Which Cleaning and Lubricating Products?

[Drago]

White spirit to clean. It can be left to stand,separated and re used.

Gear oil to lube.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If I'm giving it a quick clean to get the mud off then I use the hose

give it a good spray all over and under the mudguards

Then get the leaf blower and give it a good blow to get as much water off as possible - especially the chain and gears

Then a quick squirt on every link of the chain and wind the chain through all the gears

then either leave it in the sun - if there is any - or straight in the shed to be locked up

The leaft blower makes a huge difference - much less rusty bits since I started using it to dry everything

 

[HLaB]

I forgot to say I switched to drip wax lube, it makes the whole process easier/cleaner.

 

[overmind]

How does everyone deal with the degreaser run off? Always have a concern letting it run into the drains.

I re-use around 90% of the degreaser.

E.g. cleaning a chain or cassette. I will scrub the muck off the part with white spirit + the previous mixture + toothbrush over an old plastic tray which catches most of the runoff. I then pour the remaining liquid back into a old milk carton for next time.

Over time the old mixture builds up a bottom layer of solid gunky muck which I periodically just throw away.

 

[T4tomo]

I forgot to say I switched to drip wax lube, it makes the whole process easier/cleaner.

yes something like "squirt" is great.

 

[presta]

I use a bucket of water with own brand 'Flash', and a large paintbrush. I also have a pump action garden spray in the other hand to rinse the suds off quickly before they leave dried on stains. I don't put any of that on the oily bits though, because I don't wan the clean brush oily or the running gear wet.

Then I take the bike into the garage and clean the transmission etc with white spirit. I use a Bridget brush & toothbrush to loosen and dissolve the dirt, then the brush with a rag wrapped over the bristles to clean it off.

 

[Bristolian]

I stopped using mucoff when found out how salty it is, I just use car shampoo. I degreased all our chains and use squirt, which is water soluble, makes chain cleaning easier
In general I've learnt to do less, wipes are great 👍

I generally use car shampoo for everything except the drive train after I've degreased everywhere. I stopped using washing up liquid because of how much salt is in there.

 

[Bristolian]

Cleaning the chain off the bike involves breaking the chain on some bikes

Our folder doesn;t which makes it much easier - I just take it off and dump it in a bowl of degreaser and leave it while I do everything else - and probably the other bike as well

but for bikes where it involves breaking the chain I prefer to use a chain cleaning gadget (blue plastic thing - Park Tools sell them)
works well - just need to make sure it is well rinsed after and re-lubed

My chain has a re-useable quick link so breaking it is no problem and I always remove it and soak it in a degreaser bath while cleaning the rest of the bike.

 

[Bristolian]

If I'm giving it a quick clean to get the mud off then I use the hose

give it a good spray all over and under the mudguards

Then get the leaf blower and give it a good blow to get as much water off as possible - especially the chain and gears

Then a quick squirt on every link of the chain and wind the chain through all the gears

then either leave it in the sun - if there is any - or straight in the shed to be locked up

The leaft blower makes a huge difference - much less rusty bits since I started using it to dry everything

Hmm, not thought of using the leaf blower to dry the bike off. Ours is an old and rather heavy model but gotta be worth a try. I wonder if the old hot air paint stripper would work

 

[Bristolian]

Many thanks for all the comments and tips above. Some interesting thoughts after reading through the thread.

I had planned to do the clean and service this week but life got in the way and I have a ride planned for Saturday so I will put some of your advice to good use next week

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Hmm, not thought of using the leaf blower to dry the bike off. Ours is an old and rather heavy model but gotta be worth a try. I wonder if the old hot air paint stripper would work

Well - I'm pretty sure it would work

but.......

 

[TC99]

I just bought a six litre ultrasound cleaning machine. I have several bikes to restore and thought this would be good for chains and cassettes and bolts and stuff.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I stopped using mucoff when found out how salty it is,

You’re not meant to drink it

 

[Drago]

You’re not meant to drink it

It's OK. He's a spitter.

 

[Bristolian]

I just bought a six litre ultrasound cleaning machine. I have several bikes to restore and thought this would be good for chains and cassettes and bolts and stuff.

A word of warning, which should be mentioned in the instructions but often isn't. Don't put your hands/fingers/other body parts into the cleaner fluid whilst it is turned on. Ultrasonic baths operate at frequencies between 20 & 40KHz and that just happens to include frequencies that can (i.e. it's not impossible) cause cavitation in the blood stream with catastrophic consequences - such as death. No matter how slim the chances of this happening might be they are still there.

I spent some time selling ultrasonic welders and cleaners to businesses and we always had a large warning sticker on the bath and inside the cover of the manual. When we gave training it was mentioned to trainees several times over.