Well chop chop.
Cleaning bike...
- Thread starter Glover Fan
- Start date
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Well chop chop.
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
A workstand is great for this - and you can opt to take the wheels out for a proper 'pro' clean.
(1) a bucket full of (2) hot water containing (3) the recommended dose of a good quality car shampoo (washing-up liquid has salt in it which is abrasive and will rot your bike)
4) one of those plastic soft bristled car wash brushes
5) a low pressure hose pipe.
6) a clutch of cotton rags
7) a microfibre cloth
Lean your bike up (on its rh side) so it's stable. Soak it with the hose - gently, and stay away from the bearings. You are aiming to remove any big lumps of crap and to soften any which remains for the next phase. You're not going to get it all off with the hose so don't bother trying. And don't be tempted to spray it with a jet of water. It's surprisingly easy to get by a perfectly good bearing seal with a spray. Do that to the non-drive side of your rear hub and it'll be new wheel time.
If it was really manky leave it to stand for a bit.
Now, load the brush with copious amounts of hot soapy water and starting at the top, wash the bike down, lh side first then turn it around and do the rh side. Pay particular attention to the wheels, turning them as you go so that you get every surface.
If you have been following the ahem 'Mickle method' of chain maintenance you can completely ignore the chain, because it will be perfectly capable of surviving a splash of water. Rinse the bike with the hose going back over it with the soapy brush if you find areas you've missed. Then dry the whole bike off with the cotton rags and when that's done wipe the chain down and lube it in the normal way.
The last thing to do is give your brightwork a going over with the microfibre.
Even the most vociferous advocate of the ahem 'Mickle method' will occasionally need to remove the chainset to get in and clean the back of it and the nooks and crannies behind it. Though nothing can beat a full strip down a re-build. It's nice to do it every couple or three years. Most of mine are well overdue..
OP
OP
Glover Fan
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Almondsbury, Nr Bristol
Cheers for all the info (also apologies for what must be the millionth thread on cleaning).
As my bike wasn't massively muddy, I just wiped all over it with baby wipes and it did a surprisingly good job. Best bit was that the wipes cost 18p for 80 in Sainsburys.
The white bar tape and white seat aren't very clean though, might have to get some degreaser on that at somepoint?! (Long term will probably just get some black bar tape!)
As my bike wasn't massively muddy, I just wiped all over it with baby wipes and it did a surprisingly good job. Best bit was that the wipes cost 18p for 80 in Sainsburys.
The white bar tape and white seat aren't very clean though, might have to get some degreaser on that at somepoint?! (Long term will probably just get some black bar tape!)
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
Itchyfeet
New Member
- Location
- Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
Went out on the bike today in the fog and drizzle, did 37 miles (which is my longest ride yet), came back, cleaned the bike down with baby wipes, (took 4 to get it clean), quick spray with GT85, and as I've been using the "Mickle method" of chain maintenance for the past month, gave the chain a quick wipe as it looked as though there was already plenty lubrication on it.
Job done in 20 minutes.
Brian
Job done in 20 minutes.
Brian
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
A workstand is great for this - and you can opt to take the wheels out for a proper 'pro' clean.
(1) a bucket full of (2) hot water containing (3) the recommended dose of a good quality car shampoo (washing-up liquid has salt in it which is abrasive and will rot your bike)
4) one of those plastic soft bristled car wash brushes
5) a low pressure hose pipe.
6) a clutch of cotton rags
7) a microfibre cloth
Lean your bike up (on its rh side) so it's stable. Soak it with the hose - gently, and stay away from the bearings. You are aiming to remove any big lumps of crap and to soften any which remains for the next phase. You're not going to get it all off with the hose so don't bother trying. And don't be tempted to spray it with a jet of water. It's surprisingly easy to get by a perfectly good bearing seal with a spray. Do that to the non-drive side of your rear hub and it'll be new wheel time.
If it was really manky leave it to stand for a bit.
Now, load the brush with copious amounts of hot soapy water and starting at the top, wash the bike down, lh side first then turn it around and do the rh side. Pay particular attention to the wheels, turning them as you go so that you get every surface.
