bike or leave it to the pros?
My bike is dirty & needs a good cleaning. I will be doing an event this weekend & would like it to be squeaky clean
Is this something I can do myself or should I take it to my LBS?
Thanks!

You can clean it yourself. Don't forget to re-oil the chain when you're done.

You can, and should, clean your bike yourself. The most important things to remember are to never use a pressure washer and don't use solvents like mineral spirits indiscriminately near bearings (it can wick in and thin the grease).

I use a bucket with very warm water and an automotive wash product and rinse with a garden hose. A few good rags, a cassette cleaning tool and a soft brush are all that are needed for a general cleaning. Anyone with a bike should be able to do this level of cleaning. I find it works best if you do some cleaning frequently so that it never gets to the point of being a major project. If you find that your drive train is constantly dirty, you might want to take a look at the type and how much lubricant you are using.

Pay somebody else to have the fun of working on my bike? What a concept.

Another benefit to DIY: you get to know your bike better, and you might find a mechanical problem long before you're twenty miles away from the nearest SAG.

I clean mine between every ride, most times Mothers Quick Detailer is all that is needed.

Heh, heh, heh. I can't even remember the last time that I checked the tire pressures on the redundant recumbent tandem. I gave them a hand squeeze yesterday and decided they could go for another week. Detailing would be out of the question.

Most of the work in the Shop is cleaning up other people's bikes ..

and thats pretty low tech Rags and budget cleaning pump- spray stuff .


Hose Spray would be more convenient, But only wash stand possibility is a Very Dark Basement .. so impractical .

worst one this week was owned by the City Police .. used by the Parking ticket guy .

Clean it yourself, it's not difficult. Don't use a pressure washer however.

You will do a much better job and get to know your bike better. Here's a quick list of how I do mine:

* Rinse the bike using a 5 gallon bucket of warm water. It gets the grit off but has no pressure forcing water inside the bearings.

* Use a glass cleaner slightly concentrated on all parts that don't require lubricant. Zepp green colored stuff is pretty good. If what your using doesn't cut the grease and highway crap, go a little stronger. We actually use this stuff to get tough stuff out of our clothes. No abrasive cleaners or scrub pads on paint.

* Jam a wad of rag inside the spokes to wipe the hubs.

* Use a rag and maybe cotton pipe cleaners wet with light lubricant wipeing down anything that needs to stay greased. Don't use anything to cut the grease already in those areas. This includes wiping down the chain.

* Don't forget to clean out that plastic cable guide under the BB, if you have one, then just a little lube.

* For the chain, you can use thin strips of lubed rag to floss between the links. Also flossing around all those hard to get areas. I don't like t-shirt material, instead find rags that are not stretchy-woven. Doing it this way does not wash lube out from inside the rollers. Other folks here do major chain wash and relube. That's a whole 'nother thread.

* Cogs and chainrings i use a large rag, edge on or folded once, pulled very tight, flossing between the cogs and chainrings. You can actually use the ratcheting mech of the rear hub to help it spin and lock instead of going around it. On the RD cogs I press the rag against the sides and carefully pull the chain or spin the cranks.

* Now that the cogs and chainrings are clean, I lube the chain, and then go back to the above technique to wipe excess lube out of the cogs and chainrings.

dudel +1

Cleaning your own bike will let you become more familiar with it. That way any change like a hairline crack will be evident. Besides, no one will clean it as well as you will.

How to clean a bicycle in 15 minutes

I did it! It was quite dirty but now I know what to do it will be easier to keep it up. Thanks for your input.

I leave it to Mother Nature. Every once in a while she sends some rain my way while I'm out riding and the bike gets a little shower.

I just cleaned mine for the first time. I didn't know how long to go before cleaning the chain or anything else. I have 200 miles on it and my word, it was an absolute mess!

I have a bowl in the garage with a quarter inch of greasy grime in it now just from the chain.When I rode it after cleaning and lubing everything, I was shocked at how quiet it is now. It wasn't exactly noisy, but I am shocked at the difference.

For the record, I mostly ride hard packed dirt roads. I will definitely give the chain a quick wipedown every couple of rides from now on. Speaking/of which, it will be getting a wipe tomorrow.

I buy the plastic bristle dish scrubbers from the dollar store to scrub the gears, and the edgewise rag thing.

One of the things I like that video about is that the brushes and other tools he showed are very common, old and used, so it looks even simpler and easier. When a similar video shows brand new and special name brands of the tools, I feel frustrated at having to get them first.

It's a lot easier to clean the frame if you pull the wheels first. And it's way easier to floss the cassette when the wheel is off. I don't floss it in any event. I remove the cassette and clean the free standing cogs individually, and only run the rag between the three wedded large cogs.

I do mine every few weeks..

1) Run the chain through a chain cleaner with Simple Green.
2) Scrub the cassette and chainring with Simple Green using a bristle brush
3) Rinse drivetrain off with water, rinse with water, rinse with water (low pressure rinse)
4) Hot soapy water and a sponge to wash down the bike and wheels
5) Rinse
6) Dry bike
7) Lube the chain and derailleurs..

Admire it's beauty

Does anyone clean the bike inside an apartment? I do, so I can never clean it thoroughly, use jet spray, etc.

Do you mean power washing? If thats what you mean, don't do that, it forces dirt into places that it normally doesn't get into.

I used to clean mine in the bathtub. I had an over-tub shower with a detachable shower head so I could gently wash my bicycle.

This reminds me of the Calvin & Hobbes strips with his dad taking the bike apart and cleaning each piece in a bucket.
I'd rather play Calvinball.

I watched this video, it was very helpful but it did take me a lot longer than 15 minutes.
I was able to get what I needed at my local Wal-Mart. I live in a remote area so shopping options are limited. Surprisingly, I found this chain cleaner at Wal-Mart too.
White Lightning Bicycle Chain Cleaner Kit - Walmart.com

That's a good idea to get them from the dollar store. Mine were very greasy, not sure if I'll try to clean them better or just toss them.

Now if the rain will stop I could get out & ride!

I have cleaned my bike in my kitchen when it was too cold and wet outside. I put it on the stand, took the wheels off, gave it a wipe over with a damp rag (not damp enough to drip on the floor), took the chain off and scrubbed it in the sink, took the cassette off and scrubbed it in the sink, cleaned both wheels over the sink, then reassembled. My wife is remarkably tolerant of such things, especially when it's her bike that needs a clean