Cleaning one's bike - the cheap alternative

[Guest Big H]

I wash my bike, a tandem road bike, with normal water soluble car wash shampoo with a polish in the shampoo. This shines the bike. I then as an added bonus wipe the bike with mr Min (not the one with the fragnance....... you do not want your bike to smell like a rosegarden!!!!!!) sprayed on a piece of cheesecloth. This makes the bike easier to clean the next time. I wash the chain, derrraileurs and pedals with Sunlight liquid on one of my bike brushes. I use a set of brushes I bought at the LBS made by Finish Line. On the Road Tandem in RSA I use I wash the chain with a clamshell type chain washer (BBB makes the best one) I then wash all the suds of with a hosepipe with running water. DO NOT USE ANY PRESSURE SPRAY ANYWHERE ON THE BIKE AS WATER WILL FORCE INTO THE BEARINGS AND RUIN THEM. I lube my derraileurs and V-brakes (on the road tandem) with a light machine oil. I apply it with a syringe with a thick blunted needle. When the chain is dry I lube it with Squirt. I do this the day before I ride as the Squirt is a wax emulsion that needs to dry. When dry I wipe the excesses with a cloth.

I must warn you that this is a very contentious subject on the Hub. I am sure many other Hubbers will disagree with my methods. They work for me and has successfully worked for me since 2002.

I have two road Tandems and one MTB tandem. Tandems require much more care and maintenance than a half a bike and as I say what I do works.

The main reason I do not use Prepsol or Cleen Green is that they are not readily available in Angola. In RSA I use Cleen Green undiluted in my clamshell washer to clean the chain.

 

What is in important in chain maintenance and to get the longest possible use out iof the chain is good and regular chain maintenance.

 

BBB Clamshell washer

 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Images/Models/120/4671.jpg

 

Finish Line Brush Set

 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Images/Models/120/14412.jpg

[supertorro]

omo works great on the chain.  just clean the stuff where dirt affects performance......a little dust on the down tube really doesn't do much