Road Cycling - Lets clean!

So i have been riding my bike and its been pretty nasty outside, raining and dampy and chilly...And i have heard we need to clean our bikes but
1. What should i buy?
2. What should i clean?
3. How often should i clean?
4. How often should i lube?

Also can yall recommend a good multi-tool?

id say most important is to keep the chain clean and lubed. in general, if you do alot of riding, maybe clean and lube it once a week, and after any really dirty (wet), or especially long rides. also, id wipe the bike down after a wet ride to try and avoid rust on bolts/etc. i have a topeak alien multitool that i like alot and would recommend. i know park tools makes several options that are good as well.

I personally like finishline cleaner. Pedro's is also good
You should clean the frame with a degreaser, spray it
on and wipe it down (otherwise it just leaves residue).
If its dry outside I usually just wipe the bike down
after a ride. If its rainy/muddy etc. I will do a more
thorough cleaning.
Clean your chain (weekly is good) and relube it every
time you clean it.
Be particularly aware of time on a trainer/rollers. Sweat
is much more damaging to a frame than dirt.
Park Tool has a good section on cleaning it can be
found here:
http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/BCB4.shtml
I second the Topeak Alien tool, has about everything you need
to carry in a seatpack.

Marty

All of the above is good advice! I would add that you want to get a chain/cog brush and or a chain cleaning system. I use the Finishline degreaser mixed about 1/4 for general wipping down and straight or 1/1 for the chain. I am a bit fussy, so I tend to use a chain claning machine (I have an old Vetta) and then I go over the chain and rear cogs with the brush (as I turn the crank) I then do the dame for the chainrings. This is an at least weekly event. The more you ride the more you need to do it!! I then give the chain a good dribbling of White lightning Race Day and run through all the gears so I get a bit of lube on the cogs too. (I found the regular White Lightening too goopy for my taste). The bkie gets a wipe down with dilute degreaer or Carnuba wax depending on whether or not I think the paint needs a coat of wax. I also put a drop or two of Triflow in all the pivit points on the detallers and into my brake hoods, quick releases and hubs. The hubs get wiped down with dilute degreasor followed by a dry cloth to get all the skum off of the braking surfases. About once a month (in race season) or so I also lube all my cables with Triflow. When I can afford to get one I plan to get a trueing stand so I can check my wheels for trueness about once a month. Of course this would mean tweeking spokes too.

That about does it for cleaning as far as I am concerned. I try my best NEVER to intentionally get the bike wet so I don't advocate the "car wash" method.
RUST!!!

I too highly recommend the Topeak!! I also have a folding allen set I keep at home for adjusting stuff when I am cleaning/adjusting the bike.

I hope this helps.

Bill

You can buy a product called "Bikewash" which you spray on the bike and rise it off with a hose. Gets all the stuff off the bottom of the down tube and under the fork, brakes, and the seat stays.

Chain..Park makes a chain cleaner device, which you fill with chain cleaner, close it over the chain and turn the pedals. Scrubs the chain and helps clean the cluster. Finishline makes good cleaners to spray on.

To relube the chain, use Dumonde Tech lube, but for a road bike use the "lite" in the bottle that looks yellow. Best stuff out there.

As long as you just wash down the bike, everything will be fine..unless you have really inexpensive components.

Well cleaning and lubing a bike is simple.

This is the system I have settled on. I go out and buy a gallon of simple green degreaser. I scrub the cogs and chain rings with a brush. I squirt off the bike. I then put degreaser in my chain cleaner and run the chain through it. I pour the used degreaser onto a rag and wipe off the rims and bike. I spray off everything. Usually the chain will take 2-3 passes through the chain cleaner to get it really clean. Afterwards, I spray lube on the exposed fitting that need it and pivot points. And, of course, I lube the chain.

Now, how often one does this depends on the weather. In dry conditions, you can get by doing this about once every 300 miles. If you go out in the rain or wet roads, you really need to do it after every ride.

I used to use Simple green but Velomax as well as my LBS suggested I not use it. They recommended I switch to Blue Dawn. Quite simply Simple green cleans to good. It cleans every bit of grease out of wheel hubs and is hard on brake pads.

I just got a new bike and I don't want this one to develop rust in the bolts like my last one. Any tips out there?

I just got a new bike and I don't want this one to develop rust in the bolts like my last one. Any tips out there?

Just keep it dry and don't use water on it if you don't have to!! I try to wipe down the bike instead of spraying anything on it (except bike lust). That way I reduce the risk of getting water where it shouldn't be.

If you have another bike that you are willing to sacrafice to the elements you could always use it for crappy weather riding.

Or if you are really a fanatic, get an air compressor and blow all the water out of all those little hiding places!!

Bill