I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
It's not so much the grease that gets washed out but the water that gets forced in that is the problem.
Cleaning
- Thread starter JamieNUFCcoates
- Start date
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SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
gentle water pressure on a hose and brush works wonders for a getting the salt & wet mud off. For a thorough clean, life is a different matter.
But how often you clean you bike should not be measured in terms of time... it should be measured in terms of how often you use your bike...
Mine gets cleaned down each and everytime I use it because of a whole number of things not least of all I live down a very muddy lane (living rurally) which coats everything in a thick layer of mud. Leave that on the bike and parts wear out much faster when the mud/dirt/salt is ground into the chain oil and acts like sandpaper.
My OH does not clean his bike... look at the middle chainring on the photo below. this is what will happen very quickly. moving parts wear out much faster. He had done less than 2,000 miles on that and now everything (cassette, chainset, front derailleur and chain) have all had to be replaced. I got well over 4,000 mile from the same combination and the wear on mine was less than half what his is, when I replaced mine and we ride identical model & spec road bikes. The difference is I clean mine (and occasionally his) he does not.
So how often you clean your bike is directly related to how often you want to replace the entire transmission...
(Click to enlarge)
But how often you clean you bike should not be measured in terms of time... it should be measured in terms of how often you use your bike...
Mine gets cleaned down each and everytime I use it because of a whole number of things not least of all I live down a very muddy lane (living rurally) which coats everything in a thick layer of mud. Leave that on the bike and parts wear out much faster when the mud/dirt/salt is ground into the chain oil and acts like sandpaper.
My OH does not clean his bike... look at the middle chainring on the photo below. this is what will happen very quickly. moving parts wear out much faster. He had done less than 2,000 miles on that and now everything (cassette, chainset, front derailleur and chain) have all had to be replaced. I got well over 4,000 mile from the same combination and the wear on mine was less than half what his is, when I replaced mine and we ride identical model & spec road bikes. The difference is I clean mine (and occasionally his) he does not.
So how often you clean your bike is directly related to how often you want to replace the entire transmission...
(Click to enlarge)
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
MattMM
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern suburbs of Glasgow
+1 for gentle hose down and wipe after every ride to remove primarily salt at this time of year, plus any muck. Pay particular attention to wheel rims, chain, exposed gear cables, front and rear gears. I tend to wipe chain with damp cloth after every ride to remove salt residue, let it dry, and lube using Mickle method (Google it) with a PTFE wax grease. I did have some feedback from my LBS that this was leaving the chain a wee bit too dry, so have adjusted my wipe/lube ratio slightly to,leave slightly more on. Periodically a wee scrub down with hot soapy water and brush, followed by above also helps.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Mickle method is here. 
My bike is only getting cleaned when I get round to it currently
(I favour a bucket, sponge and car shampoo) but the chain is getting a wipe down after every ride due to the conditions out there at the moment. Usual for me would be to "mickle" it every fourth or fifth ride (it can be left longer than this but I'm fussy.)
My bike is only getting cleaned when I get round to it currently
(I favour a bucket, sponge and car shampoo) but the chain is getting a wipe down after every ride due to the conditions out there at the moment. Usual for me would be to "mickle" it every fourth or fifth ride (it can be left longer than this but I'm fussy.)
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Serious cyclists use the ShellBroCo chain cleaning system
Ootini
Senior Member
- Location
- North Wales
As I keep my bike at work midweek and tend to ride very mucky routes around lunch time my bike gets very muddy, very quickly and stays that way for at least a week.
On a Saturday morning I take the soft bits off (saddle bag, lights etc) and give the whole bike a gentle rinse down, I then use a bog brush to get clingy bits of mud off and clear out the gears etc, then an old tea towel gives the frame a wipe down. I've got a strip of green scouring pad that I use on the rims, to make sure they're proper clean. Then I dry it out in the sun, go for a ride and cover it in mud again until next week. So it's basically clean for about 6 hours per week.
On a Saturday morning I take the soft bits off (saddle bag, lights etc) and give the whole bike a gentle rinse down, I then use a bog brush to get clingy bits of mud off and clear out the gears etc, then an old tea towel gives the frame a wipe down. I've got a strip of green scouring pad that I use on the rims, to make sure they're proper clean. Then I dry it out in the sun, go for a ride and cover it in mud again until next week. So it's basically clean for about 6 hours per week.
jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
Washing my bike takes a few seconds.
Cleaning it takes...currently...about 3 hours
There is a middle ground but that is reserved for daily attention in the office, which involves an alarmingly high number of fragrance free baby wipes (wonderful things).
I steer clear of wd40 and restrict gt 85 to the frame (nooks and crannies) and at times the block, but with a good deal of wiping afterwards...never on the chain...ok once or twice in an absolute emergency.
Cleaning it takes...currently...about 3 hours
There is a middle ground but that is reserved for daily attention in the office, which involves an alarmingly high number of fragrance free baby wipes (wonderful things).
I steer clear of wd40 and restrict gt 85 to the frame (nooks and crannies) and at times the block, but with a good deal of wiping afterwards...never on the chain...ok once or twice in an absolute emergency.
AndyPeace
Guest
- Location
- Worcestershire
I'd so no for three reasons
Your stripping the chain of oil and when you reapply, it will never get back into all the nooks and cranies
Strong chemicals may damage the surface of the chain, weakening it and shortening it's lifespan
and lastly why make a job where none is needed... wipe the chain down, apply oil then wipe again.