Winter Cycling - Steam clean drive train?

Has anyone tried one of those small wand steam cleaners to clean their drive train?

Would you expect any problems from using steam to clean the chain, chainwheels, and cassette?

I don't want to clean bike grime from the bath tub each day here in my Wisconsin home, and our garage isn't insulated even though it is attached. After riding through salt and slush, I'm wondering if a quick steam cleaning would be a simple solution to get the gunk and salt off before lubricating the drive train components.

You could try it, but:

a) I'd studiously avoid anything that's grease-filled (bottom bracket, hubs, headset), and

b) I'd make sure to get ALL the water out of anything that you steamed -- probably using either compressed air or WD-40. A reasonable amount of a reasonable lubricant, properly applied, after that....

Clean and rusty, IMO, is worse than dirty and rust-free ;)

When I worked at a LBS here, they used a small pressure washer, and
sprayed some foam degreaser, on the wheels/chain/cassette. Spray
them and than let them air dry, before a tune-up. I didn't agree with it. but
I needed a job at the time. Too easy the get water, in the whell/crank if
your not careful.
I use a small pressure waher, the type you buy, from Home Depot, to
clean, chain and cassette, in warmer weather,and to do a general cleaning
of bikes I buy, before I regrease all the bearings.
I use a weak mixture of Simple Green and water, and at as low pressure as
the machine will go. I use a 10% SG to 90% water, and try not to spray, directly
into the hubs/crank area.
This has worked for me, I also know of one person who, uses the local self service
car wash, to clean his chain and cassettes, than rides his second, bike, home with
the clean stuff.
Well that's mu 2 cents worth, time to go out and ride in the nice snow...........

I use my Python fish tank hose. It attached to the faucet so I have warm or cold water as needed. Its just long enough to go out the front door to an area where I can work on the bike. The water flows is at low pressure so you don't risk doing damage like you will with a pressure washer.

Happy riding,
André

Heck, I just take a gallon milk jug and fill it with some hot water and rinse off the bike with that. I let it dry for a little while and then bring it inside. Why pay to rinse off your bike? A high preassure washer will get inside your bearings and you definetly don't want that. Invest in a good chain cleaner, buy some Simple Green, or other degreaser, and clean your drivetrain that way. It's hassle free and cheap and you'll feel better about taking care of your bike.

I think that steam cleaning would be OK for the chain, chainrings, derailers and cassettes. As was stated above you got to make sure that they are dry and lubed after because when you use that method you will remove a lot of the internal lubricants. Stay away from hubs and BB unless you are planning to tear the whole thing down and rebuild.

When dirty, and only when dirty - like lots of riding in wet weather - I have given my drive train and bike a quick hose down, then bring it inside where I continue wiping it down and do a general detailed clean-up. I remove the cassette and wash it with Simple Green. I clean the chain with a spray solvent like WD-40 or similar. Then put it all back together and re-lube with a 50/50 mixture of Duralube (available in automotive store) and mineral spirits. I hit the derailleur mechanism joints and brake joints with a quick squirt of spray lube/protectant like WD-40 or similar. Wipe off any excess. About anything works. My bike rides and looks brand new after this.

For general wiping and cleaning, I use standard bathroom type wash rags that you can buy at Wal-Mart for litttle or nothing. I think you can get about 20 rags for a dollar or two. Some can be washed and reused, but the greasy or dirty ones I just throw away. They are not expensive. Lemon Pledge wipes that you can get in a grocery store work quite well too with general clean-up.

As has been stated, go quick around the BB and hubs. I like the milk carton with hot water idea too as a first pass cleaning vehicle. This precludes "forcing" water which can cause it to enter areas that it probably should not (BB and hubs). At the same time it provides a good cleaning vehicle since the water is hot. Put the carton in your microwave to get it hot if necessary.

Has anyone tried one of those small wand steam cleaners to clean their drive train?

Would you expect any problems from using steam to clean the chain, chainwheels, and cassette?

I don't want to clean bike grime from the bath tub each day here in my Wisconsin home, and our garage isn't insulated even though it is attached. After riding through salt and slush, I'm wondering if a quick steam cleaning would be a simple solution to get the gunk and salt off before lubricating the drive train components.

A method that has worked pretty good so far for me is to have a short section of garden house about 10-15 feet long near the water spicket that is easy to remove and drain after every use. With this method you are using low pressure cold water to clean the bike and drivetrain using a garden sprayer on the hose. The low pressure cold water will remove nearly all of the salt and dirt but leaves most of the lubricants intact since it is not hot enough to melt them away. Then bring the bike inside to dry and lube after it is dry. Doing this you can quickly hose down the bike after every couple of rides or after every ride if it gets really dirty or salty.

take chain off and submerge it in a waterbottle full of undiluted orange degreaser
take wheels off
take cranks off and submerge chain rings in weak simple green solution
spray bottle full of warm 4:1 simple green solution, spray down frame from top to bottom and shop towels and brushes and whatnot to grime out of tough areas
spray bottle full of warm water to rinse off simple green
pull and clean BB if necessary (every few months)
clean wheels and cassette with SG solution, brushes and shop towels

slap it all back together, tune the derailleur a little and call it good.

take chain off and submerge it in a waterbottle full of undiluted orange degreaser
take wheels off
take cranks off and submerge chain rings in weak simple green solution
spray bottle full of warm 4:1 simple green solution, spray down frame from top to bottom and shop towels and brushes and whatnot to grime out of tough areas
spray bottle full of warm water to rinse off simple green
pull and clean BB if necessary (every few months)
clean wheels and cassette with SG solution, brushes and shop towels

slap it all back together, tune the derailleur a little and call it good.

Sounds great.

What time should I bring my bike by?

:D