Very nice video as always. I certainly always wash the frame /wheels, etc. I have lived in some very wet environments, NW, coastal NW, Vermont, Hudson Valley NY and I myself have always been as or more concerned with the drivetrain and its cleanliness. I can clean a chain pretty well on a bike but I much rather clean it off the bike so I have sets of chains for each of my bikes so I can put on a freshly cleaned chain, easier now with quik-links. Clean cog and rings are important too as you know I do think I get longer life out of my components by doing this and its not that hard to do.That Dawn soap sure works well on many things. Thank you for sharing your immense skills.
I use chain brush and WD-40 (x2) to clean the chain, then clean 2 more times with the Dawn. Then hose/wet the entire bike, take wet soft bristle brush, drizzle some Dawn on the brush and go to town on the entire bike. Then rinse. Dry it off, drain the wheels/frame of any water. Done. I don't use a bucket or spray cleaner directly on the bike. Takes about 5 mins. I let the chain dry for a few hours, then lube. Warm weather helps, I do not miss cleaning my bike in Chicago during Feb/March. I use Baby Wipes to wipe down after every ride, including the chain.
Ah, I see, another man that has mastered the art of bike cleaning. A few insights from my site. Sure, you don't need bike specific cleaners but it definitely does not hurt. I noticed that my disc brakes do not squeal anymore after I switched to Muc-off's Nano bike cleaner. But for me the most important step of cleaning a bike is drying it. I have the luxury of a warm basement but I still towel dry it to get rid of most of the moisture. A wet bike, will always become a rusty bike over time.
Thanks for the tips! I use a few bike specific cleaners but I also don't wish to promote them on this channel until they ante up 😊 I have Nano product for customers. It works really well. Indeed drying and lubing is essential after using running water. I often just use a spray bottle to clean my bike since it never gets too dirty. Thanks for watching please consider subscribing
I really like a bit of Zepp Citrus Degreaser and a toothbrush to give a bit of like scrub and then a quick wash of. Like Dawn, so much cheaper than bike specific cleaners
So cool, I too use a spray bottle with a bit of Dawn/Joy, and also use my service stand and take off the wheels. I also use my shop air to blow off the bike, and have had success blow drying with an electric leaf blower. If a hose isn't available, I have implemented one of those pump bottles with a spray wand that some people use to spray weeds with. Every 2 or 3 times I wash a bike I like to wax as much paint and parts as I can tolerate because the junk falls off easier the next time you wash it. When I was a moto-wrench most riders brought their bikes in pretty clean, but there is that other 20%😏
I’d like to run by what I do: I have a weed killer spray bottle I fill with hot water and I use a bucket and Griots garage carwash soap mixed in a spray bottle. I wet the bike with the weed sprayer and get in all the dirty nooks and crannies like in between the caliper movements. I also have the bike disassembled as you’ve shown but I go a step further and remove the chain. Then i deep clean the cassette cogs and chainrings (I have a waxed chain setup). Last thing I do, if needed at the time is get some automotive wax and polish the bike frame
That sounds like a well-loved bike. I might cover the additional steps you mentioned in another video. I wanted to keep it very basic. Our bikes were not that dirty to require cassette cleaning or chain removing waxing is a nice touch but I just use a spray wax. The weed pressurized sprayer is a great idea. I have that in my crew vehicle items for my 500 milers to spray me and cool me down in the deserts.
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad I take the chain off to keep the wax lasting as long as possible. And sometimes do re waxes. I’m usually cleaning the wax buildup off the lower cassette cogs. But yes she’s a well loved bike. The pride of the fleet. I use the spray wax on my HED wheels (easier to remove from the brake track) makes the carbon fairing really shine.
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad forgot one last thing!! With the wheels off I take a dentist pick and look and the caliper pads and pick out debris stuck in the pad and between the channels
Good video, just don’t use a hose on Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels. I used the same pressure as you and an air compressor to dry, and the bearings still rusted within 4 months.
I never wash my bikes. I do use a very soft cloth and Mequiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax, which is more of an automotive product, to keep it shinny and new looking. On the cyclocross bike which is a carbon bike I use on unpaved trails it can get pretty dirty with built up dirt but a bucket of clean water a soaking wet rag and some paint brushes removes everything and again I finish it off with the Meguiar's. I don't have access to a hose in my condo and I have a deck so I have to be mind full of making more mess and trashing the deck. I store my bikes indoors so they need to be kept clean. Never bought a single Muc Off product and never will because it is over priced Gimmicky products targeted to cyclists which I will never support. Automotive cleaning products are the best stuff you can use and can be had at a fair price. I watched a new video posted by the Gravel Cyclist at the Philly Bike Show and a company called Prestacycle. They have developed a lubricant that is amazing in testing when compared to other lubricants and is suppose to be so safe you can eat it. I found this very interesting so I just placed an order for some today. I will comment on it some time in the future once I have an opinion on how it works for me. And if it tastes good 🤣. Currently Boeshield T-9 is the best lubricant I've used.
