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! :-(
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? :-)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Bike cleaning
(24 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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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!
Here's something I wrote a while ago for a school talk.
"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!"
http://bikebase.wordpress.com/basic-basics/beginners-guide-to-living-with-a-bike
Posted 10 years ago # -
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!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Depends what you mean by 'very regular' - and why it needs it.
There are those who think that (a reasonable amount of) dirt is a theft deterrent.
Too much in the wrong place (eg drivetrain) can get expensive.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Of course it's the drivetrain that gets manky first, and is the most time consuming and dirty to clean. Hence my lazy enquiry ;-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
Maybe you need a chaincleaner.
I've hardly ever used one.
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
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.
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.
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Maybe you need a chaincleaner.
I used to use one. I actually find it easier to clean the chain without, tbh.
Posted 10 years ago # -
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A vague plan to keep a garden scoosher at the back door was never realised.
Posted 10 years ago # -
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Hmm babywipes... I like that idea, we're never short of babywipes round here :-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
There's a hole in the market for bike cleaning. If it could be done for £5 like cars
Posted 10 years ago # -
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.
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
+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...
Posted 10 years ago # -
They're very good at getting muck off babies too.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Another +1 for babywipes. Great for getting the gunk out.
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.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Another babywipe user (the actual baby gets reusables...), plus a cheap B&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.
Both bikes get a wash about every three months. Ish.
Posted 10 years ago # -
It's CX season so I'll now be spending an hour or so a week cleaning my bike. Probably outside in the rain...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Babywipes tested and they're terrific! Three bikes looking presentable this morning for minimal effort :-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
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 ...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Hubgear and fully enclosed chaincase is the true lazy option.
Even without the chaincase you can leave a hubgear or singlespeed chain to get really filthy before you need to clean it.
Derailleur gears are for race bkes, and if you want to race you will know clean bikes go faster. ;-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
Hubgear is on the wish list for N+1, but meanwhile I ride (and clean) the bike I have...
Posted 10 years ago #
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