Pookie Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 How does one clean your mtb properly? I find that little bits of grit and sand gets stuck near the front derailleurs and onto the fork. Does one need to clean that regularly or wait for the next service? How often does the chain need to be lubed? I got told every 3rd ride? Please shed some light for me................
CaptainDura Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 If it is muddy then wash and lube your chain after every ride. If it is dusty then wipe your chain with a rag and lube after every ride and wash and lube after every 3rd ride. that way your chain, casette and crank rings will last a long long time and your wallet will love you again.
shaunh Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Hi pookie and welcome to the Hub. IMHO One should clean you bike after every ride and also clean your chain & lubricate it after every ride (MTB & Road). I use paraffin to clean chain & cassette and then use your preferred lubricant.
dirtrider Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Before every ride and not 5 minutes before the ride either . The front derailure can be safely cleaned using high pressure but I do take it of every 6 months and give it a good scrubbing wiff my wife's tooth brush . In summer I also clean the chain after each ride but in dry winter months I only do it every 500km. Even if you don't feel like wasking the bike always ensure that your chain is clean and lube and that your forks/shocks are clean especially round the seals .
splat Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 4 words: High pressure jet wash! Especially around the hubs, bottom bracket and head set areas. Special attention must also be paid to the front and rear shock seals... NOT! (sorry, not very helpful) I can never get my bike to look as clean as it does when it comes back from a service. Maybe its 'cos I dont have a jet washer...
calabash Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 I find that a soft brush is the business for washing bikes. I only use wax on my chains because it is so sandy here.
PPWTF Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 ..............and never, ever use a power hose on the thing, no matter how much dust/mud/chain lube is attaching itself to your pride and joy. If it's wet, wait for it to dry, use a brush to get the worst of and only then use water / mxclean etc - at no pressure. Your BB / full sus bearings / head set will love you for ever, and as was mentioned above, so will your wallet
Pookie Posted July 21, 2008 Author Posted July 21, 2008 Thanks guys! This really helps. Also, how does one clean hydrolic disk brakes? Someone said some type of alcohol? I haven't got a clue. This is a great place for some free advice!
tikki Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Hi pookie and welcome to the Hub. ? IMHO One should clean you bike after every ride and also clean your chain & lubricate it after every ride (MTB & Road). I use paraffin to clean chain & cassette and then use your preferred lubricant. just remember to pour hot boiling water over the chain once paraffined or it mixes with chain lube and eats the lube away!!!!!We use soapy water for the frame,shox etc and prepsol for parts and paraffin for drive train! Happy cleaning
Guest Big H Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Rule no 1, do not use high pressure water spray. Water will penetrate headset, Bottom Bracket, freewheel and wheel bearings and ruin them. Get yourself a clamshell chain cleaner and wash the chain regularly with Sinlight Liquid as a degreaser. Oil the chain with a dry lube like Squirt. Wait for the Squirt to dry and penetrate and wipe the chain with a dry rag (Oil the chain after you washed the whole bike) But yourself a brush kit, Frontline makes a nice one with a soft brush, stiff brush, and three other brushes. Use running water to soften and remove most of the grit, wash the bike with luke warm soapy water (I use Liquid Carwash) I also spary the bike after a wash with Mr Min (the normal one as I do not beleive a bike should smell like a rose garden!!!!) This helps to stop the mud and goggas stick to the bike and makes the next wash easier. Wipe the bike with a dry rag after spraying the mr Min. DO NOT LET THE MR MIN GET ON YOUR BRAKING SURFACES!!!!!! That is on the rim for V Brakes or disks for disk brakes. Do not use parraffin as it leave a oily residue that will dillute your chain lubricant and reduce the viscosity of the lubricant. If you insist on using parraffin or any other solvent wash your chain with a grease cutter and allow the chain to dry before re-lubricating.Big H2008-07-21 04:42:55
AndreZA Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 all you need is yellow Cleen Green concentrate. Just wet the bike with some water, spray everything with cleen green. Let it soak for a while and now wash it with a bucket off hwamr water with more cleen green and a sponge and old dish washing brush. Bike will be as good as new. Re-lube as soon as everying is dry.
tikki Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Thanks guys! This really helps. Also' date=' how does one clean hydrolic disk brakes? Someone said some type of alcohol? I haven't got a clue. This is a great place for some free advice![/quote'] Never clean your disc brakes ,you can clean the caliper by wiping it with a clean rag,only if you get ,lube,silicone,q20 etc on the rotor, clean it with alcohol pad! If you do get lube,silicone,q20 on the pads you ll have to replace them, you can try sanding them down but 90% of the time you have to replace them!
linnega Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 It's so much more fun riding with oil on your brake-pads though. Tried it after a lot of beach riding - meant wash and relube after every ride. The trip back home on the bike rack obviously shook oil on the rotors. Next ride was at Giba Gorge and I went straight out and up, so the first time I knew I had a problem was at the highest point overlooking Giba. Interesting ride down, especially since it started raining before I started the descent.
dirtrider Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Ai-Ai . Looks like you blokes got problems pointing a high pressure washer at the right place !!! There are only about 3 areas where you should not use your pressure thingy . The BB , HS and hubs . It is really very easy to point that thing to just clean your front derailure or any other difficult to reach places . And even if you do happen to get a little water on above it will not stop working or damage it . Been doing it for years on my 3 DS and one HT without problems .
linnega Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 Ai-Ai . Looks like you blokes got problems pointing a high pressure washer at the right place !!! There are only about 3 areas where you should not use your pressure thingy . The BB ' date=' HS and hubs . It is really very easy to point that thing to just clean your front derailure or any other difficult to reach places . And even if you do happen to get a little water on above it will not stop working or damage it . Been doing it for years on my 3 DS and one HT without problems . [/quote'] I'm with you on that. Can't imagine handcleaning after every ride on the beach.
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