Using car shampoo for bike

I was washing my bike this morning..before the big race tomorrow...and this spark came to me..
Would it work if I washed the frame with car shampoo...it would probably shine like hell as the shampoo as wax in it.Only thing I'm worrying about is the paint...don't know if it could get smudged or something ???

 

It could be harmless, but I tend to steer clear of anything with 'wax' in it. It could contain very fine abbrasive 'rubbing' compound in it that, in the long run, causes fine scratch marks. I use a mild concentration of dishwashing liquid mixed with warm water. To avoid streaks, dry your bike immediately after washing, don't let the sun dry it for you.
I am aware of 'bike' shampoo that's available, but have'nt seen it in any of our local bike shops.

 

Update:

Came across Shimno Bike Wax today. (Cyclelab if your in SA)

 

I just use plain water. Sunlight has abrasive properties which is harmful to paint.

Guess I should start using a wax as I've been caught int the rain a few times recently :-/

 

G'day, Take a small paint brush and a spray bottle of kerosine, spray the components and frame with kerosine then brush all the gunk off the bits and pieces. It will not hurt either the paint job or the tyres, when you've done this get a bucket of hot soapy water (washing up liquid or the like) and with a hand brush (a soft one) (dust pan and brush type) go all over the bike again, dipping the brush into the soapy water. Finally wash it with the hose and then dry with a soft absorbent rag, old towelling is great.

When it's dry make sure you oil it all over especially the wheel bearing and the bottom bracket bearings, then the brake calipers and head set bearings, and finally the cables. Using WD40 or similar stuff, the stuff they use to dry out engines when they get water in the ignition.
Wipe away excess oil and polish the frame, it will go much quicker for sure and look the part as well.

I've used this process for about twenty five years and it works for me and my bilkes always look like new. The other most important thing is to regularly service the whole bike at least every two thousand kilometres. Change the grease in the wheel bearings the bottom bracket bearings, and the headset bearings too. If you have sealed bearings like the new Campy and Shimano then you've got no servicing troubles, just cleaning?

Keep the wheels in motion, and don't look back, unless it's to see who you dropped on the last climb? TBC

 

Personally, I can see potential trouble with the kerosene getting where it shouldn't(at least for a first timer). I am a fan of the car method with a directed hose. Actually, I hardly ever use anything to aid the water, just rinse it and let it dry, then armor-all the plastic/rubber(low gloss) and car wax the metal as applicable. The wax is the most important part for maintenance. It fills the pores in the paint or whatever surface its on and makes the mud far less likely to stick. In the process it makes it look so much better too.
Once waxed/armor-alled, the need for thorough rinsing cuts down to a fraction.

 

If you use a detergent (car soap, kerosene etc) it will strip any petroleum product it comes in contact with - including lubrication. If you use a car soap, it will leave all of your lube in tact. I use Meguir's products on my truck, and have started using them on my bike. Meguir's car wash, and then #3 Carnuba wax.....it keeps the bike considerably cleaner. When it is waxed, I can simply wipe the dust and grime off with a dry cloth.

Robbie

 

G'day,Conniebiker, yes and no, you have a good regime then stick to it the same as mine, it's used by the professionals to clean the bikes daily, they also use a pressure washer. I've been doing this for over twenty years and my bikes always look like new and I've never had a breakdown or a failure in any bearings. Of course, I say again, you have to take everything apart regularly and service it thoroughly? A bike service should with experience take about two hours, even if you stop for a cup of something while your doing it?

Keep the wheels in motion, and don't look back, unless it's to see who you dropped on the last cklimb? TBC

 

Guess we all have our routines, but kerosene, pressure washers or high-pressure hose isn't what I want anywhere near my bikes. I just use a bit of car wash detergent and water, and rinse with a gentle flow from the hose.

On my new bike, wheelhubs, headset and BB are all sealed cartridge bearings with no maintenance required, so nothing to do but lube the chain and ride it.

 

When I mention hosing the 'high pressure' is in fact a strong garden hose. I would never think of using a pressure washer any ways near my vehicles, bike or car. I used to use them extensively in building restoration and they can do some mean things to machinery seals.

A side note:
Sealed bearings are not maintenance free, they are just highly reduced.

