Bicycle Mechanics - Cleaning bike with pressure washer

Today I washed my bike with a pressure washer, is is safe doing this aslong as I re-oil the chain?

Thanks.

did you hose the HS and hub bearings out good too?

I'll avoid the flippant remarks and
try to formulate an informative answer.
No, this isn't a good thing. The high
pressure forces water into the headset
and bottombracket where it promptly
does one of 2 things. Either it turns
the grease into some alien glop, or
it pushes dirt grime etc. into the bearings
wreaking havoc on the entire assembly
(sometimes it does both).
If you must hose down the bike, use a
regular garden hose, but not on a high
pressure setting, and never direct spray
towards headset and bottom bracket.

Marty

Washing your bike with a pressure washer is a very BAD idea.

I recommend that you clean out all your bearings; hubs, bottom bracket, head set.

You almost certainly blasted water into the bearings. It would be difficult not to blast water into the bearings if you washed you bike with a pressure washer.

I think cleaning your with High pressure is a good way to remove the paint and push dirt into your headset it may remove anything that is not bolted ...

I pressure hosed an old bike of mine some time back. I started getting some unusual clunking noises from the stem bearings not too long after. I stripped it and the grease had turned into an 'alien glop' as a previous poster replied might happen. A few of the old ball bearings were I think, damaged because of this. They might have been on the way out anyway, but getting water in there did not help either. Maybe the newer designs minimise the problem, but it's not a good thing to do. I'd say wash the stem and bb with a soapy cloth and wipe clean after. Hubs are a pain to clean, but I'd be equally careful.

Your bike will not appreciate this. Better re-pack your bearings.

Pressure washed your bike eh? The only smooth move you'll have soon will be courtesy of Ex-Lax. :rolleyes: