# Cleaning your crosser



## palinurus (13 Nov 2008)

If i've been for a blast around the park a bucket of soapy water and a sponge pretty much does it. 

In my very limited experience racing can lead to a whole new level of bike dirtiness which might be beyond sponging (last week I was fortunate that there was a hose at the venue- otherwise I would've had problems getting home). 

So what do you use? hose? pressure washer? take it 'round the garage and blast it with the jetwash? 

I live in a second-floor flat, but I reckon I could drop a hose outta the window. 

The other thing I was wondering: do race venues often provide an area where you can hose down yr' bike or was I just lucky?


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## mr-marty-martin (13 Nov 2008)

no not all cross race will provide a hose etc, and usualy its just a case of washing your bike in the car park

what i do is use one of those weed sprayers, like this one

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/12-Lit...9149b7555f432fc3.e3eSbNySbxiNe34Pa38Ta38Obhb0

great for using it in the carpark and getting the cross bike clean for the car, also why not keep it in the pitlane, so if your bike gets clogged up give it a quick spray


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## Crackle (13 Nov 2008)

Saw this recommended http://www.dirtworker.co.uk/


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## papercorn2000 (14 Nov 2008)

Yeah, seen one in action and it looked great. 
Tried the weedsprayer but it lacked oomph.


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## jpembroke (14 Nov 2008)

My cleaning regime is as follows:
1) pack filthy bike in back of car after race, wrapped in dust sheet (weed sprayer is an ace idea - saw someone using one at my last race)
2) get home and scrape off loose mud and grass
3) hose down thoroughly
4) apply Muc-off
5) hose down again
6) spray parts with GT85 and chain with dry lube
7) take bike into kitchen to dry off
8) buff with old t-shirt
9) Put bike in shed

The bringing it in to dry is key!

and the buffing, obviously. Don't forget the buffing.


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## rjeffroy (14 Nov 2008)

About half the venues I have been to have had a hose, otherwise stop at a jetwash on the way home. I live in a 2nd floor flat so don't have any hose opportunities at home.
Spray parts with GT85.
Do repairs (after 4 races this includes: new chain, strip and grease headset, replace brake blocks, adjust wheel bearings).
So far I seem to need about 2 hours maintenance for every hour ridden...


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## Tim Bennet. (14 Nov 2008)

> So far I seem to need about 2 hours maintenance for every hour ridden...


Whilst cyclo cross can be hard on a bike, probably more damaging is cleaning with a jet wash and using Muc off and then only using GT85 as the lube. 

The first two are too aggressive and the latter not man enough.


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## palinurus (14 Nov 2008)

Thanks, I was Just curious as to how others approach it. I’ll be riding to most of my races so, unless I come up with some sort of clever trailer arrangement I’ll generally be cleaning when I get back (in the dark) unless there’s a hose available. This lark will probably force me into learning a bit more about bike maintenance.


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## Dave5N (16 Nov 2008)

Tim Bennet. said:


> Whilst cyclo cross can be hard on a bike, probably more damaging is cleaning with a jet wash and using Muc off and then only using GT85 as the lube.
> 
> The first two are too aggressive and the latter not man enough.



Hear hear.

You need a bike stand, a bucket of hot soapy water, various brushes and sponges and a hose pipe set to gentle spray. You then need a leather and kitchen towel, GT85 and oil. Cotton buds are good, too.

You then need 85 minutes per bike, or 55 minutes each if you do two together (this needs two stands).

I do four bikes each week, so am fairly sure of my routine.


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## palinurus (16 Nov 2008)

Dave5N said:


> You then need 85 minutes per bike



That's close to how long it took me yesterday. I'll never grumble about having to clean my commuter bike again. 

I could do with a hose- it takes a surprising amount of effort to scrub mud out of tyre treads.

But more importantly I'll look for a workstand- I've been meaning to get one for a long time anyway. I could do with getting some large battery-powered lights of some description so I can work more easily in the dark (currently I have to duck down the alleyway every few minutes to set off the landlord's security light). Either that or a big ol' extension lead that I can drop out of the window and run some sort of weatherproof light off that.


