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Top Ten Tips For Cleaning Your Bike

Lester Perry | Sun 26th Jul 2020 10:12

Cleaning dirt and grime from your bike after each ride goes a long way to ensuring it performs well, runs smooths, and can save you on costly repairs in the long run. Cleaning your bike regularly very important and all it takes is a few minutes.

So you have a dirty bike and you want to know how best to clean it? Look no further, we've got some tips! Whether your bike is caked in mud so thick that you can't make out it's color, or it's just a but dusty, our bike cleaning principles stay the same. Anyone can clean a bike, but we've got a few tips to make your job easier and to help prevent you from damaging your precious rig!

Top ten tips for bike cleaning success:

  1. Use a soft brush to remove the bulk of the mud or dirt.
  2. Hose the bike carefully to loosen any remaining dirt and prepare the bike for bike-wash. Don’t use a jet washer/ water blaster, even a thumb over the end of a hose can be too much pressure at close range, forcing water past bearing seals if you aren't cautious, causing long term bearing issues and other damage.
  3. Use a biodegradable degreaser to clean your chain, cassette and chainring. For best results use a chain cleaning device on the chain, then a stiff brush on the cassette and chainring. Pay special attention to grime build up on jockey wheels and the front chainring.
  4. Apply bike-wash to the entire bike, including tyres and drivetrain. Leave this to sit for 3-5 mins (this may differ depending on specific cleaner used).
  5. Remove any remaining grime with a wash-mitt, soft cloth, sponge or scrubbing brush where applicable. Pay attention to underneath the bottom bracket, underside of the saddle, areas around pivots, chain guides and brakes as these areas will often harbour stubborn dirt.
  6. Rinse complete bike, removing any bike wash residue or loosened dirt that remains.
  7. Dry off excess water and apply bike protectant to ward off corrosion and rust on components. Bike protectant also helps to lubricate components, and aids in preventing mud from adhering to frame & components. Ensure you don’t get protectant on braking surfaces, brake rotors or tyres.
  8. Lube your chain with a lube suitable for the conditions you are going to ride in most regularly. Follow the chain lube manufacturers instructions for best results.
  9. Wipe any excess lube or protectant off the bike and use a soft cloth to polish everything up.
  10. Do a wheelie down the road and show your neighbours how stoked you are with your freshly sparkling bike!

If you’re cleaning an E-bike, here are some additional tips:

  1. We recommend simply using a brush or sponge and bucket of water on E-bikes rather than a hose or stream of water. This will help prolong the life of your bike's electrics.
  2. Consider using Dry Wash and Dry Chain Cleaner on your bike for regular cleans to minimise how often you expose the bike to water.
A dirty, dirty bike in need of some love
Use a brush to remove any loose / dried dirt
A dry brush should remove a great deal of dirt before getting the bike wet 
Gently wet your bike, avoid high pressure hoses or water blasters
Gently wash away any loose dirt before applying soapy water or bike wash
Fully cover the bike in cleaner and leave the bike wash to sit for 3-5 minutes
Use a bucket of water and a brush (or sponge) to clean dirt and mud from your bike
After rinsing and drying, apply lube to your chain (follow the instructions as per your choice of lube)
Use a rag to remove excess lube from your chain

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