I like the dirty look on the mountain bike! This may be on hand at the entrance/exit to … It’s amazing how easily mud washes off while it’s still wet, and how slow it is to re-soften later after it’s dried and hardened. I use Krud Kutter for my chain it works really well. well those tips where excelent i got told by my local bike store that i clean my bike too much haha so those tips where quite helpfull . Find a good place to wash your bike. According to, Having to clean your bike after an exhilarating ride may be kind of a buzzkill, but, as. It’s good to know that there’s no need to clean your bike every single time you go for a ride. I just wish SRAM and Shimano didn’t put it ALL OVER new chains. b) This is just a normal hose, not a high pressure system (as compared to say the coin-operated car wash). I’ll wipe down the frame maybe twice a week in the same way, but everything else maybe once a fortnight. Great tool for drying. Dirt on the frame aint hurting anything. unless you’ve got a legit shop set up in your garage! To do this, get your all-purpose cleaner again and spray down all components of the drivetrain. Lubing the chain is absolutely critical to extend the life of your drivetrain and keep your bike as quiet and smooth as possible. Guess I was kind of lumping that in with “The cassette and other components.”, @GoldenGoose, Thanks for weighing in. Don’t forget to lube your derailleurs and chain rings as well. It seems to me that you’re wasting about 2-4 hours of your life every week doing this. In order to avoid ruining your rig, don’t spray high pressure water into areas that have bearings. @mtbgreg1, I’m in da mitten, no? I usually spray it down using the shower setting as well on my hose’s nozzle. Mostly flat trails with plenty of obstacles to make up for the lack of incline. I have not used any soap or wax on it but it currently dirty and has been for quite a few rides. Finish off this step by rinsing everything off with your water hose once again. You should be able t… The reasons behind why it’s so important to clean your bike, whether you’re road biking, You can pick up pretty much everything you need to clean a mountain bike at your local hardware store or chain stores like Walmart. The … I do use a more powerful stream for derailleurs, cassette, chain, and rings (I really blast the lower chain with stream pointing down away from bike), taking great care not do directly spray at any bearings. But, I try to not do this too often. Either way, if you’re looking for a content or guide that can help you in cleaning your mountain bike… WD40 attracts dirt instead of repelling it, and is therefore horrible for use anywhere on your bike! After bike is dry, I use some paper towels to get any remaining residue/water off the rotors and chain, and and use an old towel to wipe down the stantions, frame, and rims. Using a clean rag and soapy water, wash the … No need to have it on the outside of the plates. After your bike has gotten its first soaking, get the all-purpose cleaner and spray it down thoroughly. I lube a couple of hours later, to ensure everything is really dry. Use an old cloth for drying off your bike. Taking the time and care to clean your bike after a ride will help to get the most life out of your bike. Then oil. From morning hiking trips to multi-month cycling adventures, he has plenty of experience venturing into the wilds of the world. Looks like it’ll be summer before the trails get really dry. Best MTB Gear | I do all this this often because i know from experience what water can do to all the exposed metal parts of a bike. I then take the bike off stand and bounce it on back tire several times, then put it back on the stand and let it dry in the sun. For a while I was cleaning a lot! We know, we know. This is the first step of mountain bike maintenance. >>> The best waterproof mountain bike jackets for 2020. I hear Marquette has some good trails, in fact I may be in a race up there in August, but I guess Copper Harbor is the place to be…Ride on brotha!!! Following this method, washing my bike usually takes under 15 minutes, with the lube job taking an additional 5 or so. Either way, I’ll try avoiding high pressure next time, thanks for the reminder! By now, all dirt and mud should come off easily. I recently picked up a $20 sprayer at the hardware, 1-gal capacity, sold for applying sealer to decks and masonry… it came with a fan-spray nozzle but other than that, is identical to sprayers sold for garden use. I try not to get it muddy, but have used car washes (carefully), and can do a descent job with a 1 gal jug of water. Your bike should be spotless now. Support Us | Otherwise, take the time to use a hose, brush, and soap to get the worst of the mud and grit off your bike before cleaning your … The first thing that you should do when cleaning your mountain bike is to wash it with a hose. Singletracks Merch | Some car washes have a “Dog Wash” and I was wondering if they would let me hose off. . Then i’ll do the rims, spokes, hubs and cassette whilst avoiding the brake discs by wrapping them up in a plastic bag. Now, you’re going to spin the pedals backward so that the chain and gear sets rotate. Don’t rub too hard, though. If you do nothing else, make sure to give your bike a weekly all-over clean and wipe down. The only thing I really clean well and put any time and care into is the drivetrain. IMBA Epics | Also, don’t overuse your lubricant as too much of it might attract dust and dirt next time you go for a ride; After lubricating the suspension, it’s time to do the same for your drivetrain. That is, if you have one or have a good friend that would let you use his, for a beer or two, of course. Company What you DEFINITELY don’t want to get on your rotors is any kind of grease or oil. Then bust out the compressor (thank you wife!!) Even if you towel it off afterward, as you mentioned, it still leaves a sheen. I had just ridden in the rain and this trail was extremely muddy, ride didn’t last long because of it, really fine mud was deep into my gears, chain, couldn’t even pedal anymore, completely coveringing the tires, so I figured I had to use the high pressure wash to get it all out, it was really sticky too and hard to get off the bike even with high pressure, so I hope I didn’t mess up anything :/ The bike is 7 years old though so I wouldn’t mind getting a new one Although it’s still in amazing shape so I should be more careful with it. Lastly, if you have disc brakes, it’s critical to avoid getting lubricant on them. Bikes pick up all