Touring - Mud and grime clean-up ritual

After all the mud, soot, and water clings to every moving part of the bike when we ride in winter, and summer for that matter, what do you do to keep all the parts running smoothly on the most dependable machine you own: your bike? Some have said they use WD-40, then oil. This seems to contradict all that I've been told by many. Others say that they only oil, and liberally. The purists say they take all moving parts off and grease. What parts can be simply oiled, while others need to be individually cared for? Cassette, crank, derailler, chain, etc.? What is your method? And, how often?

Urbanmonk

I just add more oil to the chain when I remember. If I have to do work on the bike I clean it up a bit so my hands don't get too dirty. If I had my own house with a backyard and hose I would probably spray off the detritus ever so often. I'd rather ride than clean :D

Some people shower with their bikes. ;)

Me? I remove the chain (easier with a PowerLink) and pop it into a tupperware bowl with some degreaser (I use Simple Green) and leave it sat on a washing machine or dryer during a cycle so that the vibration shakes stuff loose. Then I take the back wheel off and scrub the cogset with a hard bristle toothbrush. I scrub down the chainrings and crank too as well as the derailleurs. I also scrub the braking surfaces using alcohol to get off the brake grime. I use biodegradable carwash soap on the frame. When rinsing, I make sure not to spray directly into any bearings. I then dry everything with an old towel and use some frame polish (Finish Line) to make it all shiny. After everything is put back together, I will take some light lube (Finish Line someting or other) and hit any and all pivot points I can find with a dollop. Do not use WD40! I use a little bit thicker lube for my chain however (DuMonde), locate the PowerLink as a reference point and drop a single drop of lube in each link while backpedalling the cranks. One thing to note is that you should be sure that all the degreaser has been rinsed off and the chain is dry before lubing. Sometimes I will whip the chain around over my head to shake water out of the nooks and crannies. Be sure you have plenty of room and that no one is standing around you when you do this. Lube at the pins. There's no reason to lube the sideplates. Wipe off any excess. The chain should look dry. In general, you should lube moving interfaces that are not bearings. You should grease bearings and most threads.