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Bike TLC...
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hi All,
Just throwing a quick one out here to see what info i get back.
What type of cleaning products do people tend to use when cleaning their bike, after a trip to the trails.
- General cleaning
- Chain / Drivetrain cleaning
- Lubricants
- Etc.
Also,
- Do's and dont's?
- What NOT to use..
Cheers,
-TJ.
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I use the local car wash bay & blast all the muck of with high pressure works a treat can get expensive at a dollar for 90seconds but it works
depending on how dirty it is, (usually every 3rd or 4th ride) I normally just spray it down with a garden hose, give it w wipe with a soapy sponge, spray it down again. Wipe the rear shock and forks dry with a clean rag. Then I remove the chain and cassette and soak them in Kerosene. While soaking, I clean hubs and mechanisms, front chain rings with a kerosene soaked rag and maybe toothbrush.
Then put the wheels back on and check the rear derailleur alignment (much easier to do with the chain off). then put the chain back on and take it for a quick spin down the road to dry up the kero.
Finally I lube it up with drip on dry lube (any MTB specific lube will do, but I find wax based lube works best with my setup and trail choice, some people prefer oil based lube).
do not:
Dispose of your hydrocarbon waste in an environmentally reckless way.
Use high pressure anywhere near your suspension seals.
Use WD-40 unless you need to do some serious degreasing, but even still, kerosene, diesel or petrol will be better for the metal parts.
try not to overclean your bike, so long as the mud is off and it's dry it should be good.
^^^^
I would recommend keeping the high pressure hose away from the bike all together. You'll end up driving dirt into your hubs, headset, bb etc. soapy water + a sponge will achieve the same outcome.
General clean:
Hose on soft mist spray with a soft bike-specific brush, sometimes with car wash detergent when I feel like it. Do NOT use high pressure or compressed air - much too easy to wash dirt INTO bearings, suspension pivots and headsets. Wipe down with a rag.
If using kero, WD40, Armor-all or the like to bling up your paintwork, cover your brakes or remove the pads and wheels - you don't want it on your rotors or your pads or you'll need to replace the pads. At $20 an end (or more) it's an extremely annoying mistake.
Chain:
You can use a Park Tools on-the-bike cleaner or kero. I run three chains in rotation, to extend the wear life of the cassette and chainrings, and so far have gotten 6 chains worth of wear out of 'em (almost 3 years use across 2 bike frames, 4,000+ km?).
Since I don't have the put the same chain back on immediately it enables me to use a bit of time with a 3-stage process with the kero to do the work where i shake it thoroughly in in a container and then let it sit for awhile to dissolve everything and let the grunge settle to the bottom before pulling it out and putting the chain into the next, cleaner lot of kero.
For lubes, I prefer WD 40 or similar to keep the pedals looking good and rust off, as it doesn't build up.
For the chain I've been using purple extreme, but since the 2012 Mont where we got those samplers in the bag, I'm quite liking Squirt lube. I'd never have thought a water-based wax lube could be remotely any good, but I have to say it's proven to be excellent.
Gentle hose and soapy water for general cleaning. I like to use a citrus based degreaser on all parts of the drivetrain. +1 for Squirt chain lube, seems to work well in all conditions.
Good topic.
I use soapy water for the frame, take the chain off and decrease while cleaning all the hard to get to places. Then relube with rock n roll gold.
What do you all use for oiling your derailleur? I've heard GT85 is ok, but would like other people's views.
1. Remove wheels.
2. Place pad inserts in brakes then cover with small plastic bags and elastic bands.
3. Use low pressure bike power washer to rinse off crud.
4. Use Muc Off or similar to clean rest of mud off.
5. Use small wire brush for hard to reach areas.
6. Get a towel, lightly grip jockey wheels and pedal to get mud out of RD.
7. Use Park chain cleaner and citrus degreaser to clean chain on bike.
8. Dry chain with towel.
9. Squirt Teflon spray (weldite) down shift cable housings and over chain.
10. Wipe frame and chain dry.
11. Use appropriate chain lube
12. Polish frame with Mr Sheen if there is oil etc or it's the bikes birthday.
13. Wipe rims down and check spoke tension
14. Wipe discs with wife's nail varnish remover
15. Put wheels back on after removing bags.
16. Quick wipe of any last water on the frame
17. Check gears, suspension and brakes
18. Step basic and admire and plan next upgrade.
Sometimes I'll skip a few steps in summer, just checking the chain and inspecting the frame. All up takes about 45 mins.
In winter, once a month I'll take apart the rear derailleur jockey wheels and pull the cranks off to get to more of crud build off out of the bottom bracket seals. Adds another 30 mins but worth it as they are the worst areas. Once a year, pull pivot seals off and check the grease. Rarely need to do any cleaning there though these days.
Agree about using kero on the chains and having a few for rotating. Just haven't got round to that yet.
My LBS told me to spray all moving parts with silicon spray, its good as it doesn't attract the dirt and dust, i spray it on my front and rear derailleurs, my fork seals, pedals and my brake levers.
+1 for squirt lube
Jeesus - where do you some of you guys find time to ride? More time cleaning than riding
Leave mud in place- it stops water getting in. Clean chain, lube it , wipe fork stanchions, shock , hose off brakes - now ride, and ignore sneers from ex bike shop mechanics with OCD.
Been using Kerosene and a brush for years to clean my bikes mechanicals, not after every ride (I use water for that) but the big clean after a few rides, never ever removed the brake pads while cleaning and never ever had problems with them, (over 1000 race k's on the one set of pads) although I do give it a thorough rinse off with water.
I have heard that its not that good for rubber, so I should keep it away from the brakes on the roadie? but again a thorough rinse seems to solve that one (15000k's on the same set).
Kerosene is an effective overall bike cleaner and its cheap.. but it really stinks and there are better specific cleaners to use, but it's cheap and works well enough for me.
If using chain cleaners (kero or citrus) in a chain cleaning device or open container, do it in a well ventilated area. They all have volatiles that have the potential to cause brain damage in the long term, and can make you feel quite sick.
Ahh, that would explain why a few mates recently purchased roadies; kero induced brain damage.
That pink bottle of Muc-Off is brilliant. If used sparingly, it'll last a year easily.
I don't use it every ride, just the messy ones.
1) light spray with hose. Rinse off excess mud.
2) Muc - Off spray on bike. (Sparingly works fine - spray chain too)
3) wait 2 min.
4) light spray with hose.
5) dry bike with rag.
6) lube chain
This usually takes me 10min total. If its a particularly messy ride, I'll dismantle more & clean much more thoroughly. (Cassette & chain toothbrush etc...)
Simple Green undiluted works a treat on the drivetrain and also is very cost-effective for the rest of the bike when diluted. I've been using it for years and it must have saved me heaps over the smaller, more expensive specific bike cleaning products out there.
Also, I concur with never using a pressure washer on the bike.
Pretty easy to keep bikes clean in summer WA conditions - a quick spray to get off the loose dust and then re-lube the chain and it's good to go! Clay-based soils and winter riding may necessitate a lot more cleaning and maintenance. But compared to Sydney, components seems to last longer and require less maintenance on the Perth trails.
Clean shocks and chain bits after every ride.
When I can't read the name on the frame I use the karcher on low pressure, then a bucket with bike wash and various brushes for different parts.
Lastly, my secret, I hose off with de-ionised water, put to bed wet. Lube everything the next day.
The de-ionised water prevents any rust and dries completely clean. No water marks.