Thanks for watching Charles. I love the Muc-Off drivetrain degreaser it is a HUGE time saver in the shop where time equals money. I carry their other products mainly because they sell themselves but the drivetrain cleaner is hands down their best product. You have to be selective with auto products because some of them might be too harsh for bicycle paint which has marginal quality and usually too thin because bike manufacturers are trying to save weight. Exposed and untreated/uncoated metals can also be harmed by chemicals that are too "good". I have seen people buy degreasers from Home Depot like Zep and totally mar the finish on their bike's metal parts. I don't ever use a hose on my bikes either BUT... I know that people out there are being told you can't do it when in fact it's fine. If you watch any pro cycling team the mechanics wash the bikes after every stage. Little known fact - My shop is on the second floor. The spigot that I used in this video is on the complete other side of my building. In other words, very inconvenient! I don't wash my bikes or customer bikes. I shot this video to dispel myths and put my viewers at ease that it's ok to wash your bike. Thank you as always for your support Charles!
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad I guess you make a good point about the finishes on bikes. Most of them do look pretty cheaply done. I painted my own frame using 2K Urethanes so I know the polishes I use are safe for my bike. The quality of the paint is so strong it hasn't gotten a single chip in over a year. The Colnago M10 I use to have had a flat finish and I only used water or a 46% alcohol to remove tar but after years of constant cleaning the finish still looked pretty good. I guess you have to know a bit about the type of finish you have to care for it properly. But I still won't buy Muc-Off. 😁
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad Please feel free to comment on what you think after watching this video on Muc-Off chain lube. czcams.com/video/CrKdvAJ1Tic/video.html. Also I just received some lubricant from a company called Prestacycle. It's called One Liquid. Pretty interesting, it made my chain totally silent. And they claim it's so safe you could eat it.
@@charlesmansplaining I watched the video and it didn’t answer my question of why there is so much hate for Muc-Off. so what they have a lube that sticks to your drivetrain use something off. I use their drivetrain cleaner which is a fantastic degreaser. I use their Bike Protect makes bikes nice and shiny and makes my shop smell nice. I use their silicone spray to get Continental tires installed. Their products work for me for a specific purpose. I use Squirt lube for my drivetrains. Sounds like I need to make a video about this topic.
I would NEVER put a hose to a road bike--why would you? A muddy mountain bike, yes..a muddy cyclocross bike, yes..but some road dust? Use a damp rag..please tell me the advantages of a hose compared to a rag..there is none except laziness? no need to relube EVERYTHING
I guess you don’t watch pro cycling races. The mechanics wash the road bikes after every single stage most of that would be road dust during the summer races. You might have missed the point of the video. The point was you can wash your bike with a hose you’re not harming anything. I used a road bike but the video applies to all bikes. It’s not about being lazy it’s about dispelling the myth that you’re not supposed to or can’t wash your bike with a hose. Keep in mind many people ride their road bikes in serious muddy and awful roads. You might have also missed my response to Charles where I told him I never wash my bikes. I just use a spray bottle and a rag. I live in San Diego i don’t ride in the rain I’m a delicate flower 🌸 … now 😊
One benefit to hosing is the dirt/dust washes down the drain vs being trapped in my microfiber rags. On a painted carbon frame, the dust will eventually lead to swirl marks on the paint. Kinda on the OCD side, but I treat my bike's paint like my car's paint.
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad Right on, i did miss your response to charles..i live close in north orange county, i too am delicate and have never seen my bike so filthy that a rag wouldnt work..love your seat of the pants take on wrenching!
@@MrSandperson0 Thank You for pointing out that yes dirt/sand can get embedded in the rag as opposed was flowing off the bike and down the drain. Thanks for watching!
Very nice video as always. I certainly always wash the frame /wheels, etc. I have lived in some very wet environments, NW, coastal NW, Vermont, Hudson Valley NY and I myself have always been as or more concerned with the drivetrain and its cleanliness. I can clean a chain pretty well on a bike but I much rather clean it off the bike so I have sets of chains for each of my bikes so I can put on a freshly cleaned chain, easier now with quik-links. Clean cog and rings are important too as you know I do think I get longer life out of my components by doing this and its not that hard to do.That Dawn soap sure works well on many things. Thank you for sharing your immense skills.
