Grumpy McTrumpy

filled with warm water, to rinse a bike off in the winter (when your outside hose is shut off for the season)


good idea? bad idea? is there a better idea? I've just been using a sponge and bucket of water but it's not a great solution. It's tough to really rinse off the soapy dirty stuff without a hose.

jamiewilson3

I dont think that you will have enough pressure to do anything. Maybe worth a try, but I doubt that it will work.

captnfantastic

I use baby wipes. I also don't think a pump sprayer would create enough pressure to do anything but get your bike all dripping wet and sexy.

Terex

Great idea. You don't want much pressure anyway, just enough to wet before washing and rinse after washing. I just got through doing the "two bucket" (one with a little car wash soap, and one clear water) method of washing my bike, and, as usual, it was a pain.

After recent cold weather with extensive road icing, there was a lot of grit on the road as part of road maintenance in this area. The bike was filthy. That's what I get for giving it a really good cleaning about five days ago. My bike would have needed about a million baby wipes and the baby wipes don't get into the nooks and crannies anyway.

Anyone who can clean a bike with baby wipes doesn't know what winter is really like.

Grumpy McTrumpy

I was thinking of the two-gallon type with the extension wand that are used to shoot liquids like 8 feet in a garden. Seems like it would work, but am hoping that someone out there has tried it first.

txvintage

It works great. I've been washing motocross bikes between motos for years this way. You just need a rag to wipe down with.

You can also keep a new one set aside and fill it with ice and water and use it to spray down team mates on mist if you play (or coach) a team sport and play in the heat.

GP 

I saw it somewhere but can't remember if it was real life or a magazine article.

Now it's bugging me trying to remember.

damocles1

Leave the bike to dry, along with the assorted crap that's stuck to it.
Once dry, use a soft bristled paint brush to brush all of the sh*te of the frame and wheels.
Spray down with furniture polish and wipe with a soft towel.
Remember, furniture polish is wax, so the more you do this, the less crap sticks to your bike over time.
Re-lube your chain.

Ride again tomorrow...

Grumpy McTrumpy

heyull no!!

that would leave the salt on it!

ridethecliche

I've taken my bikes into the shower with me when I need to give them a warm water bath.

I love college

enjoi07

listen up lames...this is all you need to know about washing a bike...the PRO way!

ha i love bkw

edit....it would help if i left the link https://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/20...bike-wash.html

damocles1

Sorry, man...
no salt down here...it was 70 today though...

Pro Dog, old school way...(as taught to me years ago at the OTC)

Bucket of HOT, soapy water. Dish soap works great as it cuts everything (salt, grease, worm guts...).
A long handle toilet brush
Scrub, scrub, scrub...
Hose lightly with CLEAN water.
Wipe down
Re-lube stuff

Grumpy McTrumpy

yeah that is where the sprayer comes in. my hose is shut off for the winter. don't want the hose bib to freeze and crack.

rogerstg

I've used it in the garage to clean off the majority of crap. It works great. Like you, winter here means salt, road sand and ice stuck to your bike.

Jakedatc

Grumpy i JUST went and bought the 2 gal type at ACE last night after my ride yesterday in the rain. Worked awesome. I did 2 bikes and still have probably .75 -1 gal left. 3 nozzle settings for mist, fan (i like this one) and straight jet. i lucked out and got mine for 20 bucks when it's listed on their website for 43.. score. i had all kind of sand and leaves and crap on my bikes and it took it all right off. Make sure you do wipe things down after.. especially near the brakes and fork since the pads drip brake dust loaded water onto your frame and that's not so good.
Ace® Spray and Go Sprayer

Kai Winters

They work great. We have used them for a long time in cross races. During bike swaps, racing in the mud, etc. really slows up a bike, our wrench would use it to spray off the gunk. They don't use as much water as you would with a bucket and sponge and get off more gunk because of the pressure. They are also fairly inexpensive. We also used windshield cleaner, the stuff for below zero, when it was really cold so the water would not freeze in the line. Worked great too.

CrimsonKarter21

I fill a small bucket up with warm, soapy water and clean my bike with that and a sponge, making sure to get EVERYTHING, then I clean greasy parts with degreaser, then I refill my bucket with normal warm water and throw it on the soapy bike to rinse it off, then let it air dry.

Jakedatc

You want to do this in the winter? it was cold when i got to it last night and it wasn't even that cold and i wouldn't have wanted to do it the sponge way.

fill with water.. pump to pressure.. spray everything. wipe down with a rag/towel. before i ride next i'll probably throw it through the chain cleaner quick and then relube.

i do the soap way in the summer but i think spraying is the way to go especially when you're probably going to end up the same way again the next ride.

Flatballer

Hmm, hadn't thought of that.

In my living situations I don't have a hose. I've been using water bottles, but it's not the most efficient.

I have a bucket, and I can get it clean, it's the rinsing that I have trouble with.

CrimsonKarter21

This is what I do in the winter. I use a hose in the summer.