General Advice: How to clean your bike

[BeirutTaxi]

Just some advice for everyone (without wanting to be condescending): The amount of people I come across who use a garden jet hose gun or worse a powerful pressure washer for cleaning their bike is somewhat alarming. In my opinion you seriously risk getting water in areas it really shouldn't be going. Also having 'sealed bearings' does not mean they're impervious to high pressure water.

If you need to use a hose for lumps of crud use very little pressure and avoid the wheel bearings, headset and bottom bracket area.

Use a neutral detergent (G Technic G Wash or Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild), a damp micro fibre cloth and two buckets (one for washing the cloth and getting rid of stones etc, the other for fresh soapy water)

Afterward washing spray something like Bilt Hamber Ferrosole (lubricant and water diaplacer) through the cable outers if possible (obviously avoid getting it anywhere near the brakes or rim). I also spray my rear mech pulleys with it (after giving them a gentle clean).

The chain is best cleaned off the bike with Bilt Hamber Surfex or similar (I recommend wearing gloves for this). Re-oil with small drops of Finish Line and remove excess oil.

Best regards,

Matt

Edited by BeirutTaxi on Tuesday 24th May 22:58