i never really cared about it before on my beater but now that my new track bike is pretty much done, id like to know how keep my ride clean and in good shape.
what are some routine things you do to your bike to keep it in good shape? how often and how do you clean the bike? anything to look out for?
my beater has lasted 5 months of daily commutes without a wash or a chain lube... all it ever gets is fresh air in the tires.

Best thing u can do is keep the chain clean and get fenders.

Keep it inside, maybe once a week wash it with soap and water.

do you clean the chain with a brush or something? how bought hosing it down with a garden hose? is there anything i shouldnt do?
looking into getting a chain luber...

I don't really bother cleaning anything for the most part - just lube it as is necessary along the way.

your g/f must looooove you

Harrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

For the love of pete, DON'T clean your bike with a garden hose. A powerful stream of water can force water into all the spaces it shouldn't get into: bb, hubs, pedals, headset. Basically, you don't want to force water into those moving parts where it can cause the steel to rust. Use a bucket and a rag.

depending on how much you value co-habitting harmony, shower it off in the bath after running in rain [and probably definitely after running it in salt]

i think something like that, and hosing it off with nothing more than mains pressure should be ok [definitely don't use a jet-wash and don't point it directly at anything with bearings, even if they're sealed]

fsnl
sparky

I usually don't bother to clean the frame unless it's really caked on, but I clean the chain very often, because that is the main thing that keeps the bike silent and smooth feeling. I can always feel a big difference in ride quality after I clean the chain. I'll usually take a shop rag and grip the chain with it, and slowly turn the pedals, while pulling the chain through the rag, and after all that is done, I drip triflow onto the chain, and then run the chain through a rag again to get rid of the excess lube. This works great for me, and I highly recommend it. Just make sure not to get your fingers caught in the cog. I read a previous thread about a kid who cut off the tip of this thumb doing this.

I clean the chain with citrus degreaser twice a week and relube with wax lube (summer) or wet lube (rain/autumn/winter). After heavy rain, I clean the frame plus cog using Motorex Bike Spray (or Shimano Shine). Also, if you have steel frame/aluminium seatpost combo, remove the seatpost at least once every 2 months or so and re-lube with vaseline to avoid permanent jamming. Twice a year I take the bike apart and check the hub plus BB bearings. I pump up the tires every 2 weeks

Every week or two I clean the chain with one of those finish line chain cleaner. It's pretty messy - I imagine it would be cleaner with a derailer, but oh well. I lub the chain about once a week, more if the weather is bad. If I have time or I'm bored when I clean the chain I floss the cogs and chainring with an old rag.

I clean the frame/seatpost every week or so, usually with just a wet rag. If I'm really ambitous I'll take windex to it. I take the wheels of when I do this so I can get into all the nooks and crannies. I don't clean the rims quite as often, but try to keep them pretty clean. I took some steel wool SOS pads to them about a month ago - the front one was looking pretty sad after a couple of winters. I plan on taking some fine grit sandpaper to them to get all of the discoloration and the marks from when I ran a front brake off before this winter hits.

As far as winter maint, I don't usually do much at all, but the winters are pretty harsh here. I usually leave the bike locked outside for almost all of it, so the snow and salt don't melt. It not only makes a mess when you bring the bike in, it rusts out your bearings quicker. The salt doesn't really get into the threads if it's embedded in the snow - it's when it melts that you have trouble.

I check my headset tightness and the lockrings on my rear wheel about every two weeks (usually when I'm cleaning the chain since the wheel is aready off). I need to get myself a set of cone wrenches so I can check those too. I'd also like to get a truing stand so I can check my wheels every month or so, but haven't had the money.

Oh, and I check the tire pressure every couple of days since I finally bought a floor pump. It could be a coincidence, but I haven't had a flat since I started doing that...

There's probably more that I should do, but that's what I DO do...

Anybody remember that link to the "fingerectomy" so there is a visual reminder of what not to do when cleaning and lubing your bike?

I take the chain off dump it in an old gatorade bottle filled with citrus degreaser.
Shake it up and rinse. repeat. air dry. lube. then wipe off.

I usually check my cog, chainring, and lockring while I'm at it.

jeff

I do the same but with a bottle full of old gasoline I syphoned out of the lawnmower. I figured I might as well use it for something, better then tossing it. Works well, the chain looks nice and shiny after, although it doesn't smell pretty. Also a good thing I quit smoking, might be troublesome working around gasoline and all.

Phil

What's the down side to cleaning a chain with gasoline or mineral spirits or paint thinner? I mean, apart from the stank.

Setting yourself on fire.

Gasoline's a bit too volatile for everyday use. But it does work. I like mineral spirits/paint thinner best. But I usually use some water based degreaser from the local Smart And Final. Cheap, works as well as the citrus smelling stuff. Plus it won't catch fire if you light up.

I almost never clean my bike. Not even the chain. 1/8" chains are like $5 apiece. After a year, I just throw them away and put on a new one. If the bike is caked with mud, that's one thing. But regular everyday road grime and dust just adds a nice patina.

i don't know if its just NYC riding or what, but if I don't fully clean the chain (take it off, let it sit in degreaser, scrub, air dry) every two weeks or so, the drivetrain sounds like a buzz saw from all the grit.

Listen to this guy, he's got it right.

A cigarette isn't hot enough to light gasoline that I know of. I believe it's the open flame of the lighter that sets off the fumes most of the time. I know I've smoked a cig wearing a shirt that was soaked in gas back in MT with no problems... I've also heard you can put a cig out in gasoline...

Still a bit too coherent to try that one, though... I'd have to have a reason to have gas, too...

"But regular everyday road grime and dust just adds a nice patina. "

trudat...there's much better things to do in this life than cleaning bicycles.