Turning bike upside down
- Thread starter DDE
- Start date
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
As long as you don't scuff the saddle or the hoods, no reason why not. But for general maintenance and chain cleaning it shouldn't be necessary. You can do that perfectly well with the bike the right way up.
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
Purists may - no, will - disagree but it's never done any harm to any of my bikes. Some protection for the brake hoods and saddle might help prevent stains and scuffs.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
......and do take care of any techno-gadgetry on your handlebars. These are best removed if possible to prevent getting screens scuffed, or worse!
OP
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DDE
Well-Known Member
I find the bike stays in a more rigid position upside down. Right way up, propped against a wall, and cleaning the chain is a bit of a pain...
Also, it's hard to clean what you can't see! If I clean it right way round then flip upside down I realise there's a world of smeared dirt I didn't see. So it needs a bit of both really.
I was just concerned it might not be a natural way to clean the bike, especially chain and components. I had some trouble with my chain rubbing the front dérailleur recently and I hoped it wasn't caused by cleaning it upside down.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
My homeopath told me that inverting a bicycle can disrupt its natural magnetic field.... which can lead on to all sorts of problems such as an increased chance of speed wobble, rickety cornering and a risk of static interference on wireless devices such as cycle computers, smart phones and GPS units.
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DDE
Well-Known Member
That's what a do when I turn it upside down!
D
Deleted member 23692
Guest
Hummm. I was told that all high cadence would drain out of the seat tube, making it slower
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
I've put a cork in the top of my seat tube to stop this very thing from happening.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
You could well be onto something there but let me assure you the overall effect is considerably less damaging compared with the only practical alternative of doing the job whilst standing on your head.
KneesUp
Guru
Not to mention all the air going to the top of the tyre, so when you put it the right way up they look flat. My tyres are only ever flat at the bottom.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
it's also important to bear in mind that the air in your tyres will settle at the bottom when the bike's inverted, so make sure you give it a good shake when turning it the right way up again.
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
+1
I have a couple of TV dinner lap trays that I put my upside down bars and saddle onto, sits stably enough. Also newspaper or such like over the frame, wheels & underside of the saddle particularly for doing a chain in-situ where cleaning stuff, new lube etc may drip or spill onto while the bike is upside down.