kinds of dirt, dust, and debris from the road and trail. It still runs like new so I think I’m doing something right (Being a bike mechanic also helps). Usually the worst of it is the powerade on my downtube. And if you apply it and then try to remove it all, exactly what is the point? I’ve approved your comment since you’re free to disagree, however I have to respond and say that I think this is some of the worst advice I’ve ever read. Just gave the tires a good rinse by riding through flooded closed roads in OH. Fill two clean buckets with water and a generous squirt of dish soap. for wet/cold climates), mech pivots, cable, and even as a frame polish (just use just a little lube, it goes a long way, and make sure it completely dries to touch-else it will just attract dirt). Next up is taking a clean cloth and drying your bike with it. It really makes the chain noisy since it breaks down the grease inside the chain rollers and no matter what lube I use, nothing seems to work as well (quietly and long lasting) as the original grease that comes with the chain. I do pretty much the same as goo. Other components require occasional brushing, scrubbing and relubrication. Soft, dry cloth to dry your bike. You can simply lean your bike against a tree or wall instead. I heard that some people use petroleum based fluid (kerosene or mineral spirits) to avoid rust, but Simple Green works well and is definitely easier to dispose of…. I keep my bike inside my truck sleeper, so it has to be fairly clean though I rap it up in a tarp. Your bike needs to be pretty dirty before you even consider washing it, and if it is, then you are set for a wash. While mountain bikes aren’t ‘delicate’ machines, they do require special care and treatment when it comes to cleaning … Well it takes me about two hours. After everything is washed, I dry the drivetrain, bolt heads, petals, hubs, brakes, etc with a pancake compressor – which is easy and small to store and you can pick up new for 150 or so, and can normally find used on craigslist or a pawnshop for 20-80.00, depending on how new and pretty you want it to be. eeesh, I recently took my bike to a car wash, I heard using high pressure wasn’t good for bikes, but I felt I had no choice since I didn’t know anyone nearby with a house to wash it and didn’t think of checking bike shops, and I kinda had to wash it before bringing it back into my apartment. Great tips. Most shops are more than happy to let you wash your bike for free. Step 1: Washing the Mountain Bike Find a place to wash your bike, ideally with a bike stand and hose nearby – sometimes bike racks can come in useful here. Be sure to wipe away the excess lube after it has had a few minutes to soak in. Cleaning a mountain bike involves taking care of some intricate details, and while this has to be done right, we sometimes and up doing more harm than good because we clean our bikes incorrectly and too often.. I usually skip using any kind of soap/detergent on my rig. It is suggested for you to make use of a bike stand for this purpose, owing to how it will ensure that your mountain bike … Really, what would be the point? I have used some polishes just to protect in the past, but that is once in a while. I’ve also always wondered why my bolt heads rust so quickly – probably because I end up with water sitting in them after a wash like you mentioned. On cloudy days, I use a leaf blower to dry it off-again being careful not to point directly at bearings. Mountain Bike Maintenance 101 : A Beginners Guide. For general protection I’ve heard of people using Pledge furniture polish, spray on a rag, wipe onto frame. Or are you someone who enjoys getting completely covered in mud? You would be suprised at how much comes out. Works great for chain (esp. When I lived on the Front Range, I rarely cleaned my bike either. A regular schedule of maintenance (monthly, weekly or more often depending on your type of riding) is important. @Dustin Gaddis, I’ve found that it really depends on the area that you live in. The water can work its way in … Works great for rinsing the bike off right at the trailhead, while the mud/grit is still wet, and the spray intensity is easily adjustable and just about perfect for dislodging dirt but not blasting through bearing seals. You can choose to use soap if you would like, as it will definitely help with greasy, hard to clean areas. LOL, what Goo said….I have to really work at it to get mine dirty. There’s nothing as liberating as flying downhill through a puddle or getting completely soaked in a rain shower. You will notice 2 things in the photo below: a) I am standing back away from the bike so the pressure isn’t too great. If you spend a lot of time riding in wet, muddy conditions, or if you ride hard, fast and often, plan to clean your bike … I just rinse my bike off with a water hose. @mtbgreg1, come on over to michigan, bring me a few bottles of Fat Tire or Yuengling Lager, and we’ll get you taken care of. Do a few bunny hop to get water out. Mount your bike on the work stand and rinse the bike first with cold water working from top to bottom in layers passing any debris downwards. If you don’t have one, that’s fine. Seems like when you have a new bike you want to keep it clean. Best Bike Trails | Cleaning mountain bike doesn’t have to be difficult. Steps one and two take care of your bike’s frame, which should be spotless by now. Make sure to get all of the hard-to-reach areas. I use a chain cleaning device (Park Tool) filled with Simple Green. Move the brush up and down, from left to right, to ensure that you really get in between the chain rings. Take the wheels off, then wipe down the entire bike with WD 40 using paper towels/ kitchen roll, Spray the crank set with it, get into all the nuts and bolts with it, then wipe that all off. Do you crave the freedom of mountain biking in the rain? Cleaning it too often does more damage than good. Take care to dry your mountain bike off. Just make sure it’s upright and can’t fall over. I’m curious to know how often others do a full drivetrain clean – taking the chain and cassette off. @muttonmark, That’s a great idea! If I’m feeling motivated I’ll use brushes. In the same way, let your mountain bike be clean too. To clean your bike right, you need to do a “wheels-off wash,” says Roy. A clean bike is a happy bike. Keeping your bike clean comes with a bunch of benefits. Having a clean frame is nice, but where it really counts is with your drivetrain and other moving parts. 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