How often do you wash your bike in the winter honestly?

[Kingfisher101]

I've just spent an hour washing down my bikes(2) and they were disgusting, It took ages to get the cogs and chain cleanish. I need to do it more often but when its freezing cold and you have to mess about with the ouside tap and sloshing loads of water about its horrible. I dont have a hose pipe either as I cant get one to fit the outside tap, so its all buckets of water and the watering can.
Does anybody really wash their bikes after every ride?

 

[Sterlo]

What be this washing you speak of, are you some spawn of Satan?

 

[vickster]

No, mine got a baby wiping (I know, not the best) before I put it away for a extended break. Probably needed wheels removing and mudguards etc cleaning but I couldn't be bothered! I think I thoroughly cleaned a chain once, I wipe the worst off with kitchen towel when lubing
If I were to use water, it would come from the hot tap in the kitchen , fill bucket, into garden (I don't really ride in very mucky conditions and full mudguards do a pretty good job!)

 

[Alex321]

Certainly not, since most of my rides on weekdays are either commutes or finish after dark.

I normally wash it most weekends if I have been riding during the week. I may give the chain some additional lubrication if a ride has been particularly wet, but otherwise I don't normally touch the bike between rides during the week.

 

[fossyant]

Road bikes and MTB - every ride. Commuter, depending on the weather/amount of crud covering it, either after a day of wet commuting or once a week (3 return commutes). Wet commute includes oiling chain. Commute is a mix of off road, so dirt/mud/leaves.

It takes all of ten minutes with a soft wash brush. Oh, and cold water and car shampoo. Rag along chain to wipe off excess dirt, and rag folded and run through sprockets to remove crud. Jockey's given a quick wipe too.

The commuter has had a refurb so is being 'looked after'.

I am a bit OCD about a clean bike. I don't mind it getting covered in goo, and the MTB certainly does, but it's cleaned and lubed after.

 

[AlanW]

Personally, I always hose the bike down after every ride, which is pretty much every day. Then a proper sponge wash and wheels removed after the Sunday ride, ready to start the week again.

 

[fossyant]

Worth cleaning rims if you have conventional rim brakes, especially on a commuter bike - you don't want the grinding paste eating rims.

 

[figbat]

Rinsing off significant mud with a cold hose - every ride.
Washing…. erm…

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Can I ask if you have full mudguards fitted ?

 

[ColinJ]

I find it much easier just to stare at the bike indoors all winter - that way it never needs cleaning!

 

[Big John]

I can't remember the last time I 'washed' my bikes. I dry clean them and they're still pretty spotless. I clean after every ride mainly because I'm retired and I have the time.

 

[Kingfisher101]

Can I ask if you have full mudguards fitted ?

Yes full on the road/gravel bike with flaps and on the mountain bike a crud catcher on the down tube and a full mudhugger on the back. Its all the black gunk on the drive chain and around the jockey wheels that was hard to get off. I had to scrub it with various brushes and use degreasers etc. I do ride both bikes in the mud etc as I ride bridleways and take the MTB birdwatching.

 

[DCLane]

Road bikes - usually every ride.

Cross / winter commuter Avanti - once a week.

Others - when I get round to it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Its all the black gunk on the drive chain and around the jockey wheels that was hard to get off

You use wet lube I’m guessing based on this?

 

[Oldhippy]

Clean and oil running gear when needed and polish my Brooks but other than that not.