Originally Posted by
nachomc
Yeah taking care of your equipment is ********
. Have fun replacing your components because it's a
mountain bike and you're too cool to keep stuff clean.
Please don't mistake taking a toothbrush to your drivetrain, and cleaning your tires as "taking care of your equipment", and that a lack of doing so will necessitate "replacing your components". My routine consists of simply hosing off my bike and making sure it's lubed up properly, and my drivetrain has lasted nearly 1800 miles and through a winter of Humboldt's muddiest, and is still going strong (minus a chain in September). Past bikes have recieved the same treatment, and I've seen the same results.
I'm not saying that it's bad practice to keep your bike clean, but the returns diminish very quickly beyond a simple hose-off. I'd rather be OCD about keeping things mechanically sound, or planning my next ride, than how shiny my bike is.