If you have been following the ahem 'Mickle method' of chain maintenance you can completely ignore the chain, because it will be perfectly capable of surviving a splash of water. Rinse the bike with the hose going back over it with the soapy brush if you find areas you've missed. Then dry the whole bike off with the cotton rags and when that's done wipe the chain down and lube it in the normal way.
The last thing to do is give your brightwork a going over with the microfibre.
Even the most vociferous advocate of the ahem 'Mickle method' will occasionally need to remove the chainset to get in and clean the back of it and the nooks and crannies behind it. Though nothing can beat a full strip down a re-build. It's nice to do it every couple or three years. Most of mine are well overdue..
Good advice here. Re. the chainset - I find removing just the chainrings is normally sufficient if you want to get rid of the inevitable crud that builds up in those hard-to-get-to places.
Mad at urage
New Member
- Location
- Just N of Cardiff
Basically what I do, but what about the crud in the gear mechs (gets trapped there even using mickle-method chain cleaning), lubing the gear mechs and cables? Brakepad surfaces can usefully be cleaned too.
A workstand is great for this - and you can opt to take the wheels out for a proper 'pro' clean.
(1) a bucket full of (2) hot water containing (3) the recommended dose of a good quality car shampoo (washing-up liquid has salt in it which is abrasive and will rot your bike)
4) one of those plastic soft bristled car wash brushes
5) a low pressure hose pipe.
6) a clutch of cotton rags
7) a microfibre cloth
Lean your bike up (on its rh side) so it's stable. Soak it with the hose - gently, and stay away from the bearings. You are aiming to remove any big lumps of crap and to soften any which remains for the next phase. You're not going to get it all off with the hose so don't bother trying. And don't be tempted to spray it with a jet of water. It's surprisingly easy to get by a perfectly good bearing seal with a spray. Do that to the non-drive side of your rear hub and it'll be new wheel time.
If it was really manky leave it to stand for a bit.
Now, load the brush with copious amounts of hot soapy water and starting at the top, wash the bike down, lh side first then turn it around and do the rh side. Pay particular attention to the wheels, turning them as you go so that you get every surface.
If you have been following the ahem 'Mickle method' of chain maintenance you can completely ignore the chain, because it will be perfectly capable of surviving a splash of water. Rinse the bike with the hose going back over it with the soapy brush if you find areas you've missed. Then dry the whole bike off with the cotton rags and when that's done wipe the chain down and lube it in the normal way.
The last thing to do is give your brightwork a going over with the microfibre.
Even the most vociferous advocate of the ahem 'Mickle method' will occasionally need to remove the chainset to get in and clean the back of it and the nooks and crannies behind it. Though nothing can beat a full strip down a re-build. It's nice to do it every couple or three years. Most of mine are well overdue..
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
Bump! Get it done before the weather descends.
BigTone0777
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Darlington
I always use baby wipes and every now and then when my chain is manky I use a little bit of Gunk (engine degreaser) carefully with a rag, dry it off with a dry reg and relube. Seems to do the job for me. Make sure you don't let degreaser get into your hub bearings, bottom bracket etc.
migrantwing
Veteran
I am a fan of baby wipes, too. Although, the better half isn't too impressed 
jackthelad
Well-Known Member
If out and there is little dirt on the bike then it is baby wipes to the frame and the mickle method for the chain.
If the bike is quite dirty due to rain and road grit I spray the frame with really hot water and the dirt falls off,and finish with soft rags. then I use gt85 on the chain cassette and draillers,then I have an old bit of carpet I lay down,put the chain in small ring at front and small ring at the rear , lift the brake release turn bike upside down on the carpet with the carpet protecting the shifters from damage then remove back wheel and place rag thru the cassette doing the mickle method to clean the cassette.Replace wheel and mickle on the chain then relube.then mickle again ,job done
If the bike is quite dirty due to rain and road grit I spray the frame with really hot water and the dirt falls off,and finish with soft rags. then I use gt85 on the chain cassette and draillers,then I have an old bit of carpet I lay down,put the chain in small ring at front and small ring at the rear , lift the brake release turn bike upside down on the carpet with the carpet protecting the shifters from damage then remove back wheel and place rag thru the cassette doing the mickle method to clean the cassette.Replace wheel and mickle on the chain then relube.then mickle again ,job done
