How do you give your bike a bath?

[GraysonKelly]

I know this is a stupid question, but I never considered it before. I mean, if I ride when it's really wet and muddy, I use a cloth to wipe off the water and mud so that my bike doesn't get all crusty (but I must admit I love it when my mtb is all dirty...gives it character). But, how would I give it a bath? I live in an apartment so I don't have access to a water hose. In the past if I've been out and gotten it really really dirty, I've stopped by a car wash and used the sprayer to spray it down then rode it home to drive it off.
How do you wash it? Do you wash everything? Do you wax it? Do you use some special kind of soap? Do you re-lube everything when you're done?
I know these are probably dumb questions, but I'm curious. because of the knee, I can't ride my bike right now but I could probably clean them up if I knew what I was doing.
Gray

[jobob]

I suppose everyone has their own way of going about it, but this step by step guide with pictures might be a good start:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/content.ep?file=asa_happy

[Running Mommy]

Didn't go through the entire article, but did notice they used a hose.
At the shop we clean bikes all day long, and we never use a hose. And we see some pretty dirty bikes. Of course we have a solvent tank for the crusty bits (cassettes, chains ect) but I tell people to try not to use a hose.
We've had more than a few bikes in with cables rusted, and bearings messed up from the backyard hose. The only thing I would hose off, and would be careful about it is the chain.
It's funny, some people think they are doing us a favor by hosing off the bike before they bring it in. But it's kind of gross to find stuff dripping out of the bike frame- and not know what it is?? :eek:

[SadieKate]

I've used a hose on my mtb for 20 plus years with no problems. Plenty of shops do the same. You just cannot use ANY pressure at hubs, bottoms brackets, seat collars, etc. so the hose at car washes are a HUGE no-no. I will do this to a road bike only when the entire bike has been soaked with salty fog which is corrosive, otherwise I tend to wipe them down with damp rags and Bike Lust.

I know some folks do it in their shower.

One thing that article doesn't mention and is very important. Do not get degreaser on your disk brake rotors or pads. You'll can gum up the pads with residue. Just clean the rotors with alcohol.

[gnat23]

I know some folks do it in their shower.

The lesson I learned with this: Take the wheels off first!

Either that or I need bigger shower. :D

-- gnat! (how does one get rubber marks off tile?)

[Becky]

Hose nozzles are bad news! They'll blast water past the bearing seals.

I use a plant sprayer hooked to the garden hose when I wash my bike. Very low pressure, and it's got an on/off switch to conserve water.

[Aggie_Ama]

My LBS uses a hose. But they have the same sort of thing I have on my hose, a little gun nozzle. Mine has about 10 settings. We leave it set on "mist" for bike washing. No pressure hitting anything just a gentle mist to aid in cleaning the frame.

Road bikes only get bathed once or twice a year. No sea spray, no winter weather and I don't take her out to play in the rain. My mountain bike has yet to have a bath, she is begging for one though.

[PscyclePath]

I start with a big bucket of warm, soapy water (Mr. Clean, or Dawn dishwashing detergent) and a big sponge. Wet everything down good, and let it soak a few minutes. Then it's scrub-scrub-scrub to get all the goop and road grit of the frame and wheels.

The chain usually doesn't come off, so it gets run through one of the Park chain cleaners with a degreaser solution, wiped down and air dried, then lubed (I like Rock & Roll Gold, or the blue stuff this time of year).

Stubborn spots get scrubbed down with a Scotch-Brite pad, then a light spritz with the water hose to rinse everything down. Rub down and air-dry, then a light coat of Orange Pledge makes it shiny again...

[Aggie_Ama]

After misting my bike she gets a good soaping with a big sponge and lemon dawn. Mmmmm lemon. The chain takes a spin in the park cleaner with diluted simple green, air dried, the cassette tooth brushed until it shines. Rock n' Roll Gold Lube the chain (year round I am a southerner), Pedros Bike Lust the frame and she starts singing "I feel pretty". Sometimes I get OCD and start wiping down the wheels but since I am a fair weather rider they normally look nice. When I have lighter bar tape I use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the tape and when I had white accents the saddle.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Likely we all have different types of road dirt because we ride in vastly different circumstances....but I find that by far the worst part of my bike dirt is the NASTY black stuff that develops on the gears and chain, both front and back. We don't have bike trails or clean roads here, ...all my riding is either on irregular asphalt high traffic roads along with the cars and trucks, or on back country dirt roads.