I use chain brush and WD-40 (x2) to clean the chain, then clean 2 more times with the Dawn. Then hose/wet the entire bike, take wet soft bristle brush, drizzle some Dawn on the brush and go to town on the entire bike. Then rinse. Dry it off, drain the wheels/frame of any water. Done. I don't use a bucket or spray cleaner directly on the bike. Takes about 5 mins. I let the chain dry for a few hours, then lube. Warm weather helps, I do not miss cleaning my bike in Chicago during Feb/March. I use Baby Wipes to wipe down after every ride, including the chain.
Ah, I see, another man that has mastered the art of bike cleaning. A few insights from my site. Sure, you don't need bike specific cleaners but it definitely does not hurt. I noticed that my disc brakes do not squeal anymore after I switched to Muc-off's Nano bike cleaner. But for me the most important step of cleaning a bike is drying it. I have the luxury of a warm basement but I still towel dry it to get rid of most of the moisture. A wet bike, will always become a rusty bike over time.
Thanks for the tips! I use a few bike specific cleaners but I also don't wish to promote them on this channel until they ante up 😊 I have Nano product for customers. It works really well. Indeed drying and lubing is essential after using running water. I often just use a spray bottle to clean my bike since it never gets too dirty. Thanks for watching please consider subscribing
Blue dawn is AMAZING! You can practically use it for anything. Heck, they used it to clean up animals in the Exxon-Valdez oil spill.
I do use it on everything 😂 smells nice too 😂
I do the same except the pre-wash with Dawn. Such an awesome idea, which I’ll use after Winter. SF
Semper!
Reassuring to see this from an expert. That is how I've been doing it.
Thank you for watching Stuart! Please consider subscribing
I really like a bit of Zepp Citrus Degreaser and a toothbrush to give a bit of like scrub and then a quick wash of. Like Dawn, so much cheaper than bike specific cleaners
Thanks for watching Ric!
So cool, I too use a spray bottle with a bit of Dawn/Joy, and also use my service stand and take off the wheels. I also use my shop air to blow off the bike, and have had success blow drying with an electric leaf blower. If a hose isn't available, I have implemented one of those pump bottles with a spray wand that some people use to spray weeds with. Every 2 or 3 times I wash a bike I like to wax as much paint and parts as I can tolerate because the junk falls off easier the next time you wash it. When I was a moto-wrench most riders brought their bikes in pretty clean, but there is that other 20%😏
Thanks you for watching Matt! I’m happy to hear I’m in the right track.
Very nice instructions. And so easy. Love your videos.
Glad you like them! Please share my videos amongst your friends :-)
I’d like to run by what I do:
I have a weed killer spray bottle I fill with hot water and I use a bucket and Griots garage carwash soap mixed in a spray bottle. I wet the bike with the weed sprayer and get in all the dirty nooks and crannies like in between the caliper movements. I also have the bike disassembled as you’ve shown but I go a step further and remove the chain. Then i deep clean the cassette cogs and chainrings (I have a waxed chain setup). Last thing I do, if needed at the time is get some automotive wax and polish the bike frame
That sounds like a well-loved bike. I might cover the additional steps you mentioned in another video. I wanted to keep it very basic. Our bikes were not that dirty to require cassette cleaning or chain removing waxing is a nice touch but I just use a spray wax.
The weed pressurized sprayer is a great idea. I have that in my crew vehicle items for my 500 milers to spray me and cool me down in the deserts.
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad I take the chain off to keep the wax lasting as long as possible. And sometimes do re waxes. I’m usually cleaning the wax buildup off the lower cassette cogs. But yes she’s a well loved bike. The pride of the fleet. I use the spray wax on my HED wheels (easier to remove from the brake track) makes the carbon fairing really shine.
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad forgot one last thing!! With the wheels off I take a dentist pick and look and the caliper pads and pick out debris stuck in the pad and between the channels
@@paulschulman8131 yep that helps keep the wear and tear down on the rims!
I also use my car wash/cleaners/waxes on the bike with a garden sprayer bottle. If I can't be the fastest, I can be the shiniest!
Thats a nice bike George. My next build with be that same Steel bike.
You’re going to love it! I love my Ritchey ! Thanks for watching!
Good video, just don’t use a hose on Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels. I used the same pressure as you and an air compressor to dry, and the bearings still rusted within 4 months.
Boo! Not a fan of Zipp wheels in the first place. Bearing issues is something I hear they suffer from 😢
Thanks for watching!
I do the blow dry part. But lubing the pivot points? Yikes! I may have to up my game!
Always something we can learn from each other 😊
Hurray for the camera-person!
