using lighter fuel to...
 

... wipe down and clean my bike after a ride in the rain. bad idea? aside from flammability is there any reason not to do this? helps get the serious goop off, gets rid of mild rust, dries it up...

dont do it, it's corrosive!

I have to think there is something better.

he just does it for the fumes.

goooooooooo gone

dont think it will harm steel but it may break down paint

doesn't just a wet rag clean off pretty much anything you would collect during a ride in the rain?

"he just does it for the fumes."

the screen is totally swimming

If you clean it down very soon after a ride in the rain, a rag should be able to get everything off.

Biodegradable Citrus based cleaners

zip - i'm also cleaning the chainring and cog... serious guck.

yeah, one of those citrus cleansers is what i need to track down.

I'm with $0.00/gal. Goo Gone Rocks the house for tar, gum, dried blood, DNA evidence, whatever. Ronsonol is a little more of a solvent, but it evaporates so fast it's not really gonna do any damage anyway. But really a wet rag should get most of it I would think. But for serious cleaning of chains, derailleurs, whatever, I like to remove the parts and drop 'em in a can of kerosene. I't's not as volatile as lighter fluid and not as fumey but really does the trick on degreasing stuff at low $$$. But DON'T SMOKE while using it of course.

yeah, ronsonol is what i used... my paint job is fairly beat so there's a bit of exposed steel. wiping it down with a wet rag seems like it would lead to rust, where as wiping it down with ronsonol cleans off the rust and dries out the water as well as gets it clean.

I don't think wiping it down with a damp cloth would cause rust anymore than riding it in the rain would.
Especially if you wipe it down with a dry cloth after.

oh, the chain. i just had a thread on that. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=152091