I found if I started out by soaping up my whole bike with a soapy sponge and hot water, the sponge gets some of that greasy black crud on it and just smears it on the other parts of the bike (plus it ruins the sponge for all time).
So my sequence is to use the strong citrus degreaser on the gear rings, cassette, and chain FIRST to get the black crud gone. Plus, I feel the citrus can do a better job of degreasing a DRY chain rather than one filled with water.
I know the citrus is not good to leave on the frame paint for more than a few minutes, so I saturate the chain first with citrus, scrub the front rings with a brush, then rinse the front rings, then do the back cassette with a long bristled brush I save just for that purpose, give the chain some more scrubbing with citrus, then rinse it all well.
Following that I get my hot soapy water and big sponge and start going over the whole bike- no black crud to worry about smearing around, plus the soapy water then removes any trace of citrus degreaser (which is basically strong orange oil) from where it may have splattered on my frame while scrubbing gears.
I wait for the whole bike and chain to dry before lubing the chain. Then i wipe the chain thoroughly with paper towels after lubing, so it won't have an outer film of lube that dust and grit from the road can stick to. Lube should be inside the chain links, not on the outside of the chain.

[SouthernBelle]

I've had a problem on occasion with that road film stuff adhering to my cassette. It's had to be scraped off even with me being a fairly regular bike washer. I found that spray on stuff you use on your car rims cleans that right off. I would only use it on the cassette taking the wheel off and laying it down.

[aicabsolut]

auto soap is really good for the frame. it won't harm the clearcoat (doesn't harm a car's paint, right?), and it is good at getting the bug goo and road grime off. I use one with rain-x in it. sort of like when i use Bike Lust, it helps me just wipe down the bike at other times. I don't use that on the gears though, and I have to re-lube the cables under the BB if too much of any kind of grease cutting soap gets down there.

i only wash it after some gross conditions. the rest of the time, it's just a wipe down with a wet cloth and then polish on the frame. I clean the rims with mild dish soap.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

auto soap is really good for the frame. it won't harm the clearcoat (doesn't harm a car's paint, right?), and it is good at getting the bug goo and road grime off. I use one with rain-x in it.

Auto soap, eh? that's a good idea- the SimpleGreen is just not doing it for me, even when mixed up in a strong solution with hot water.
I'll try the auto soap next time- thanks!

[Bruno28]

I use muc off which seems to work for me -

http://www.muc-off.com/webpage/bike_care/bicycle_bike_cleaner_1ltr.html

wet the bike, spray on, give it a bit of a scrub, then rinse. The cruddy chain and other bits need a bit more focused effort but I think it does a pretty good job.

[Zen]

I put on some Teddy Pendergrass, draw a warm bubble bath, light some candles, and gently lower the bike into the tub.
Wash it with a soft bath cloth, not a sponge:)

[Sgritn]

I take a bucket of water to it after every ride. I wash down the tires, spokes and the pedal areas..anywhere I find sand and dirt.

[spindizzy]

I put on some Teddy Pendergrass, draw a warm bubble bath, light some candles, and gently lower the bike into the tub.
Wash it with a soft bath cloth, not a sponge:)

My bike wants to come to your house! :) Today!

[OakLeaf]

I use a hose whenever I ride the beach road. VERY low pressure and never directed at anything with bearings or a frame opening. There's so much salt that it permeates my saddle, seat pack and handlebar tape and reeks like fish for 2-3 weeks and that's with the wash. I had salt air eat a brand new pair of polished aluminum hubs years ago before I could even finish the ride and wash the bike, so I'm figuring the salt will do more damage than a slight risk of water.

Otherwise, bucket with diluted Simple Green and soft rags for the frame, stronger Simple Green for the brakes and rims, Park Tool Citrus Chain-Brite in a cleaning machine for the chain, more of it brushed around the derailleurs and sprockets (wear nitrile gloves), finish up the brakes, rims and derailleurs with a paper shop towel or two.

[bikerchic]

I put on some Teddy Pendergrass, draw a warm bubble bath, light some candles, and gently lower the bike into the tub.
Wash it with a soft bath cloth, not a sponge:)

LOL @ Zen!

Yeah what she said.......who knew washing a bike could be so difficult?

Okay before ya bite me I know, I know everything has it's learning curve and bikes are special and need xtra care with all those moving parts.

