Bike Hygiene

[Pookie]

Greetings wise ones!

This one for the MTB-ers. How do you clean your bike?
I spray mine off with a hosepipe (taking care around the hubs' date=' BB and headset) - but yet, when she dries, she still has remnants of clay and mud.

Took my bike in for something at CycleLab and got it back INSANELY beautiful, clean as a whistle, looked brand new - even in those hard-to-reach areas.

So I was wondering, what is the 'done thing'? DO you take a bucket of soap water and hand wash, rinse with detergent, spray using bikewash then rinse?

Apply paraffin and rinse? (If you are not a environmentally friendly person )

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Buy a bike cleaning kit at your LBS or just use some warm water and dishwashing liquid, works like a charm. Especially helps to get rid of sticky mud etc. First spray it off with a hosepipe, then wash with a sponge and then spray off again, similar to a car. If you want it looking tip top, take the back wheel off and scrub the cassette with a brush with soapie solution. Just see to it that you lube the chain after it has dried. Happy washing!

[XTC OKE]

after you washed it spray on silicone and wipe of

[JPW#]

Step 1..... rags over shock tubes  ( prevent H20 getting into my rox)

Step 2.....hose off all the mudd.

Step 3.....car shampoo and sponge

Step 4.....toothbrush for jockey wheels and chain and blades.

Step 5.... repeat using parafin,hose off again.

Step 5.... wait till dry then lube to various parts,teflon spray for tubes

Step 6 ....Add Mr min to frame.

Step 7.....Go make the bike dirty again.

JPW#2008-11-24 05:24:34

[Slave]

Ride a roadie so not much in terms of what works to get ride a slimy, sticky mud, but dudes, (dudesses) that bike cost a bit so ya'all have to look after them.

 

I use a polymer based polish on the frame to help keep it clean and never use soap on the bike. Will dimantle clusters etc to get them clean using diesel and paint brush.

 

Actually have a bit of a dilemma here. Used that stuff they advertise on TV where the oke uses this polish and his Mazda turns into a Beemer. Was hoping my "pee-jou" would turn into a trek / cannondale / scott, heck, whatevva. The dilemma is, did not work on the caror the bike. Should I sue their ass for misleading advertising?

 

Clean bearings and regrease regularly especially when there has been rain and there is dirt or mud on the road.

 

Polish makes it easier to just wet-wipe the bike with a shammy. (And get it clean) without having to resort to hosepipes and soap. Soap degrades the lubrication inside the bearings.