Winter cleaning & maintenance tips & suggestions

[m444ttb]

As a cycling newbie that owns no bike cleaning equipment I could really do with some recommendations for cleaning products & tools and suggestions of what to clean and how often. What does the PH cycling collective recommend?

If it helps - Usage wise I'm hoping to pick up cyclocross bike for commuting on the old railway lines that take me to to work so that bike probably won't see an awful lot of road salt (but lots of water and mud) while I'll keep my road bike for Sunday training rides.

A recommendation for a bike stand would be great too and I'd also be interested in views on use of a pressure washer.

Thanks all

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Go careful with the pressure washer around bearings. That's not to say that you can't use one just with care. Baby wipes are very good for most jobs. Get a quick link and take your chain off regularly and clean it. Otherwise it'll get grit and crap in the oil and turn into a grinding paste. Apart from making everything last longer, it'll make it a lot more pleasant to use.

[m444ttb]

Thanks. Having done less than 300km on dry roads (from new) the bike has just had a wipe down with baby wipes so far. But I know the my time is up for that and didn't want to create some lovely grinding paste for components.

[AndyWoodall]

I do a proper clean now and again, but mainly I try and keep the running gear nice and clean after every ride or two. Muck off, degreaser and GT85 and some chain lube. Done.

I subscribe to this youtube channel which has some washing guides now and again; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBvLo0tlmRcrBS9mW...

Cleaning with baby wipes would take me rather a long time, better a hosepipe on a spray setting and muck off.

[gazza285]

I've got a brush that clips onto my hosepipe, cheap thing, use it to clean my filthy cyclocross and MTBs after races. Brush off the worst of it, then a squirt over with Hope Shifter or Muc-Off, then another session with the brush.

Nuts and bolts get a squirt of GT85, shifters, derailleurs, bearings, pedals and cantilever brake pivots (on the 'cross bike only) get a squirt of TF2. The chain comes off depending on its condition and washed in a pot of paint thinners with an old toothbrush, then refitted and lubbed up with TF2 Extreme Wet Lube.

Bearings are checked on a regular basis, basically after every wash, and seem to wear out at a fantastic rate, but I'm not riding in the most ideal conditions.

[Fugazi]

Baby wipes... The cheapest, own brand baby wipes. Seriously, they will clean the muck and grime off the frame, use them to floss the cassette, clean the chainrings and they can alsobe used to wipe the muck off the chain. Plus you can clean your bike in the house without getting moaned at, (mostly).

[anonymous-user]

Fugazi said:

Baby wipes... The cheapest, own brand baby wipes. Seriously, they will clean the muck and grime off the frame, use them to floss the cassette, clean the chainrings and they can also be used to wipe the muck off the chain. Plus you can clean your bike in the house without getting moaned at, (mostly).

Cotton wool buds are great too, again find the cheap stuff in the baby aisles as they dont have VAT on them whereas the stuff in the toiletries aisle does?!? I use baby wipes for most things too. Having a baby means having a constant source of bike cleaning products!

[Mr Will]

Use Mudguards.

If I could offer you only one piece of advice, Mudguards would be it.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Mr Will said:

Use Mudguards.

If I could offer you only one piece of advice, Mudguards would be it.

[gazza285]

Mr Will said:

Use Mudguards.

If I could offer you only one piece of advice, Mudguards would be it.

Proper mudguards as well.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

These videso are a good place to start

GCN 5 Minute Bike Wash

GCN 30 Minute Bike Wash

[mrmr96]

jesusbuiltmycar said:

These videso are a good place to start

GCN 5 Minute Bike Wash

GCN 30 Minute Bike Wash

Agreed. I was going to post the links but didn't have them to hand. GCN is worth a subscription IMO.

[Herman Toothrot]

Mountain bikes - get a hose permanently attached to a garden tap in a very convenient place for when you arrive back home after a ride and keep a brush next to it(dush pan and brush type I find best), this way its no bother to clean it after every ride, you don't need soap or detergent of any sort. On arrival home after every ride give it a quick hose over, brush with brush and hose again. Bounce it about a bit to get the water off, quick bit of GT85 on mechs, work shop rag round the chain and few revolutions back pedaling, apply chain lube. Job done, my gears always index perfectly and bikes never require any maintenance doing this.

Road bike - I agree mudguards, never even need to clean it then.