps/detergents other than chain cleaner. Micro fibre clothes are a secret weapon.

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

Magnatec 5w30

That should not have caused the issues you explained. Did you flush out what was in the fork lowers prior to using the magnatec?

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, i24 said:

My understanding is that multi-grade has additives to prevent the viscosity getting too thin as the oil gets hot. In a modern car they can use thin multi-grade oil that does not cause too much drag and scores good brownie points on the emissions test while the engine is cold, but still stays "thick" enough when it warms up, to keep the engine happy till the end of the warrantee period.

None of that is applicable to fork oil - especially bicycle forks, cause there is no way you are going to get the oil very hot, even on a downhill run.

(Maybe on motorbike forks in competition use, but even then I doubt it).

Difficult scenarios for lubricants are things that get hot and things that rotate very quickly. Bicycle lubricants have an easy job.

Your understanding is correct. The reason engine oils get used in fork lowers is the lot ability to deal with water better than hydraulic oils and because their Extreme pressure additive dosage is generally higher so that keeps bushings working nicely if the fork has been standing. Pure hydraulic oils are more suited to circulating systems unless the intention is for use in pumps which again would a product more similar to an engine oil 

[ChrisF]

10 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

.....

Yoh..... I think I last cleaned my road bike the day before CTCT 

.....

 

Which Argus ? 

[dasilvarsa]

7 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

That should not have caused the issues you explained. Did you flush out what was in the fork lowers prior to using the magnatec?

No I did Not, Just Drained and used the paper towel and dowel to clean the Bushing.

What do you use in your Forks ?

[DieselnDust]

6 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

No I did Not, Just Drained and used the paper towel and dowel to clean the Bushing.

What do you use in your Forks ?

In the Lefty I use higher viscosity oils for the lower. It gets greased at the service and every 50hr I add a bit of finishline wet lube. 
I use a 5w40 havoline in the RS-1 and Reba in my daughters bike. Never have sludge problems