Cleaning rituals...
Discussion
Just getting back into MTBing after a very long gap and I've bought a Trek Fuel EX7 full susser. I LOVE IT!!! Looks the nuts and is just so much better to ride than my 10 year old hardnose-hardtail thing. I'm trying to get out on it as much as I can but round here (Rugby) the riding is a bit limited and it keeps coming back chuffing covered in horrible clay-like mud.
What's the best cleaning ritual? I've heard hosepipes are OK but jetwashes not so good. I keep seeing stuff like muc-off, is it any good? What's the point as if it's just mud then sureley water will do the job?
And are there any specific things I should be doing with chains or brakes? How often do people take chains off to clean, and what's the best way to do it?
Are there any specific tools I should get? I've got a usual box of "car" tools and stuff like a hex-mulititool thing and a leatherman do I need a chain breaker?
Thanks!
What's the best cleaning ritual? I've heard hosepipes are OK but jetwashes not so good. I keep seeing stuff like muc-off, is it any good? What's the point as if it's just mud then sureley water will do the job?
And are there any specific things I should be doing with chains or brakes? How often do people take chains off to clean, and what's the best way to do it?
Are there any specific tools I should get? I've got a usual box of "car" tools and stuff like a hex-mulititool thing and a leatherman do I need a chain breaker?
Thanks!
Gave my bikes a thoroughly good clean the other weekend. Bucket of water with turlewax in, sponge, and a hosepipe at the ready, and they all came out looking like new. I sometyimes take the wheels off to get at the difficult places, but sometimes this ain't neccessary.
For cleaning wheels and spokes, i have the bike upside down, so the rim but by bit, then clean each side of the rim while spinning the wheel, I do each spoke individually, then spin the wheel rapidly and and rub a duster across them, and they come out dry and looking fine.
Always good to give them a ride after cleaning so as to clear away any water from the components etc.
For cleaning wheels and spokes, i have the bike upside down, so the rim but by bit, then clean each side of the rim while spinning the wheel, I do each spoke individually, then spin the wheel rapidly and and rub a duster across them, and they come out dry and looking fine.
Always good to give them a ride after cleaning so as to clear away any water from the components etc.
I bought one of these when I got my new bike:
Muc Off is alright, and the PTFE solution does help make bike cleaning easier next time around, but I bought it mainly for the brushes. They make getting into the nook and cranies of your bike alot easier, with a decent brush you can clean your bike with a hose and make a good job of it if you have the time.
Some mates I ride with have one of those Dirt Workers which is great for end of ride car park cleaning, but only really works with some cleaning solution. The s
t Shifter stuff is very good, and cheaper than Muc Off.
Muc Off is alright, and the PTFE solution does help make bike cleaning easier next time around, but I bought it mainly for the brushes. They make getting into the nook and cranies of your bike alot easier, with a decent brush you can clean your bike with a hose and make a good job of it if you have the time.
Some mates I ride with have one of those Dirt Workers which is great for end of ride car park cleaning, but only really works with some cleaning solution. The s
t Shifter stuff is very good, and cheaper than Muc Off.Fenwicks is loads better than Muc Off. Fenwicks is concentrated so needs diluting so will save a fortune over time.
After most rides I spray the bike with diluted Fenwicks and spray neat Fenwicks on the chain, cassette, font drailer and clip on pedals. Use a stiff washing up brush on the chain and cassette. Then hose down. Then every now and again I will wash the whole bike with car shampoo and wax with Mer.
Then I spray the teflon stuff (in a green can) over the front mech, pedals, jockey wheels and cable entries. I then re-lube the chain with Rock 'n' Roll extreme in winter and White Lightning in summer. Then clean the forks and rear shock with an oily rag.
Every month or so, I will re-grease the seat tube and skewers.
Never clean the bike with a jet wash.
After most rides I spray the bike with diluted Fenwicks and spray neat Fenwicks on the chain, cassette, font drailer and clip on pedals. Use a stiff washing up brush on the chain and cassette. Then hose down. Then every now and again I will wash the whole bike with car shampoo and wax with Mer.
Then I spray the teflon stuff (in a green can) over the front mech, pedals, jockey wheels and cable entries. I then re-lube the chain with Rock 'n' Roll extreme in winter and White Lightning in summer. Then clean the forks and rear shock with an oily rag.
Every month or so, I will re-grease the seat tube and skewers.
Never clean the bike with a jet wash.
One big bucket filled with hot water with a tiny bit of fairly liquid works for me + a hose to clean the bike down afterwards.
I have muc off too (and it works), but I have to say the little bit of fairy liquid in a bucket seems to do an excellent job on its own.
I've been warned to be careful to not get any lube or, degreaser on the brake disks / pads though. If I use muc off - I'm careful to avoid spraying near the disks.
I have muc off too (and it works), but I have to say the little bit of fairy liquid in a bucket seems to do an excellent job on its own.
I've been warned to be careful to not get any lube or, degreaser on the brake disks / pads though. If I use muc off - I'm careful to avoid spraying near the disks.
MTY4000 said:
I've been warned to be careful to not get any lube or, degreaser on the brake disks / pads though. If I use muc off - I'm careful to avoid spraying near the disks.
