Road Cycling - Components dishwasher safe?

Guess what? I'm lazy. Is it possible to simply clean my drivetrain by disassembling it and throwing it in the dishwasher?

Go for it. I would never dare, my wife would most definately kill me!

L8R

Taking off the chain and reinstalling it back correctly would be more a hassle than just taking a toothbrush + dishwashing liquid/kerosene and just brush away the dirt...

Well, the LBS where I take my bikes for cleaning/maintenance doesn't take off the chain to clean it, they just do it the way I used to do, brush+brush+brush.:)
I take it for a cleaning and re-lubing every week, or after riding in heavy rain.

Go for it !!! I've used the microwave to heat up grease cartridges so that the grease can penitrate into the inner workings of a just starting to wear cartridge bearings :) ( if you are doing this at home, make sure the grease cart. is the all plastic type, that the seal is pierced & put it in a plastic bag to be safe & if it all goes horribly wrong you have a friend who can put you up for a couple of days. :eek: )

I have finished cleaned motorcycle parts in a dishwasher, gets them spotless. Use extra soap and the potscrubber mode. Rinse of all the loose stuff before you put them in there, no need to abuse the dishwasher.

What a2psyklnut said. Dead men don't ride bikes. ;)

I'd worry less about the bike parts than my dishes and ingesting petroleum products... I think I'd put soap in the machine and run it empty for a cycle or two before using it to wash dishes again.

My wife would go bonkers if I put bike stuff in the the dishwasher.

Better not let her catch you baking painted parts in the oven then. Low heat for an hour or so makes the paint tough.

Hah! I was just thinking about this the other day and decided against it. Even if I wasn't contaminating the dishwasher with nasty petroleum distillates, I'd never be able to convince my wife otherwise. She'd definitely freak out and, in the name of domestic tranquility, I decided to keep using my old toothbrush and t-shirts.

I agree with caloso and kerk! Go to your local kragen's and you could get a parts cleaning bin with a recirculating pump. Soak the part in a solution and turn it on. As for the chain, I recommend you lube it, wipe it down on a regular basis and change the chain every 3,000 miles. The chain streches, so if you don't change it, it will only wear out your chainrings and cogs.

I rather have the dirt and grease on my parts than my dinner plate.

From one who has done it. DON"T. Dishwashing detergents like Calgon and Cascade have small particles in them that knock the dried on particles of food off. I put in a crankset that I was too lazy to clean the old-fashioned way (elbow grease and petroleum solvent) and the end result was that the very thin anodization on the crank was 'fogged' where the water jets pounded the cleanser against it for the two wash cycles. And you can't really polish away the fog (I tried Brasso on a small portion) as it eats away the balance of the anodization. Will look nice and shiny for a little while until real oxidation sets in. And, it also took away a bit of the laser etching, as well. The voice of experience (mine) suggests that you do not put any anodized aluminum parts in a dishwasher if you like their nice finish. As it won't be there when the parts come. On the flip side - the parts will be clean.

What's wrong with using a pressure-hose, providing, of course, it's not used too close to strip off paint?

I think the question should be "are dishwashers component safe?" That is one crazy idea.

CHEERS.

Mark

Noooooooooooooo!
Aluminium is not meant to be put into dishwashers..... it goes all dull matt grey. It will ruin any polished/anodised finish.

Is it OK to use a hose / pressure-hose to clean awkward areas such as the cassette?

Pressure hoses can be used but need to be used very carefully. You'll blast the grease right out of your hubs if you're not careful. Spray down on the cassette and/or chain, never from the side.

A good chain cleaner and some citrus degreaser will work wonders, too. If you're to a point where you're seriously thinking about putting stuff in the dishwasher, maybe it's time to re-evaluate your bike maintenance habits.