Just be sure to dry well and avoid using bath powder, a little oil for the squeeky bits will help though.;)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Took my nice sparkly clean bike out for a 20 mile ride today but the roads were wet and it seems there was a lot of earthworm 'partying' last night on the roads.
When I got home I had to do a lot of "jerky and prosciutto" removal on my bike. Bleeeaaaahhh! :cool:

[OakLeaf]

"jerky and prosciutto"

:D:D:p:p It seems like every time I ride damp roads I wind up with a dead slug stuck under my bottom bracket :eek:

[fidlfreek]

Gray, I'm another apartment dweller, and I give my bike a wash and blowdry whenever I've ridden in the rain. I take off my front wheel and put it in my bathtub. I spray clingon degreaser and let it sit for a few minutes. Then I use my handheld shower massage to gently rinse away the filthy road grime. I also use a sponge and a little soap to get at the frame when it needs it. Afterwards I towel dry, turn the bike over and take off the rear wheel and clean the cassette etc making sure to dry all the parts thoroughly using my hair dryer. :) Seriously. Its clean and shiny and ready for grease :)

This may seem crazy but it works. Oh, and it give you a great excuse to clean the tub! Might recommend a cheap rubber bathmat in the bottom of the tub so the front fork doesn't scratch anything. It also catches the worst of the gunk.

[fidlfreek]

FYI today my dad got a special blowdryer for his harley. Its called a "Cycle Dry", is pretty high powered, and looks like a very small leaf blower. Super cool. So if you can blow dry a harley I guess you can blow dry a bike :)

[RoadRaven]

I only treat my bikes (as per Zen's style) when they have been particularly responsive and worked hard for me.

Otherwise I give them a less "intense" (though still loving) bath...

No hoses, scrubbing brushes or anything remotely harsh...

Warm water with a few suds, old towels ripped into rags and a soft toothbrush. Takes a while, but I get all the nooks and crannies and its worthwhile.

[fatbottomedgurl]

A good pastewax or liquid like Mother's wax will help keep your paint nice. And in between you can keep things sparkly with lemon Pledge.

[Sarabeth]

Check out my blog post and photo on how I use one of those pump-up garden sprayers to to a quick clean up of my bike. www.bycycletrips.blogspot.com (http://http://bycycletrips.blogspot.com/2008/12/clean-your-bike-garden-variety.html)

Sarabeth
www.bycycletrips.blogspot.com (http://www.bycycletrips.blogspot.com)

[Kalidurga]

I recently got one of these (http://www.horse.com/Pump-Up-Hand-Sprayer-BRA54.html?scode=hbizrate), except mine is a garden sprayer from Lowe's:

http://www.horse.com/zoom_img/BRA54.jpg

If I bathed my bike on a regular basis, I'd probably go with something bigger that provided a bit more pressure for the fine spray (like Sarabeth's). But for a once or twice a year, serious frame cleaning, it worked nicely. I took the bike out on my patio, sprayed it down, used a bucket of soapy water and sponge to wipe off last year's dried mud, then used the sprayer again to rinse off the soap. I used the finest spray near the bottom bracket, and then adjusted it to get a harder stream into spots like the inside of the fork.

Very handy if you're short on space like I am, and a deal at $10. I can even imagine throwing it in the trunk of the car and using it after a muddy ride. It'd also work in the bathtub scenario that fidlfreek described if you don't have a handheld shower head.

[tulip]

I was recently on a bike vacation and the organizers provided buckets of soapy water with a soft long-handled brush after the rides to clean off our bikes. It was a great setup, just brush the wheels, tires, and frame with the soapy brush. Takes a few minutes tops, and the grime is gone. I'm going to keep a two buckets--one with soapy water and one with plain water (each with a soft-bristled long-handled brush)--in my back yard and wash down my bike after my rides.

[papaver]

First I wash my chain with a special detergent and a sponge. Then I take a bucket of warm water with some dishwashing detergent in it, and I clean the rest of my bike. Then I take a second bucket of water and I rince my bike. After that i dry it with some cloths and I put a little oil on the chain. Then i take my bike for a little spin and there you go. It takes me 10 mins tops.

but I have to admit the pledge whipes was a super tip! Especially after a ride on clean dry roads. http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/midi/froehlich/a013.gif

[Trek420]

I put on some Teddy Pendergrass, draw a warm bubble bath, light some candles, and gently lower the bike into the tub.
Wash it with a soft bath cloth, not a sponge:)

Then I wrap my bike in a big fluffy towel to dry off and give her a nice massage with some scented oil. :p ;) :cool:

[Sandrider]

My excellent bike mechanic told me that in Europe the cyclocross people dunk their bikes in a river to clean them. Not being in Europe etc. she told me to use a very small spray of very low pressure water from a hose on my mountain bike. I ride on fine sand and it gets into everything and coats the bike [and me :eek:].

I use a soft sponge to wipe the bike off after the water, then cloth or paper towels to dry it and ream out all the grit I can reach that has not been removed by water. After that I use Bike Lust and then Pedro's extra dry on the chain.