I cover my whole bike in Muc Off, brakes included. Never had a problem. I thought the whole point of products like Muc Off and st Shifter were you could spray them on anything without having to worry. Fourmotion said:
MTY4000 said:
I've been warned to be careful to not get any lube or, degreaser on the brake disks / pads though. If I use muc off - I'm careful to avoid spraying near the disks.
I cover my whole bike in Muc Off, brakes included. Never had a problem. I thought the whole point of products like Muc Off and st Shifter were you could spray them on anything without having to worry. Hard-Drive said:
Nice one, thanks. I'd better invest in some!
Don't buy Muc Off. It's good but it's an absolute rip off.It sounds as though I sell Fenwicks ( I don't) but it's loads better than Muc Off and lasts ages.
http://www.zyro.co.uk/product_detail.asp?pid=1444
I use a hose decent washing up brush and a bucket of warm water and fairy.
- Spray of any mud with hose, brush down with brush, sponge on framework. The rinse down with hose.
- Never had any problems with that, followed by leaning it aginst a radiator for the night, and a light oiling.
Chain is quick release. So that comes off if its bad. But other than that nothing.
Im sure muck if great. But i go out every week, get it muddy, and want to clean it without paying £5 for the privalage everytime!
Daniel
- Spray of any mud with hose, brush down with brush, sponge on framework. The rinse down with hose.
- Never had any problems with that, followed by leaning it aginst a radiator for the night, and a light oiling.
Chain is quick release. So that comes off if its bad. But other than that nothing.
Im sure muck if great. But i go out every week, get it muddy, and want to clean it without paying £5 for the privalage everytime!
Daniel
MTY4000 said:
One big bucket filled with hot water with a tiny bit of fairly liquid works for me + a hose to clean the bike down afterwards.
Nooooooo! Don't use fairy Liduid, it is laced with salt. Use a high quality car shampoo like Auto-Glym.
Personally, I would never use a hose. A hand held sprayer (from a garden centre) is good enough. You can spray the suds on and rinse them off with it.
After repeated problems with grime sticking to the tiny amounts of delivery grease still on my SRAM chain, I took it off, cleaned it in hot soapy water with Citrus degreaser, rinsed it, dried it, and sprayed it with Mr Muscle oven cleaner.
30 minutes later when I rinsed the oven cleaner off, you should have seen the amount of cack still on the chain that came out with the water - it was incredible. The oven cleaner did an amazing job.
I just wondered, oven cleaner is obviously nasty stuff and I keep it away from paint and other things like seals. Has anyone else any experience of using it to get rid of the really nasty stuff?
BTW the chain is now working properly, nothing is sticking to it - nothing.
30 minutes later when I rinsed the oven cleaner off, you should have seen the amount of cack still on the chain that came out with the water - it was incredible. The oven cleaner did an amazing job.
I just wondered, oven cleaner is obviously nasty stuff and I keep it away from paint and other things like seals. Has anyone else any experience of using it to get rid of the really nasty stuff?
BTW the chain is now working properly, nothing is sticking to it - nothing.
I like to give it a quick shower with the hose. Spray with Muc-off and agitate with a sponge, then rinse it off and give it the good news with Muc-off bike spray being careful not to go near the brakes with it, comes up like new.
If I've had a really good ride and I think it deserves it, I like to get an old bit of T-shirt spray a load of bike spray directly onto it and wipe over the hard bits like on the rims between the spokes.
My Mate's Parktools chain cleaner really works, but you have to remember to tube it up afterwards or it'll be bright orange next time you take it out.
I don't wash it after every ride though.
I've used a jetwash a few times, does a good job, but I've just this moment come back from picking up my forks from Mojo, full of mayo, wont use a jetwash again.
If I've had a really good ride and I think it deserves it, I like to get an old bit of T-shirt spray a load of bike spray directly onto it and wipe over the hard bits like on the rims between the spokes.
My Mate's Parktools chain cleaner really works, but you have to remember to tube it up afterwards or it'll be bright orange next time you take it out.
I don't wash it after every ride though.
I've used a jetwash a few times, does a good job, but I've just this moment come back from picking up my forks from Mojo, full of mayo, wont use a jetwash again.
Mine gets all the muck sprayed off with a hose (with a spray gun attachment thingy), sprayed with Muc-Off which is left for a few mins and then throughly rinsed.
Once it's dry it gets wiped down with baby wipes to get rid of the smears! Very sad I know.
Twice a year it also gets stripped down to component level and each bit gets throughly cleaned and re-greased as well as a new set of pads, bled brakes and new gear cables. Anything else worn is replaced as and when it breaks, chains and rings etc. This years pre winter strip down is scheduled for this weekend. The big question this time is, can I justify replacing the 2007 Vanilla R's with a set of 2009 Vanilla RLC 15mm through axle's!!!
My ex always used to complain I looked after my bike more than her! I still have my bike and am single so that probably says a lot...
Once it's dry it gets wiped down with baby wipes to get rid of the smears! Very sad I know.
Twice a year it also gets stripped down to component level and each bit gets throughly cleaned and re-greased as well as a new set of pads, bled brakes and new gear cables. Anything else worn is replaced as and when it breaks, chains and rings etc. This years pre winter strip down is scheduled for this weekend. The big question this time is, can I justify replacing the 2007 Vanilla R's with a set of 2009 Vanilla RLC 15mm through axle's!!!
My ex always used to complain I looked after my bike more than her! I still have my bike and am single so that probably says a lot...
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