Thank You I will pass it on to Jess 😊
I never wash my bikes. I do use a very soft cloth and Mequiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax, which is more of an automotive product, to keep it shinny and new looking. On the cyclocross bike which is a carbon bike I use on unpaved trails it can get pretty dirty with built up dirt but a bucket of clean water a soaking wet rag and some paint brushes removes everything and again I finish it off with the Meguiar's. I don't have access to a hose in my condo and I have a deck so I have to be mind full of making more mess and trashing the deck. I store my bikes indoors so they need to be kept clean. Never bought a single Muc Off product and never will because it is over priced Gimmicky products targeted to cyclists which I will never support. Automotive cleaning products are the best stuff you can use and can be had at a fair price.
I watched a new video posted by the Gravel Cyclist at the Philly Bike Show and a company called Prestacycle. They have developed a lubricant that is amazing in testing when compared to other lubricants and is suppose to be so safe you can eat it. I found this very interesting so I just placed an order for some today. I will comment on it some time in the future once I have an opinion on how it works for me. And if it tastes good 🤣. Currently Boeshield T-9 is the best lubricant I've used.
Thanks for watching Charles. I love the Muc-Off drivetrain degreaser it is a HUGE time saver in the shop where time equals money. I carry their other products mainly because they sell themselves but the drivetrain cleaner is hands down their best product. You have to be selective with auto products because some of them might be too harsh for bicycle paint which has marginal quality and usually too thin because bike manufacturers are trying to save weight. Exposed and untreated/uncoated metals can also be harmed by chemicals that are too "good". I have seen people buy degreasers from Home Depot like Zep and totally mar the finish on their bike's metal parts.
I don't ever use a hose on my bikes either BUT... I know that people out there are being told you can't do it when in fact it's fine. If you watch any pro cycling team the mechanics wash the bikes after every stage.
Little known fact - My shop is on the second floor. The spigot that I used in this video is on the complete other side of my building. In other words, very inconvenient! I don't wash my bikes or customer bikes. I shot this video to dispel myths and put my viewers at ease that it's ok to wash your bike.
Thank you as always for your support Charles!
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad I guess you make a good point about the finishes on bikes. Most of them do look pretty cheaply done. I painted my own frame using 2K Urethanes so I know the polishes I use are safe for my bike. The quality of the paint is so strong it hasn't gotten a single chip in over a year. The Colnago M10 I use to have had a flat finish and I only used water or a 46% alcohol to remove tar but after years of constant cleaning the finish still looked pretty good. I guess you have to know a bit about the type of finish you have to care for it properly. But I still won't buy Muc-Off. 😁
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad Please feel free to comment on what you think after watching this video on Muc-Off chain lube. czcams.com/video/CrKdvAJ1Tic/video.html. Also I just received some lubricant from a company called Prestacycle. It's called One Liquid. Pretty interesting, it made my chain totally silent. And they claim it's so safe you could eat it.
@@charlesmansplaining I watched the video and it didn’t answer my question of why there is so much hate for Muc-Off. so what they have a lube that sticks to your drivetrain use something off.
I use their drivetrain cleaner which is a fantastic degreaser. I use their Bike Protect makes bikes nice and shiny and makes my shop smell nice. I use their silicone spray to get Continental tires installed. Their products work for me for a specific purpose. I use Squirt lube for my drivetrains.
Sounds like I need to make a video about this topic.
I would NEVER put a hose to a road bike--why would you? A muddy mountain bike, yes..a muddy cyclocross bike, yes..but some road dust? Use a damp rag..please tell me the advantages of a hose compared to a rag..there is none except laziness? no need to relube EVERYTHING
I guess you don’t watch pro cycling races. The mechanics wash the road bikes after every single stage most of that would be road dust during the summer races.
You might have missed the point of the video. The point was you can wash your bike with a hose you’re not harming anything. I used a road bike but the video applies to all bikes. It’s not about being lazy it’s about dispelling the myth that you’re not supposed to or can’t wash your bike with a hose. Keep in mind many people ride their road bikes in serious muddy and awful roads.
You might have also missed my response to Charles where I told him I never wash my bikes. I just use a spray bottle and a rag. I live in San Diego i don’t ride in the rain I’m a delicate flower 🌸 … now 😊
One benefit to hosing is the dirt/dust washes down the drain vs being trapped in my microfiber rags. On a painted carbon frame, the dust will eventually lead to swirl marks on the paint. Kinda on the OCD side, but I treat my bike's paint like my car's paint.
@@SeeYouUpTheRoad Right on, i did miss your response to charles..i live close in north orange county, i too am delicate and have never seen my bike so filthy that a rag wouldnt work..love your seat of the pants take on wrenching!
@@johnkasza2315 Thank You sir! I used to live in Huntington Beach and Newport from 2007 to 2012 I did a lot of riding when I lived there :-)
@@MrSandperson0 Thank You for pointing out that yes dirt/sand can get embedded in the rag as opposed was flowing off the bike and down the drain. Thanks for watching!