How do you wash your bike?(merged)

Discussion in 'The Workshop' started by lukewiens, Sep 4, 2007.

?

How often do you wash your bike?

  1. Never

    8.3%
  2. After Every Ride

    12.1%
  3. When It Needs It

    57.8%
  4. Random

    21.8%
  1. Mudman

    Mudman Mr. Angry

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    I think the one finish that I always find difficult to clean off when Mud dries on it is Ano. For some reason once dirt dries up on it some of it never wants to come off.
     
  2. Rockinthecasbah

    Rockinthecasbah A.D.D. Unleased

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    I simple green it, then hit it with the hose trying not to hit the pivots, bearings etc to hard, then I blow it off with the air compresser making sure to get all of the bolt heads
     
  3. G-MONEY

    G-MONEY International Playboy

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    Sounds like a good routine to me! In addition to re-lubing your chain, do you re-lube anything else like pivots, derailleurs, etc? I usually spray/drip some Triflo into those areas.
     
  4. DirtymikeTDB

    DirtymikeTDB Guest

    Your supposed to wash your mountain bikes?????





    Seriously, if your going to wash your bike, dont use comropessed air to dry it, you do damage that way. So check this out, Spray your bike down with some bike wash/simplegreen/ whatever. Lightly spray it down with the hose, yes I said a hose. Now trick really is Drying the bike afterwords. First off, towel off, second off..... Use a Leaf blower, Hi volume, low pressure. Dry's great.

    If a garden hose is pushing the grease out of any of your bearings, it is time to repack them anyways.
     
  5. RacinJason

    RacinJason Banned

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    I clean my bikes every time itthey leave the garage but I never ever wash it.

    If water touches my bikes it is because I got them muddy and I carefully wash it with a rag and the spray bottle or hose. then I dry it off right away and re lube everything.

    Then I use pledge and simple green and WD40 to clean the rest.

    I use WD40 on the metal with a small rag. Never sprey it on your bike you might get it on your discs.
    I use simple green to get the muck that the hose didn't get if in fact this is the rare occasion that I actually used water on my bike
    Then I use lemon sresh pledge on the rest or Honda polish or Harley polish its all the same thing.
    This helps keep the water jumping off of your bike and helps with the dusting/dry cleaning procedure.
    When I am done I use a micro oiler to lube the Puleys and all the moving parts on the der and pivot loacitions. In the oiler I use either merphys mystery oil mixed with tri flow and small amount of synthetic motor oil . Or just straight Tri flow.

    This Procedure helps my bike parts on my demo bikes and my personal bikes last much longer.
     
  6. downhiller91

    downhiller91 New Member

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    i ussualy go at mine with a steammer and wipe away the extra water
    or if im feeling like really clleacning it out i tear the whole thing down and steam relub and put back together
     
  7. Pain Freak

    Pain Freak Dead or Alive

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    I use water but never,ever get it around the bottom bracket or the head set. I use it sparingly when I do have to use it which is not very often. I usually just let the dirt dry and then brush it off. I also occasionally will reapply PAM and it does work but I only put it on after every 5 or 6 rides. Drivetrain gets a thorough cleaning. Treat your chain right and your drivetrain will last twice as long.
     
  8. RacinJason

    RacinJason Banned

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    Are you cheating on me?

    Who is is this Pam you speak of?:?:



     
  9. Drop D

    Drop D New Member

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    Pam: isn't that an aerosol can that you spray on your frying pan so anything you fry wont stick? :?: whats cook'n?
     
  10. RacinJason

    RacinJason Banned

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    So who washes every time?
    I clean mine every time.
     
  11. jamisjake

    jamisjake Active Member

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    I pretty much do the same exact thing except for the chain. For the chain I use an old toothbrush, some simple green and a old rag. For drying I just use an old towel as I dont yet have an air compressor#-o.
     
  12. slo65

    slo65 Balls of fluff

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    I haven't ridden either bike since I went on overnights 3 weeks ago :( I'm always so wiped out. I need to get back on it
     
  13. victor13

    victor13 New Member

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    Hosing off your bike.

    So today i hit my first naaaasty patch of mud and my bike gained about 10 pounds in about 10 feet of trail.

    Funny how quickly i can go from "oh crap, just keep peddling and i'll be okay!" to "damn i shoulda stopped pedaling a long time ago..."


    Anyways, i came home and hosed off my bike for the most part, then tried wiping off my brakes and i oiled up my chain.

    My main question: is there some stuff i should avoid hosing off on my bike? And if so, how do you guys recommend i clean off major mud?
     

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  14. LukeTrailrider

    LukeTrailrider Member

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    Avoid spraying water into your pivots and near your bottom bracket.
     
  15. art23rockpile

    art23rockpile Minus Delta T

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    When my bike's muddy, i'll rinse it down with a garden hose (not with high water pressure, though), spray on a mixture of Simple Green with water (50/50), scrub lightly with various brushes, rinse again with the garden hose, and dry. Lube (chain, fork stanchions, etc) afterwards.
    No problem.
     
  16. Alan_Eger

    Alan_Eger New Member

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    Hello water gets in your housing and ferrells resulting them to rust and then sieze the cables that shift your bike. Also bottom brackets, spraying there enables the water to get into your frame and sit. We wait till the dirt is hard and then pry it off with a Pedros brush and use old washrags wet, then dry and no problems ever!
     
  17. JohnnyGent

    JohnnyGent In it to win it

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    After mud i actually like to let it dry a little bit. Then take tooth brushes and knock off all the stuff i can by scrubbing w/ the brush (derailleurs, pivots, bottom braket, seals on my fork and rear shock, rear cassett, and front crankset). If i can i try to avoid using the hose all together to prevent grim and grit being pushed down into the pivots, bottom braket and other lil parts that move or are bolted together. But sometimes you can avoid the hose. I'll hose it down lightly and then pick it up and shake excess water off and then towel dry best as possible. Then i'll oil the chain and store it back in the stable.
     
  18. portlypeddler

    portlypeddler Active Member

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    My understanding is high pressure is not good which is based on a bike manufacturer's instruction manual. Light water followed with wiping down is sufficient for the non drivetrain parts. I use a fluid holding chain cleaning tool and use an appropriate brush to clean the ring gears from build up as well so they dont have the opportunity to breakdown a clean chain the next ride your on.
     
  19. LadiesMan

    LadiesMan Pro Member

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    Yeah, maybe if you shoot your bike with a pressure washer filled with salty water on a daily basis.

    It's a mountain bike, don't force the pressure in the nooks and crannies, but a little water won't hurt. I always use my air compressor set at 160 psi right after the ride to get rid of the sand and stuff, then hose down, then shoot with air again to get the water out of the cracks, then wipe down with a little windex. Every other time or so I will hit the chain with a couple drops of lube while spinning the chain backwards. after 1000 miles my bike still looks new other than the grips, wheels and tires.
     
  20. Fewinhibitions

    Fewinhibitions Always be a moving target

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    I rinse, let soak for a few minutes.

    Wash with soap and warm/hot water.

    Gingerly dry with rag and compressed air.

    Lube. Including cables/housing.

    Tune.

    Hang until next time.
     

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