One place I can't reach to clean is the inside of the front fork bushing, because of the way the fork is made. Is there a long flexible brush out there that I could use to clean the grit and dust off the bushings?

What do those of you with mountain bikes to do maintain your forks on a regular basis?

[papaver]

My excellent bike mechanic told me that in Europe the cyclocross people dunk their bikes in a river to clean them.

Yes and no. The mechanics do that sometimes during the race when it's so muddy the cyclist has to change his bike every round or every half round even.

After the race they almost completely dismantle the bike to clean it.

This is a rather normal race in Belgium: http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee261/fattiebert/Oudenaarde-01-11-08-118.jpg

:D

[Sandrider]

Yes and no. The mechanics do that sometimes during the race when it's so muddy the cyclist has to change his bike every round or every half round even.
:D

Thank you for the education and for the great photo!!

[Sarabeth]

If you really want to get down to the nity-grity:
Buy some pipe cleaners.
I went to the craft store (Jo-Ann Fabrics) and bought a package of long pipe cleaners and I use these to clean in tight places to get the gunk/grease out on the detailing of cleaning my bike parts. Q-tips too work in some places.

[Sandrider]

If you really want to get down to the nity-grity:
Buy some pipe cleaners.
Q-tips too work in some places.

That is a great idea. I tried Q-tips, but they fell apart on the grit before doing all the cleaning. I would not have thought of pipe-cleaners, so thank you!

[Thorn]

I was recently on a bike vacation and the organizers provided buckets of soapy water with a soft long-handled brush after the rides to clean off our bikes. It was a great setup, just brush the wheels, tires, and frame with the soapy brush. Takes a few minutes tops, and the grime is gone. I'm going to keep a two buckets--one with soapy water and one with plain water (each with a soft-bristled long-handled brush)--in my back yard and wash down my bike after my rides.

Tulip--did you do a PAC week? And if so, which one?

[tulip]

Tulip--did you do a PAC week? And if so, which one?

I was on the slow week...at least I was slow! Week 3, which was much more of a bike tour than a hardcore training camp week like I feared. It was really fun, although not as warm as I imagined it would be. I would do it again, perhaps next year I'll be in better shape and do the Century Week (ha ha, not really). In a way it felt like the Clown Week because most everyone was riding Bike Fridays (including me) and sometimes I felt like I was in a circus.

I recommend it for a winter getaway, and the other weeks (there are six of them) are apparently alot harder and alot more mileage. This one averaged out to about 50 miles per day, which was more than I thought I could do, but I did it!

Now, onwards to Louisiana for Cycle Zydeco.

[papaver]

I was on the slow week...at least I was slow! Week 3, which was much more of a bike tour than a hardcore training camp week like I feared. It was really fun, although not as warm as I imagined it would be. I would do it again, perhaps next year I'll be in better shape and do the Century Week (ha ha, not really). In a way it felt like the Clown Week because most everyone was riding Bike Fridays (including me) and sometimes I felt like I was in a circus.

I recommend it for a winter getaway, and the other weeks (there are six of them) are apparently alot harder and alot more mileage. This one averaged out to about 50 miles per day, which was more than I thought I could do, but I did it!

Now, onwards to Louisiana for Cycle Zydeco.

Hey Tulip, that's the spirit! Never give up! :p

[Thorn]

I was on the slow week...at least I was slow!

Oh....I was the yellow Waterford :p Yeah, I was a one of the "big bikes" in the sea of Bike Fridays.

OK....I remember a posting you had with your new dog....and that you didn't look anything like your avatar.....oh wait, now I know who you are. Hi!

You weren't that slow! I agree it was a fun week--a bit humbling that 50 miles/day could tire me out so. But, then, I currently have 400 outdoor miles in *March* already. Woohoo!

I was really impressed with PAC Tour--such a well oiled machine, but they don't forget the fun. Now I'm training to up my mileage and get faster do I go on one of their real tours.

[tulip]

Oh....I was the yellow Waterford :p Yeah, I was a one of the "big bikes" in the sea of Bike Fridays...

Oh my! YOU are the owner of the gorgeous soft pale yellow S/S coupled Waterford, the person we kept bugging about Waterfords?? You were the first person we sat down and talked to at that first night ice-cream social! And we had breakfast with you like, I dunno, three times or something!

Glad to have met you! My friend got his Waterford back from Wisconsin all newly painted. It's beautiful--white with silver and black lettering (block).

TEers meet and don't even know it! I have a great photo of you and your DH--I'll send it along as soon as I find my camera cable...

:)