what do you guys use to wash your bike? ive seen guys use anything from plain o' water to foamy engine bright, what's your solution to cleaning a dirty bike?
.. I have some nice pedro's brushes i bought for 20 bucks..i just use that with ligth water..and it usually works very well, sometimes i use soap if i want it super clean, but i find thats not usually necessary nor does it provide benefits besides personal satisfaction..
if my bike is really muddyI use just water to loosen up the mud. Remember to never use the jet spray just let the water run with no jet. I just take a brush and brush off the mud. Afterwards I use Pledge (believe it or not) to wax up my bike, it makes it really smooth.
I use a generic orange/citrus cleaner. Just hose the bike down and spray the cleaner, scrub and rinse. I use Odorless mineral Spirits for the drivetrain. There's no ill affects to the bike if you don't let it sit forever.
The mechanic at my LBS says not to use any pressure on the drivetrain, so be careful if you use jet spray. You don't want to force any water into where it shouldn't be. I also use my air compressor to air blast the entire bike just to be on the safe side.
Getting water into the bearings and what isnt a good thing. They're made to keep light pressure water like rain out but not a hose pointed right at it.
