How do you wash your bike after a ride?

[Dredd]

Originally posted by uDi
A good idea for your frame is to hit it with some car wax once in a while (after it has been cleaned of course - hosed off, or wiped with a wet rag). I did this to my frame when I first got it, and once every 3-6 months or something since then, and the paintwork on the frame still looks like new (except the chips, dents etc of course)

This is a good idea for those bike nuts or clean freaks out there. Will keep your colours looking fresher for longer. To prevent fading, its also a good idea to keep it out of the sun when possible (when stored etc)

how I clean? I just let it be most of the time, since I don't ride anywhere with mud. Once every few months, I might hose it off using some car wash'n'wax, with wheels removed and avoiding other bearings and joints - but not too often.

Seems a bit pointless cleaning rims/tyres/spokes till they squeak considering they are just going to get dirty again. As long as the tread and sidewalls are decently clean, im good to go.

Yeah when a bike is new it's a good idea to use car wax...even if it isn't, clean it up and throw some on.

 

[Alnamvet]

Leave bike on roof rack, and go thru a car wash with wax and undercarriage clean option.:,

 

[sprocket006]

Originally posted by VipFREAK
Hey all, I was just wondering how do you wash your mountain bike after a ride?

Nick

Yeah, i like use brushes to get all of the extra **** that sticks to eveything. I use from a heavy foam brush to a toothbrush. Then I also use a rag and dishwahing soap. It takes a while and you really have to love your bike to do it, but your cassetes look brand new after it is done with an Oral-B. Maybe I'm crazy but it really helps mey bike (or at least it is a great phycological benefit), and I think that I crash more when it's dirty and feels like its not working properly.

 

[uDi]

Sprocket - no your right.
Not just bikes, with anything mechanical that goes offroad (especially), having it clean and everything well lubed etc, will have a night and day improvement on how it feels when things tick.

I don't always get the time to strip and clean my bike, but I know that when I do that and realign things, it feels like new again.

 

[JoeRider]

If it's really muddy, I'll hose it off with tap water then dry and relube what needs attention. Been doin this for years without any problems.

 

[Jim]

I'm with its_stuart. Funny man.

I wipe the fork legs and wax the chain, sometimes.

 

[billo]

I clean my bike after nearly every ride (street rides don't count). Using old t-shirts as shop rags, I wipe all the dust off the frame, fork, rims, hubs, etc. I use plastic brushes (and the same t-shirt pinched between fingers) to clean drivetrain parts.

To remove caked mud, I wet my fingers and rub, then wipe with the t-shirt.

Simple, quick, and effective.

 

[awtye]

Originally posted by devon inbred
just go singlespeed, no gears or cables to worry about, hose off and lube

rock on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Lokoseena]

I usually use white lightning to clean the mud off. It's easy and takes car of the dirt in hard to get places. It's compressed liquid that shoots out a cleaner. The I lub the bike and it's components NOTE: I don't lub the bike everytime it's dirty, the more you lub it the more sand/dirt etc will get cought in your components. I like Finish Line products to take care of this. Let the mud dry then take an old stained T-shirt and wipe it off. I don't recommend spraying the bike at any time. You want to avoid getting all the small components with direct pressure.

 

[shokhead1]

On my road bike,light spray,some dawn,wash,dry and set in the open for a few hours to dry,wipe chain if i didnt use my chain cleaner before wash,relube and ready to go.

 

[fasterTHANyou]

brush the mud off of cables, shifters, moving parts... lube with pedros or white lightning... i leave the mud on the frame... bike looks better that way

 

[OHsingltrakr]

I use a couple of different crud scraper/brushes to brush away heavy chunks of mud before it really dries on frame and wheels. I then use smaller brushes on drivetrain, then lube and wipe clean after each trail ride. Bike is strored with remaining film of dirt and never wetted with hose as it caused trouble in pivots, headset and cable housings etc. even being very careful. Before service intervals, I wipe frame with damp cloths and old towels. Wheels can be cleaned seperately with scrub brush and hose guarding hubs from water.

 

[dexmax]

i wash my bike....

wipe off water..

let it drip...

 

[Rader]

Generally I wash the bike down with soapy water and then rinse and wipe down. After that I usually give the chain and cables a quick re lube.

 

[uphillrider]

I get most of the dirt of with a wet sponge (no soap, no water pressure needed) then wipe it down with an old cloth and re-oil, this seems to do the job just fine.

PS dont let the mud dry before you sponge it down, do it straight away.

 

[gee-tee-zee]

Originally posted by VipFREAK
Hey all, I was just wondering how do you wash your mountain bike after a ride?

...buckets of hot water and a stiff-ish brush to remove 90% of crud, followed by hot soapy water and a cloth/toothbrush on front/rear mechs, cassette, crankset, forks...being careful of fork leg seals...finish with a quick 'buff' (i have a ball burnished GT Zaskar) and a lube...

 

[jmitting]

Its pretty dry here so mostly I use a feather duster. If its wet I wipe it with a cloth then an oily cloth.

 

[TheAndyDudE]

i use a triflow lubricant on my chain and let it sit for an hour, then take papertowels and crank the chain around til most of excess is off...is this okay to do to the chain? is seems like it sounds like sand is being rubbed around tho after i do this....but that may be becuase there's still some grit inbetween the links, dunno

 

[hard_rock_god]

no need to cleen as long as your wheel turn if they dont mud will usualy break off during the next ride

a bike is like a jeep what fun is it with out any mud and they both look good with some caked on mud

 

[Ghr7891]

I have a special spray nozzle on my hose that can do anything from shoot the water out in a jet to make the water mist out (it has like 9 modes on a twist dial). First I turn it so it shoots like a shower head with pretty low pressure and spray off the bike, I try not to hit the bearings. Then I wipe off the entire bike with an old towel or a rag, and I am careful not to miss any spots (other then the tires I clean those next). Next I turn it to a powerful shower head mode and spray off the rims and tires again careful not to hit the bearings. After it is all spotless I clean and lube the chain lightly using white lightning. I usually wash the bike off every 2-3 rides unless it gets very dirty then I wash it as soon as I get back from the ride.