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## Dave5N (17 Nov 2008)

Palinurus,

I have two of these now:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=BIKEWORK200000000000

One inside, one in the shed. Can't fault them so far.


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## jpembroke (17 Nov 2008)

Tim Bennet. said:


> Whilst cyclo cross can be hard on a bike, probably more damaging is cleaning with a jet wash and using Muc off and then only using GT85 as the lube.
> 
> The first two are too aggressive and the latter not man enough.



I only use GT85 as a water disperser. It really helps to stop rust on bolts and springs. I use a proper chain lube on the chain. Agreed, GT85 is not an adequate lubricant. Also agree that jet washes are to be avoided. Never had a problem with Muc-off though but only use on the cross bike when it's really filthy. My road bike always gets the car shampoo treatment. Does the job brilliantly.


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## Tim Bennet. (17 Nov 2008)

Lots of people use Muc off to clean their cassettes. Unfortunately spraying it (often liberally) on these allows it to work it's way down into the freehub and the right hand wheel bearing it contains, stripping the grease from these. 

The mountain bikes I see where there is premature failure on this side of the (Shimano) rear hub, ALL belong to Muc Off users.


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## jpembroke (17 Nov 2008)

Tim - that's useful information; I wasn't aware of that. I'll bear that in mind. I assume that it gets in a liquifies the grease leaving the bearings to swim about in a watery slurry. Not good!


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## palinurus (17 Nov 2008)

That is useful. I'll stop doing that then.


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## palinurus (14 Dec 2008)

I was in Halfords yesterday (Ms. P was looking for presents in Hobbycraft and I got bored). The bike section was crap so I was browsing round the car stuff and ended up buying a Hoselock portable car wash- it's a 5L container with a bit of hose attached, there's a handle on the top like a track pump to pressurise the container. £20.

Used it today and it's much quicker than my bucket and sponge method at getting the mud off. It comes with a sort of shower head attachment- this works particularly well since it uses less water. Combined with an old washing-up brush it does a pretty good job.

This is it


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## Young Un (14 Dec 2008)

The hoselock weed sprayer was all I needed today. The mud was really liquidy so the sprayer did a brillliant job, so good that I didn't have to wash it when I got home.

Steve


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## palinurus (14 Dec 2008)

Nothing better than not needing to wash it when you get home.

How did you do then?


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## Young Un (14 Dec 2008)

forgot to check the results but I know I did pants.

Steve


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## Dave5N (15 Dec 2008)

Thought you did ok. It was a tough course.

BTW why are you racing for Red Kite?


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## Young Un (15 Dec 2008)

What do you mean Dave, I put down Redditch R+P on the entry form

Steve


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## Young Un (15 Dec 2008)

Just been looking at the results (youth haven't been put up yet), say well done to Josef for me.

Steve


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## Noodley (2 Jan 2009)

palinurus said:


> ...Hoselock portable car wash. £20.



That looks great. Might pay a visit to Halfords soon.


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## watersj (22 Apr 2009)

You are ok with a jet wash as long as you dont get it in the head set bearings and bottom brckt.


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## Dave5N (22 Apr 2009)

And wheel bearings and pedal bearings and freehub and...


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## palinurus (23 Apr 2009)

The tricky thing is when the bike is really caked and you've got to ride home and there's three Polish guys manning the jetwash..


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## Dave5N (23 Apr 2009)

How do you ride home? Do you push the spare bike or put it over your shoulders?


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## palinurus (29 Apr 2009)

It is a problem, no spare bike or wheels for me. Maybe I'll start a "cyclocross without a car" thread, but I suspect it'll be lonely there.

For events in London (Hillingdon and Herne Hill) a few entrants turn up on their bikes.


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## Dave5N (10 May 2009)

palinurus said:


> It is a problem, no spare bike or wheels for me. Maybe I'll start a "cyclocross without a car" thread, but I suspect it'll be lonely there.
> 
> For events in London (Hillingdon and Herne Hill) a few entrants turn up on their bikes.




I'd start a 'lift share' thread....


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