It comes in a litre bottle and dilutes with ten parts water, so you’ll be good for 11 litres of cleaning fluid. Have a backyard or driveway, a hose, some soapy water and a bike stand? Use a rag to wipe the mud off the wheels, and wipe down the frame so there are no corrosive elements left. Buy now: Fenwick’s Concentrated Bike Cleaner at Wiggle for £8.50. Or if you’re a City Dweller… The good news about living in a city: you’re in hub of civilization and can probably get really good Ethiopian food. Each day sees something small being tackled resulting in … Dip a stiff-bristled brush into one of your pre-filled buckets and scrub the chainrings. Sure, cleaning your bike takes time and sometimes you’ll need to make sure you have a wash area that’s out of the elements like when it’s If I ride the same bike the next day, after the hosing I might clean the rims and brake pads or fix the bar tape etc. No matter what you ride, you need to keep your bicycle in top shape with a regular cleaning. Every product is carefully selected by our editors. Focus on getting the bike clean and re-lubricated, ready for your next ride. Use a sponge and a bucket of water – don’t be tempted to blast it with a pressure washer as this will force water into the bearings. “Some people completely strip and clean the bike after every ride, some go for a quick hose and re-lube and some just put more lube on ride again,” says McCreedie. … I give it a really through cleaning to get salt out of all the little nooks and crannies after the winter. One of the reasons people end up doing more damage than good while washing their... 2. ), Chain cleaning tool if the chain is very dirty. 2Hose ‘er down: Just like washing your car you want to hose down the bike, apply soapy water with a brush and scrub away all the grit and grime from the frame, wheels and drivetrain. Lubing the chain is absolutely critical to extend the life of your drivetrain and keep your bike as quiet and smooth as possible. Using a gear brush really helps you to get into the cassette cogs. Overall, when servicing your bike after you ride in the rain be aware of the corrosion and wear rain can cause. If you have rim brakes, make sure you clean your brake pads and rims thoroughly. Use mild soapy water, rinse with a very light pressure water spray (taking care not to spray water directly at the seal/upper tube junction), and wipe dry with a clean soft cloth. How to Clean Your Bike in 10 Minutes After a Ride in the Rain 1. Then, with more clean water, use a soft bristled brush to give the bike a scrub. This will prevent rust from building up and will also keep the chain running smoothly. It's not always easy to know what to do - especially with so many products to choose from. As important as it is to clean your bike after a filthy wet ride, it remains key after dry, dusty ones too. Buy now: Green Oil Wet Chain Lube at Tredz for £6.99. Baby wipes are very mild and therefore won’t do your bike any harm. It should look pretty clean. Buy now: Muc-Off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner at Wiggle for £6.99. 3. Once you’ve applied some lube to the chain be sure to wipe off any excess; we only care about what gets inside the chain, as the stuff on the outside only serves to attract more dirt and grime. Cleaning your bike regularly will help keep it running smoothly, and it also gives you a chance to give the frame and components a quick once over, giving you a much greater chance of spotting potential problems (such as a crack in the frame) before they develop. Part II: Lube. Cleaning your road bike regularly will keep it in great condition, and it doesn’t take very long at all. Once you’re happy that the chain is clean you can dry it with a clean rag and apply a thin layer of chain lube. Clean the wheels and brakes.. With the wheels removed, use the same sponge to clean the wheels … However, without regular cleaning, the drivetrain will become mucky, parts can begin to corrode, and you’re a lot more likely to find you’re struggling with seized components, un-cooperative gears and squeaky brakes. What Running Gear Should You Spend Your Money On? Here’s how to clean your road or mountain bike in seven simple steps. Dish soap is okay, although it can contribute to corrosion on alloy parts due to the high salt content of some dish soaps. You probably already have a bucket you can use, but if you don’t, this is a cheap and reliable, no frills option. If you don’t dry your bike after cleaning, you risk leaving streaky water marks all over it. When applied to the chain, the solution will evaporate and leave a waxy film, thus lubricating the chain. WD40 and GT85 are both degreasers. This offers the same environmental benefits as the general-purpose cleaner by obviating the need to transport water in lorries. Buy now: Dirtwash Cleaning Bucket Bike Cleaning Kit at Amazon for £49.89. Hose entire bike down, and use a moderate pressure on the chain itself to ensure you get all the dirt out. Washing your bike is the first step before performing any motorcycle maintenance. It is less durable than wet lube though, so will need more regular applications. The aerosol can makes it easier to get it in those hard to reach places – just make sure not to be overly enthusiastic when spraying and get it in your bearings. Here’s what you’ll need: Shop Rags, $25 Move on to removing the wheels so you can clean your whole bike more thoroughly. Buy now: Proper Cleaner By Guy Martin Degreaser at Tredz for £10. When you ride your bike in the wet (as at some stage we all do), it will pay to spend a little time looking after your treasured steed post-ride. Feedback Sports Sprint Work Stand, $270, Tips to Help You Be More Productive in 2021, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. A microfibre cleaning towel will avoid this and not leave any lint on your pride and joy. >>> Can bike degreaser ever be environmentally friendly? Of course, it’s always worth bearing in mind that if a rider can be dedicated enough to clean their bike after every ride, there’s actually very little need to lug around the trusty winter steed in order to keep the summer bike in good condition. The chemicals themselves are also equally environmentally friendly and vegan-friendly. Plus, as the video proves, it takes less than seven minutes (even if you stop to explain every step!). All you have to do is rinse off the mud, spray on the wash and then rinse off your bike. You’re not going to be hosing off your bike any time soon. Downside? A dedicated chain cleaner makes the job so much easier and less wasteful. If there is still dirt, repeat steps 3-4. Whichever bike you choose to ride, a wipe after every ride and weekly deep clean will keep it all running smoothly regardless what the weather throws at you both. False. We’ve already made a cleaning guidefor quick and thorough scrub-downs. A lot of riders like to have a winter bike set up for trudging through the driving rain and general muck involved in logging off-season miles. Spray-on bike cleaners are dismissed by some as snake oil, but in reality they do make a big difference. 2. Take the hose again and use a light spray of water to rinse off the bike. As outlined in the ten steps above, the chain needs to be cleaned with a good degreaser. WD-40 Foaming Bike Wash, $14 You should be able t… Buy now: Finish Line Teflon Plus Dry Lubricant at Tweeks Cycles for £5.99. 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