http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Bike cleaning en Fri, 22 May 2026 10:16:33 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-162862 Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:50:11 +0000 sallyhinch 162862@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hubgear is on the wish list for N+1, but meanwhile I ride (and clean) the bike I have... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-162860 Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:43:50 +0000 firedfromthecircus 162860@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hubgear and fully enclosed chaincase is the true lazy option.</p> <p>Even without the chaincase you can leave a hubgear or singlespeed chain to get really filthy before you need to clean it.</p> <p>Derailleur gears are for race bkes, and if you want to race you will know clean bikes go faster. ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-162859 Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:34:16 +0000 sallyhinch 162859@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>yup. Another convert to babywipes here. They may not get the bike as clean as washing it properly, but as it takes about 10 minutes it's about a million times more likely to get done. The downside is I've just noticed how worn my front middle ring is ... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161758 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 14:06:42 +0000 Smudge 161758@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Babywipes tested and they're terrific! Three bikes looking presentable this morning for minimal effort :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161735 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 11:39:29 +0000 ARobComp 161735@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's CX season so I'll now be spending an hour or so a week cleaning my bike. Probably outside in the rain... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161730 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 10:24:28 +0000 Darkerside 161730@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Another babywipe user (the actual baby gets reusables...), plus a cheap B&amp;Q pump up weedkiller sprayer thing for use as a hose. It's not as good, but it does the job if you live in a flat with no access to an outside tap.</p> <p>Both bikes get a wash about every three months. Ish. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161724 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:06:46 +0000 earthowned 161724@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Another +1 for babywipes. Great for getting the gunk out. </p> <p>After the chain is done (ala Greenroofer)fold in half lengthways and slide in between each cassette ring to get a brand new looking drivechain. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161716 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:41:37 +0000 Instography 161716@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>They're very good at getting muck off babies too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161715 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:33:23 +0000 Greenroofer 161715@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>+1 for babywipes. I used to use a chain cleaner machine, but now I just wipe with baby wipes until the chain is clean and shiny and then re-lube. Having seen how efficient they are at getting grease off bike chains I'm a bit doubtful whether it's wise to use them on babies... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161714 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:58:10 +0000 Instography 161714@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have a little Hozelock brush thing that attaches to the hose. Meant for cleaning cars. An occasional once-over with that is all it gets. Some oil when the chain looks like it would thank me for it but otherwise my bikes are now maintenance free unless something breaks. </p> <p>Had a bike serviced the other day and spent £50 replacing parts - chain, cassette, a couple of cables etc. They would have been taken off and cleaned as part of the service so there was no labour charge in replacing them. Many other parts were taken off, cleaned and regreased as part of the service. Seems like a good deal to me since it took none of my time. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161713 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:34:34 +0000 amir 161713@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There's a hole in the market for bike cleaning. If it could be done for £5 like cars </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161712 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:32:15 +0000 Smudge 161712@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmm babywipes... I like that idea, we're never short of babywipes round here :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161711 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:25:53 +0000 Baldcyclist 161711@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've been better at cleaning the new bike once a month or so. Was going to clean it this weekend, then thought better of it after looking at the weather for the next few days. Just applied lots of oil instead. Will likely clean next weekend. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161710 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:04:53 +0000 wingpig 161710@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A vague plan to keep a garden scoosher at the back door was never realised. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161709 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:03:53 +0000 wingpig 161709@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I tend to scrape/wipe the fibrous gack off jockey wheels and crank most frequently, though only about once a month under normal use/conditions. Sprockets and chain get thin scrapey things poked into them whenever it looks like it needs doing. Frame tubes get a babywipe whenever a bit too much accumulates on them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161707 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:44:22 +0000 Cyclingmollie 161707@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I use KMC quick links - split the chain, drop it into a bowl, degrease it, rinse it, spray it with GT85, hang it up to dry then put it back once I've wiped the sprockets, mechs and chainrings. Then lube. Keeps degreaser away from the rear hub. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161702 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:07:00 +0000 Kenny 161702@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Maybe you need a chaincleaner.</em></p> <p>I used to use one. I actually find it easier to clean the chain without, tbh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161701 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:05:16 +0000 Kenny 161701@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I used to find the drivetrain a toil to clean, but then I discovered degreaser. I dealt with the drivetrain on my decent bike yesterday in a matter of minutes. I merely spray on the degreaser on to the cassette and chain while pedalling backwards, leave it for 5 minutes, then wash it off with a hose, then get an old cloth and run the chain through the cloth while again pedalling backwards. I do this until either the chain is no longer depositing black stuff on to the cloth, or the cloth is completely black all over. The former is usually the case these days, as I don't leave it _too_ long between cleans. Then I wait for the chain to dry, and lube.</p> <p>I do that semi-regularly. Less often, I'll take a cloth to the jockey wheels when they are caked with crap - knowing where to hold the cloth is key here, and again can take all of a few seconds if you know what to do. The front mech rarely gets much left on it that a bit of water won't shift.</p> <p>Other than that, a quick blast with the hose on the main parts of the frame (attempting to stay away from bearings), and also on the brakes, and that's about all I do. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161700 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:03:42 +0000 chdot 161700@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybe you need a chaincleaner. </p> <p>I've hardly ever used one. </p> <p>Think there was a thread on here about how they could do more harm than good - leaving cleaning fluid in place rather than fresh oil. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161699 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 19:52:17 +0000 Smudge 161699@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Of course it's the drivetrain that gets manky first, and is the most time consuming and dirty to clean. Hence my lazy enquiry ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161694 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:52:25 +0000 chdot 161694@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Depends what you mean by 'very regular' - and why it needs it. </p> <p>There are those who think that (a reasonable amount of) dirt is a theft deterrent. </p> <p>Too much in the wrong place (eg drivetrain) can get expensive. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161693 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:44:33 +0000 Smudge 161693@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Very true, in my defence I'll check, lube etc, it's just the drudge of (very) regular cleaning that bores me, I'd rather be riding them! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161692 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:39:56 +0000 chdot 161692@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I quite like cleaning bikes, though I'm not consistently conscientious. I should strip things like hubs more often. Dismantled a 3 speed this morning because it didn't change properly. Turned out the grease (probably more than 20 years old - and an inexplicably large amount) had almost turned to wax!</p> <p>Here's something I wrote a while ago for a school talk. </p> <p>"when you clean your bike you’ll notice things that need tightening up or adjusting and you help to stop it getting rusty or corroded and also stop bits from actually failing off!"</p> <p><a href="http://bikebase.wordpress.com/basic-basics/beginners-guide-to-living-with-a-bike" rel="nofollow">http://bikebase.wordpress.com/basic-basics/beginners-guide-to-living-with-a-bike</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13263#post-161691 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:26:43 +0000 Smudge 161691@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I doubt that I am the only one, but I'm rubbish at getting around to bike cleaning :-/ I'm not bad at maintenance and I enjoy building the things, I just can't seem to raise the enthusiasm for washing them! :-(<br /> So am I the only one? Or are there other lazy blighters out there? More to the point (from my point of view), are there any bike cleaning services available in Edinburgh? :-) </p>