 

Agreed. The only way I would use kerosene or a pressure washer around my bikes is when I have them completely broken down for refurb and then only for threads, bolts and non-sealed bearings before getting repacked. I wouldn't soak a bottom bracket or hub with sealed bearings in it. No way.

Other than that it's a mild detergent applied with a very wet and soapy sponge and rinsed with a garden hose with no pressure nozzle. After that it's towel dried and waxed in the shade. I've been using 3M Imperial Hand Glaze but will probably start using paste wax with carnuba. The 3M Imperial works well but it doesn't last very long.

 

Aren't they just disposable at that point? Use them for a period of time and replace, rather than clean and repack?

 

The cartridges that generally come with hubs are designed to be done and gone, but I refit them with industrial grade cartridges when they go the first time. Wearing out is in fact merely allowing them to happen. When you take them apart and clean and regrease them they are almost double the life expectency. Another point of note is if you use sealed cartridge on disc hubs(as I do) they sometimes do not come with the propper grease type. This cause the grease to melt out of my hubs in the first race. So learning from that, I repack them straight out of the box. Even in non-disc hubs that can almost tripple the life of the first set of carts.

 

Interesting. I've recently purchased a set of Ultegra hubs and have noticed grease oozing out from the freebody. In fact I had to use a paper towel to blot them as I was afraid they would ooze all over the carpet. The thing is I haven't even ridden on them yet. They're brand spankin' new from Supergo.

Do you have a link to a web site where I could read up on this or where one can obtain industrial grade cartridges?

What kind of grease do you use? I've been using Shimano Spin Doctor but am considering switching over to Park Polylube 1000.

TIA.

 

Conniebiker, I was just reading some info on Park's web site and it seems that the oozing grease may be the liquid type that is used in the freehub so I'm OK there (I hope).

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_freehub.shtml

I'd still like to see a site where it explains how to do what you've described though. Sounds interesting.

 

Gooday Conniebiker, If you get to see behind the scenes of "Le Tour", you'll see the mechanics cleaning down the bikes every night with a pressure washer. I know most of the bikes in the peleton have sealed bearings, but even when they didn't, they still used a pressure washer 500-1000 PSI.

As I said last post It works for me and my bikes always look like new, but you have to be very particular when it comes to servicing, just like my car?

Keep the wheels in motion, and don't look back, unless it's to see who you dropped on the last climb? TBC

 

Well, I've also lifted the seals to clean and repack the cartridge bearings, but believe most people consider that they really aren't designed to be serviced and should just be replaced when they are contaminated or worn out.

But, what are "industrial grade cartridges"? All bearings I've seen in hubs and headsets are standard "industrial grade"; there is nothing special made for the bike industry as far as I know. The replacements you order should be identical to the OEM bearings, differing only in ABEC or the clearance (tolerance) spec.

Doc, believe that Ultegra hubs are still made with loose ball and cone bearings, not the pressed-in cartridge bearings. The Shimano hub bearings can be serviced and adjusted, but are so well-sealed they rarely need anything (in my experience).

 

Thank you. After I posted the above I went to Shimano's web site and checked out an exploded PDF of the Ultegra hubs. They showed them as being the ball and cone variety.

I also have three pair of different Alex rims with somebody's hub that I would like to service at some point. I'd be interested in knowing how to service a sealed cartridge styled bearing without schmutzing it up too badly. If it's just a matter of prying off the outer seal with a razor blade or something and cleaning and repacking with grease I'd be willing to give that a shot. If I get it too screwed up I could drop it off at the LBS.

Unfortunatelyl, Alex' web site doesn't show any service diagrams.

 

That would be a hub mfg diagram not a rim.
The difference is not so much in the labeling as production quality. Usually the bearings are of the cheap asian style that is of tight enough measure tolerance but not metalurgicly reliable in comparison to say a NTN or the like. On a large scale we use SC in the 6 ft diameter blowers at the radio station 24-7 3600rpm. The bearings were initially wearing out in a matter of 2 months. We repacked them with Valvoline #614 right out of the box and brought it up to 6 months. We got some NTN brand units and 614 them and they are 2 yrs and counting. That to me is a difference.

 

I have apost elsewhere on how to service them, I will see about linking it.