Originally Posted by ChrisCummins
Hi,
How does everyone clean their bike? And at what intervals? I went out for a cycle today in a very muddy area, when it was raining so there was mud everywhere. By the time I had finished, the bike and myself were completely coated in mud. Is there anything wrong with getting a hose and spraying the whole thing down? Should I then re-oil everything afterwards? Thanks for the help!
Chris
Chris: as you see, opinions vary, but fwiw: do NOT use a high-pressure wash UNLESS a) you are a really good wrench, and would enjoy cleaning/regreasing bearings every time; b) really like unnecessarily spending lots of money on replacement bearing sets/hubs/headsets/bb's, etc. or c) don't care if your bike quickly ceases to function smoothly/quietly/efficiently. Mud etc. on the outside can't hurt a thing; water/grit inside destroys things--quickly! Doesn't matter how good the bearings/seals are -- highpressure water WILL drive water/dirt in, and grease out. You can get everything clean with rags and a bucket + LOW pressure 'drizzle rinse'; clean off/lube the chain, job done, and your hubs etc. will last one h_ll of a lot longer. Just sayin!