Road Cycling - Cleaning Your Bike?

I've had my bike for a little over a month now, and want to keep it in good shape. I lube the chain often and sometimes towel down the frame. What else should i do? Also, what do you recomend for a good frame cleaner? Thanks.

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQindex.shtml

Lots of good info there including specifics about how to clean your bike, etc.

Honda Polish is about the best thing I've found... works a bit better than Pledge but is a bit more expensive. Most people and shops I know just use Pledge to wipe down the frame. Its cheap, and it doesn't leave much residue or buildup on the cables. I wouldn't recommend using a degreaser on the entire frame like some people do, just because its bad for the paint and bad for the cables.

Honda Polish is about the best thing I've found...

I'm not familiar with this stuff. What is it? I've only ever used Pedro's Bike Lust, and previous to that, a generic "orange oil" household cleanser...

Its a lot like Bike Lust, but works on ANYTHING... stoves, cars, mirrors, etc. Its avaiable in a aerosol can at any Honda car or motorcycle dealership. I used to get it at the employee price so I don't really know how much it costs compared to other products, but it worked really well.

I like to use simple green. It gets the grease out of where there shouldnt be any, and the dirt drops right off. Every couple months, I simple green the frame, dunk the chain in SG, and re-lube everything. I then use some carnuba wax, and wax the frame. It dries to a nice hard shell, which lasts a couple months.. it really helps with quick cleanups in between the big cleanings (after every ride, I take a damp rag, and get the dirt off the frame.. with the wax on, the dirt comes off real easy).