Fifty Plus (50+) - A spring bike cleaning -- wow

Here in Colorado, we've just emerged from our long winter's nap, bicycling-wise, and my bike was really dirty and horrible. Mud-spattered, un-lubed. Hadn't cleaned it, hadn't done any routine maintenance in months. It was a mess. Yes, I am ashamed to admit it.

Well, Sunday and last night hubby and I cleaned my sweet little two-wheeler tip to toe, all the crevices and crannies, the chain, the whole drivetrain, etc., lubed her, tightened everything, checked over everything, greased her up, and I rode today in sunny 70 degrees, and wow! Quiet, smooth, ready for the new year! Yippee. She was so pretty, other bicyclists fell back in shock and awe as I passed. Or, well, they should have.

If you haven't, I recommend cleaning/tuning up your bike. Some people are real good about this, others aren't. I'm probably somewhere in between. This realy made a difference, and also made a difference in the pride and good vibe I felt I felt while riding.

Good for you!

Despite getting over a bad cold/flu, I also got out for a wonderful 70F ride today in Colorado!

Yup, nothing like the feel of a clean well maintained bike (see my thread about my daily rider).

I'm somewhat of a fanatic about it though. Funny, I don't care at all what my car looks like.

If you haven't, I recommend cleaning/tuning up your bike. Some people are real good about this, others aren't. I'm probably somewhere in between. This realy made a difference, and also made a difference in the pride and good vibe I felt I felt while riding.

+1 I just spent 9 hours over that last three days doing major cleaning and tuning up of three bikes. I strip everything down to the bare frame, clean all parts individually, clean and polish the frame, true the wheels, put everything back together, and lube it all up. My ride today was in grand weather on a clean well functioning bike. I can't ask for more than that.

So what is everyone using for a lube? I was working my on lunch-rider and applying White Lightning liberally. Wanted to get a good coating of the waxy stuff on it, as it stays outside all of the time. But I don't use the same stuff on my other bikes.

So what is everyone using for a lube?

If you mean chain lube, I use Tri-Flo.

I use Pro-Link. Great stuff. I used White Lightning for a while and found it to bepretty good when dry, but worthless after the least bit of rain. Might not be the hot setup for a bike stored outdoors.

Make sure that you get everything put back on!! This past Saturday morning one member of our local group, Team RoadKill, was talking about completing a full spring cleaning on his bike the afternoon before. I have to admit that he had it looking real good. A little later, about 15 miles into a 72 mile loop, I pulled alongside him and commented that he must be pretty confident tht he wouldn't have a flat. When he gave me a puzzled look I told him that he didn't have a saddle bag on. Between the rest of us we had patch kits and spare CO2 cartridges, so we had him covered if he needed help. Talk about paranoid for the rest of the ride!!

We used a dollop of dishwashing detergent in warm water in a bucket for the frame wash, using a toilet brush (clean, yes!) and rags and sponges for the job; citrus degreaser for the chain and freewheel, clean water for the rinse and cleanup; synthetic grease for the moving parts that needed that; Phil Wood's Tenacious Oil for the internal hub; squirts of Finish Line for the chain and cables.

I try to clean my bikes top to bottom a least once a week during the winter with my pressure washer and a mild soap, which makes routine maintenance much cleaner and easier, and a quick wipe down before the bike is brought into the house after a ride. The bikes sure look good for the first mile or so after being washed. ;)

I wash the bike down after every ride (spray it with water) then once a week do the thorough cleaning. About every 2 rides I clean the chain and re lube it.

My first outdoor ride came on the 5th of March. What a gorgeous day! I did a 33 mile loop and didn't forget a thing except to put on sunscreen. My first ride was also my first sunburn:eek: Well, I got the tan line going at least.:D

I wash the bike down after every ride (spray it with water) then once a week do the thorough cleaning. About every 2 rides I clean the chain and re lube it.

My first outdoor ride came on the 5th of March. What a gorgeous day! I did a 33 mile loop and didn't forget a thing except to put on sunscreen. My first ride was also my first sunburn:eek: Well, I got the tan line going at least.:D

I am fanatical about starting the rides with a clean well lubed bike. Don't know why I bother and we had even cleaned the drive chain twice and relubed by the time this shot was taken.

I switched from White Lightning to Tri-flo last year and have not looked back. It look some work getting the wax off the chains from the White Lightning but nothing like a little solvent. Tri-flo, while a little messier when on the chain, keeps going and going and going.

I use Pro-Link. Great stuff. I used White Lightning for a while and found it to bepretty good when dry, but worthless after the least bit of rain. Might not be the hot setup for a bike stored outdoors.

Hey, they told me it would be good due to the wax buildup!

Oh well, I'll try it for a while and see how it does. Pretty cheap stuff.

I'm using T9 on my other bikes and it seems to be very nice. It's the only thing a couple of my LBS' use.

I hope you inspired others to do the same. These last two days riders have emerged from hibernation to swarm the local MUP [my commute route]. That's fine, but some of the bikes are making horrible clacking and screeching sounds. I'd like to flag them down and pull out my tube of spit lube to quiet them down.
I've torn down a couple bikes that I've acquired used recently. It's very satisfying to get them back to top form, clean, polished, lubed, adjusted, and working smoothly.

It's very satisfying to get them back to top form, clean, polished, lubed, adjusted, and working smoothly.


+1 There can be an almost Zen quality to this. I mean one of the beauitful thing about bikes as machines is that there is a design and function connection that requires things to be just so. Hence, the least little thing off kilter can create a problem easily noticed or felt by the attentive rider. I find that I approach cleaning and maintaining my bikes as an enjoyable ritual. In fact, this in one of the few activities I do, besides riding, that keeps me totally in the "here and now" of experience.

Hey, they told me it would be good due to the wax buildup!

Oh well, I'll try it for a while and see how it does. Pretty cheap stuff.

I'm using T9 on my other bikes and it seems to be very nice. It's the only thing a couple of my LBS' use.

Boeshield T9 would be good for outdoor storage. I think that is what Boeing originally designed it for. Many people use it as a rust inhibitor inside steel frames in place of Frame Saver.