Cleaning
03-03-11, 10:25 PM
#1
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Cleaning
If I were to clean my road bike, am i allowed to hose it with water, or do I have to use a cleaning spray?
03-03-11, 10:57 PM
#2
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Most people would choose to wipe the bike down rather than drench it with water. A number of people recommend simple green diluted in a bucket of warm water. Wipe down with a rag.
03-03-11, 11:08 PM
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I just hosed my down today. I don't use jet or stream, I use the mist or the shower and kind of just let the water fall on to the bike. I use dish detergent to wash down my bike, keeps my hands soft 
FYI: that cleaning spray is a marketing gimmick if you ask me. I paid all that money and get the same, if not better results with ordinary dish detergent.
FYI: that cleaning spray is a marketing gimmick if you ask me. I paid all that money and get the same, if not better results with ordinary dish detergent.
03-03-11, 11:19 PM
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Don't use pressure with the water and you'll be fine.
I know far too many people that take their bikes to the car wash, pressure wash the crap right into the bearing areas, and then come to me when their wheels don't spin smoothly for some odd reason.
I know far too many people that take their bikes to the car wash, pressure wash the crap right into the bearing areas, and then come to me when their wheels don't spin smoothly for some odd reason.
03-03-11, 11:50 PM
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Funny though, I just watched an interview recently where they showed the guy power washing one of Contadors bikes last year, only so that it was super clean for presentations, then they switched his bike out for another one while the pit crew disassembled the power washed bike to fix it back up.
03-03-11, 11:53 PM
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In Beyond the Peloton, they showed them hosing down bikes with power hoses multiple times. I just use a wet rag and wipe it down.
Last edited by zitter; 03-03-11 at 11:57 PM.
03-04-11, 05:01 AM
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i'm a hoser.
03-04-11, 06:27 AM
#13
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03-04-11, 08:40 AM
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03-04-11, 08:48 AM
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Didn't we just have a thread like this?
Here's how to wash a bike.
Put it on a stand and take off the wheels. Get some soap in a bucket (the kind for cars) and either a scrub brush or a big ol' sponge. Lots of soap and water, scrub a dub dub and HOSE IT OFF. You can use a stiffer brush on the chain, cassette and chainrings if needed.
Wash the wheels the same way (easy around the bearings) and put them back on the bike.
I've been washing my bike, team bikes, customer bikes and bikes of random strangers this way for 25 years. It gets them clean quickly with little muss and fuss.
If you want to get truly fancy you can add a coating of your favourite frame polish to finish the job (I'd recommend it).
/thread
Here's how to wash a bike.
Put it on a stand and take off the wheels. Get some soap in a bucket (the kind for cars) and either a scrub brush or a big ol' sponge. Lots of soap and water, scrub a dub dub and HOSE IT OFF. You can use a stiffer brush on the chain, cassette and chainrings if needed.
Wash the wheels the same way (easy around the bearings) and put them back on the bike.
I've been washing my bike, team bikes, customer bikes and bikes of random strangers this way for 25 years. It gets them clean quickly with little muss and fuss.
If you want to get truly fancy you can add a coating of your favourite frame polish to finish the job (I'd recommend it).
/thread
03-04-11, 08:52 AM
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