Maintenance-cleaning your bike

Cleaning your bike after every ride is not always practical or possible. Assuming regular use, a weekly clean, or after every really mucky ride ensures that dirt and grime never build up. It will take far less time and effort if done regularly.

Regardless of what kind of bike you have the principals remain the same. The majority of your efforts should be focused on the drive chain, particularly if you are short on time. Better to do a really spotless job on cleaning just the chain, cassette, chainrings and rear derailleur (jockey wheels) and leave the rest of the bike a bit dirty than to do a quick ‘half job’ on the whole thing.

Never re-lubricate the chain whilst it is still dirty. The dirt and grit on the chain will simply combine with lubricant and leave you with a black, filthy mess, which forms an abrasive paste that will wear away at your chain and sprockets at an alarming rate. Having the correct tools for the job will make it much simpler and the job can be done in a fraction of the time. Invest in a good set of brushes. A wide, soft brush can be used for getting rid of the majority of muck from the larger surface areas, a stiffer brush is good for working round rims and tyres and smaller brushes for getting into the gaps between components and your frame.

Some brushes are specifically shaped to get into the really hard to reach places, such as the tiny gaps between the sprockets on the cassette. Make sure brushes are good quality and nothing metallic that could scratch your bike.

Using a cleaning product to help break down the grime will make this part of the job easier. Several relatively inexpensive products are available in a simple to use trigger spray that are safe to use on all parts of the bike.

Cleaning the chain itself can be a major chore unless you invest in a chain cleaner and some degreaser. A chain cleaner is a hand held device that fits onto the chain. By back pedalling, the chain is passed through a small bath of degreaser over a series of stiff brushes that clean the chain on all sides. With a few turns of the pedal the job is done effortlessly and the muck from the chain held within the cleaning device and not flicked all over your frame.

Water-soluble degreasers can be rinsed off with plain water to remove any residue. Any degreaser left behind on the chain after cleaning will begin to break down any new oil that is applied. It is strongly recommended that products such as white spirit, petrol or paraffin are not used for chain cleaning. ‘Bike specific’ cleaning products are there to help protect the components of the bike.

The use of car cleaning products like wash and wax can cause loss of performance to mountain bike disc brake systems and washing-up liquid contains powerful cleaning agents that may harm paintwork and some vinyl graphics.