A few times when the muck was too thick for a cloth & a bucket of water to do the job,i've taken off the wheels & ran it under my shower while using a cloth.
I hosed my new bike down and the next morning It was orange all over the place. Meh, rust. I hopped on it an took it out into some mud and shallow pond water, parked in back in the garage and The rust was gone. Next morning I went back into the garage and put on a BIG grin. Nothing say you use it more then a layer of dirt. I do oil important parts.
I use a hose on the frame and a rag on the componentry. If I wanna be real thorough (did I spell that wrong?) then I get a tooth brush to get into the cluster and other hard to reach places. I hate cleaning my bike after a long ride but if you still wanna have it in a year or two then you have to.
Once the dit/mud has dried, I wipe off what I can with a dry cloth. I mostly focus on cleaning the chain/cassette/chainrings and making sure my clipless pedals are free of chunks of dirt. I spray my chain and cassette liberally with degreaser, then take a toothbrush to them. Once I have finished scrubbing, I rinse it all off with with water from a water bottle, let it dry, and lube it all up. Then I go out and get it dirty all over again!
I can't remember the last time I actually cleaning my bike. I guess riding in the rain would do the job for me, especially when it's been poring for hours.
The only environmentally save and also very easy and effective way that i experienced is: Car Wash !!!
Ususally I just ensure the drivetrain is clean, a little mud on the frame gives a bike character. But when I do wash the bike: -Take my stand outside into the backyard, pop the bike on the stand and take the wheels off the bike. -Get a bucket of soapy water (dish soap), and a few different sized plastic scrub brushes that I bought at the grocery store. Get my degreasing spray, cog bush and an old toothbrush as well. -Pre-soak the bike and wheels using the soaker setting from my garden hose, which has nearly 0 water pressure. Spray the drivetrain parts and pedals with degreaser. -Let the bike sit a few minutes. -Start scrubbing the wheels with the plastic scrub brush using the soapy water. Use the cog bush to clean the cassette, adding degreaser as required. Rinse the wheels off using the soaker setting (again, no water pressure) on my garden hose. Set the wheels aside to dry. -Start scrubbing the frame with the scrub brush and soapy water. I do the front half of the bike, then rinse with the soaker setting. Then the back half and rinse. It is easier to really scrub the frame when the wheels are off the bike. Use the toothbrush to clean the drivetrain parts and pedals. -Put the wheels back on the bike. Spray WD-40 on the chain, cassette and pedals, then wipe most of it off with a towel. Before anyone gets their panties in a knot about WD-40, keep reading. WD-40 chases away the water, then almost completely evaporates, leaving a very light slick residue, which helps prevent mud build up, especially on the cassette. -Let the bike dry for a couple hours. -Go back and lubricate with a serious lubricant. For normal riding conditions here, I go with a wax for the derailluer pivot points and the moving parts on my pedals. Cross-country lube for the chain. Work a little Prep-M grease into the seals of the fork and rear shock, and wipe the excess away. Drop of Phil's Tenacious Oil on the exposed cables, then shift through the gears to work the oil into the housing a bit, then wipe the excess away. If it is muddier then usual here, then cross-country lube instead of the wax for the derailleurs and pedals, and I sometimes even go as far as to put on a very light coat of no-stick cooking spray (no-name Pam) on the downtube, chainstays, seat stays and lower legs on my fork. -Start to finish takes about 60 minutes of work (less the 2 hours inbetween where I let the bike dry). Cheers, Juba
Water Displacement, 40th attempt (http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_faqs.html) It's also a lubricant.... Happy trails!
some good ole' H2O...just a sprinlke out of my garden hose to get rid of the mud then a quick dry and lube with some generic teflon lubricant.. maybe once a month i will give it a thorough clean...(take a toothbrush to the chain and cogs) thats it.
This is what I do as well (per recommendation by my LBS). All three of my bikes are cleaned this way and the newest is 9 1/2 years old. I highly recommend the stuff; works great for me!
A few tips i have picked up Washing up liquid is bad - it makes your paint or polish finish very dull Pressure washers are bad - water will get into suspension parts and bearings Tooth brushes are good - for cleaning chains and spd`s and any other fidlly bits A petrol/oil mix is good - for cleaning chain and chain rings Washing up liquid is bad - it will reduce the stopping power and life expectancy of disc brake pads
Step 1: When it is clean to start with, Wax it. Thoroughly, like a tuner's first car. Armor-all the tires. Step 2: Apply dirt while riding vigorously. Warm water preferred. Step 3: Rinse with hose. Step 2 should rinse easily. Step 4: Let dry then buff dust off. Repeat step one till perfectly shiny again.
