Bicycle Mechanics - Spray with water and wipe clean?

For years on my old Cannondale I would lightly rinse it with water to remove the sweat and dirt. I would then wipe it down with a towel and then clean/lube the chain.

Now that I have a new Stumpy I want to make sure my old ways are OK. I guess my biggest concern is that when I spray it with water and then wipe it down I may be missing the tighter places with the towel and that rust will work it's way in.

Am I being too cautious on this? Again it's a new bike worth some serious coin so I want to do the right thing.

As usual all your help is appreciated.

Chuck

Just avoid spraying the bearings and you should be fine.
I prefer to spray a rag with mild detergent and just wipe the bike down.

Enjoy

Just avoid spraying the bearings and you should be fine.
I prefer to spray a rag with mild detergent and just wipe the bike down.

Enjoy


Thanks for the reply. How about Windex? No problem with the ammonia in that I would think...

Chuck

I usually wash my bike with some form of detergent every 6 months or so. I ride many times per week, year round, so cleaning every time is not a viable option. Besides, grease generally doesn't like water and/or degreasing agents found in most detergents/cleaners.

Thanks for the reply. How about Windex? No problem with the ammonia in that I would think...

Chuck

No problem.

Enjoy

I avoid putting water on my stumpy, preferring to just brush off the dirt and dust. I might use a wet sponge on some places. That works well for N Florida most of the time. In the mountains, the mud sticks like glue so I use a gentle stream of water and brush it clean with a paintbrush. I never dry it and there's nothing to rust on mine if you keep the water off the chain. At the present I'm experimenting wit a stainless steel chain, so water on it doesn't matter as long as I relube.

Have never used chemicals/soaps as it's never needed it.

Al

Gave my bike a bit of a sponge bath after two days of rainy riding, and the (white) decals still looked sort of grey. Windex worked like a charm, so I tried it (in very small doses) on the rest of the frame as well. She gleams.

No spraying anything, as it'll work its way into bottom brackets, derailleurs, hubs, and headsets. Wiping + Simple Green does wonders.

If you want to keep the bike dust free, avoid rust, and make the paint shine, just spray some furniture polish on a rag & wipe with that. Works on cars too.

If you want to keep the bike dust free, avoid rust, and make the paint shine, just spray some furniture polish on a rag & wipe with that. Works on cars too.

Just tried the furniture polish idea, and it's glorious. To think I thought the bike was clean and shiny before.

I try to avoid getting water on my bikes. I don't ride them in the rain if I can help it. I clean with solvents and never a water-based cleaner like Simple Green. I wax them regularly and I use Pledge between waxings. I'm not saying that anyone should do what I do, I'm just telling you what I do. My bikes do look good, and I've had one of them for thirty years. You won't find any rust on it.

Found that dilute car wash in a pump spray bottle followed by a rinse off works fine. Saw this on a promo dvd about biking which was made by ? they make bike cleaning products.