Mountain Biking - Hosing down a bike?

Its the way I have always done it, and immediately wiped it down and oiled it up but a friend said that he heard this was bad and you should just wipe everything down. This seems like a lot of unnecesary work. How do you usually do it? or any other alternatives? Just figured i'd ask.

what ever you do dont ever power wash it but i would just take a wet towel and wipe it down cause even though you might have sealed bearings water can still get in there and wash the grease out and that will cause bearing failure especially in bb and wheels so if i where you i would use an air hose to blow off dirt and a wet rag to shine it up

Just don't powerwash it and everything should be fine.

Its the way I have always done it, and immediately wiped it down and oiled it up but a friend said that he heard this was bad and you should just wipe everything down. This seems like a lot of unnecesary work. How do you usually do it? or any other alternatives? Just figured i'd ask.

http://www.karcherresidential.com/en/images/pressurewashers/500x550/k_226_m_500x550.jpg

what ever you do dont ever power wash it but i would just take a wet towel and wipe it down cause even though you might have sealed bearings water can still get in there and wash the grease out and that will cause bearing failure especially in bb and wheels so if i where you i would use an air hose to blow off dirt and a wet rag to shine it up
i am 100% sure my bicycles look 10 times better than yours. always new looking. function as new too.

remember, a clean bike is a happy bike! :thumb:

happy power washing,

mx

wow.

Where's Gastro. . .?

I would want to wash my bike after doing 8 foot drops on my nixon too.

I would want to wash my bike after doing 8 foot drops on my nixon too.

Damn it, I hear everyone talking about this, but I still havent seen the original post. Can you put up a link? Or did he delete the post like all of his others?

Just spray wash the bike with your garden hose you friggin stoners. Unless you direct fire hose pressure at your BB, headset or hubs, everything will be fine.

On the other hand it may not be a good idea to hose down the cats.

Just spray wash the bike with your garden hose you friggin stoners. Unless you direct fire hose pressure at your BB, headset or hubs, everything will be fine.

On the other hand it may not be a good idea to hose down the cats.

Slightly (very) OT, but show us your bike is looking these days pcad!

Slightly (very) OT, but show us your bike is looking these days pcad!

I'm running out of Armor All already.

I hose it down and then wipe with a rag. With really tough dirt after days of not bothering, I put my finger over the hose to create a bit more pressure to get it off..

Where's Gastro. . .?

Out washing my bike.

http://martyexon.net/images/Summer%2007/Paul%20with%20hose.jpg

Back on topic for Geoff:

http://www.bigskybeck.com/_overlay/N199TB%20dumping%20water_sm.jpg

Don't forget to dry..

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/mcoine/Flamethrower_5.jpg

Okay. Here's an overly earnest answer.

I spray a citrus degreaser on chain, both derailleurs, chainwheel and cog.

I spray dried dirt on either my carbon fiber or aluminum frames, wheels and other places with Pledge Multi-Surface, the blue bottled stuff made for cleaning flat panel tvs and the like.

Then I hose the crap out of the whole thing with the garden hose, wipe it down, and re-wet lube the drivetrain.

Been working for years without any damage I've noticed. Only problem is new driveway and patio's put me out of my preferred workspace. Wife says, "No Road Rage stain on my new pavers, babe."

Don't do it. It wrecks small parts like derailers. I just do a dry wipe, it takes no time at all.

On the rare occasion that I clean it, I use a hose. No problems have come of it. Normally, I let the LBS clean it when I bring it in for servicing. They love me for that.

Don't do it. It wrecks small parts like derailers. I just do a dry wipe, it takes no time at all.

Interesting.

If the weight of the mud get's to be too much, I might knock it off with a hammer. Other than the weight issue, why bother? It's just gonna get dirty again!

If the weight of the mud get's to be too much, I might knock it off with a hammer. Other than the weight issue, why bother? It's just gonna get dirty again!

Now that's hardcore.

For the mud, hose the bike down and let the mud soak it in for 10-15 minutes. Then hose and light brush, wipe with terry rags till dry, lube it and yer done.

If the weight of the mud get's to be too much, I might knock it off with a hammer. Other than the weight issue, why bother? It's just gonna get dirty again!

Is your bike happy about this?

I use a small pesticide sprayer (it's never been used for pesticide) to clean my bike. It's low pressure and does a pretty good job of removing dirt. However, I live in an area that doesn't have a lot of caking mud so I don't know how effective it'd be against that.

I use a small pesticide sprayer (it's never been used for pesticide) to clean my bike. It's low pressure and does a pretty good job of removing dirt. However, I live in an area that doesn't have a lot of caking mud so I don't know how effective it'd be against that.


Good idea. I used to take one to races where there was no bike wash.

Is your bike happy about this?
It's content for the most part, as long as it's moving.

Don't do it. It wrecks small parts like derailers. I just do a dry wipe, it takes no time at all.

Uh huh. I'll have to watch out for this since I've only been hosing off my road bikes and MTBs for TWENTY FRIGGIN YEARS with no problem.

Try, TRY to make sense. I know it's hard.

I used to spend a long time spraying it down when it was new. I gave it up, It's a mountian bike, It's going to get muddy. Mud looks good. If you ride hard, the mud will fall off. If it doesn't, Ride through a Creek.
I was riding a ATV trail the other day, I had mud running down my legs and everything, I came to a HUGE rocky, HUGE Hill. I went down it, jack-knifed my bike, but never unclipped and never fell (brag moment lol) and then powered through creek, was about 1-1.5 feet deep. My bike, myself, and my shoes are all clean now. My brakes are also no longer a big mud clot.

Out washing my bike.

http://martyexon.net/images/Summer%2007/Paul%20with%20hose.jpg

Is THAT why I got toned out on that mutual-aid call the other night?

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/Turnouts.jpg

firefighters rock.
Whole family is fire fighters. Both my granddads were, all my uncles were, 4 still are, 1 is a fire chief.
My dad is an USAF Fire fighter, and a White helment (Chief) in the middle east.

anyway,
hose it down, it'll be fine.

Don't do it. It wrecks small parts like derailers. I just do a dry wipe, it takes no time at all.

That works fine for dry dusty days, but my bike must have weighed 5 lbs more than when it started in caked on mud on last nights ride.

Don't do it. It wrecks small parts like derailers. I just do a dry wipe, it takes no time at all.

and rusting cables

I spray dried dirt on either my carbon fiber or aluminum frames

Pcad sprays dried dirt on his Fly Ti to make it seem as if he's been off road:lol:

The best cleaning job my bike's ever gotten happened last night. I was out riding and got stuck in a monsoon of a rain storm. After riding in it then getting it in the back of my truck and driving through the rainstorm on the way home. I wiped it down (I keep it in my bedroom and didn't want it dripping everywhere) and realized it cleaned it up pretty nicely. I'm assuming falling rain isn't quite as hardcore as pressurized spray but even so I'll lube it up again before the next ride today or tomorrow.

Just thought I'd share. Next time it's raining go for a drive with your bike on the rack. Wipe dry. All clean :D