Gave my bike a nice wash today - how often do ya'll wash your bikes?

[bloody sunday]

I wash mine almost every week, mostly to clean the chain
here she is:
http://i.imgur.com/cry87r2l.jpg

[Louis]

I wipe the chain with a paper towel before I re-lube, then wipe it again to remove the excess lube. That's the extent of my chain cleaning.

Every now and then (a few times a year) I clean gunk off the tubes and fork and the BB bracket area. Having a super-clean bike isn't terribly high on my priority list.

After a bad rain ride I do a more thorough job.

[AngryScientist]

wash the bike you say? hmmm...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7daCMUb-lP8/UrYUZaZ-72I/AAAAAAAABfY/LXXLGll95u0/s640/P1080142.JPG

[Anarchist]

I was mine almost every week, mostly to clean the chain
here she is:
http://i.imgur.com/cry87r2l.jpg

I am guessing you don't live somewhere where you turn your outside water source off in October??

[christian]

Blue Barrel says Southern California.

[Louis]

Blue Barrel says Southern California.

We have the exact same thing here in St Louis MO (for recycling)

[Cat3roadracer]

After every ride. Love doing it, certainly more of a chore after cross race.

[Louis]

After every ride.

My smart-@ss response to this would be that you need to ride more and clean less. ;)

[Llewellyn]

I try to clean my main ride about every 500km or once a month if it's not being ridden that much. But it doesn't always happen.

I don't particularly enjoy doing it, but I do like the end result.

[bloody sunday]

I am guessing you don't live somewhere where you turn your outside water source off in October??
you are correct, sir. Alameda, CA.
Blue Barrel says Southern California.

Yeah, I guess it's all of California with blue recycle bins. But, I had them when I lived in Newport, RI and in Fairfax, VA (I think)

[oldpotatoe]

I try to clean my main ride about every 500km or once a month if it's not being ridden that much. But it doesn't always happen.

I don't particularly enjoy doing it, but I do like the end result.

About once a month..maybe 400-500 miles if I'm lucky. I take freewheel cogs off, chainrings off, chain off, pulleys out of the RD..clean all....bike too, replace..don't really like to do it...

[bobswire]

Depends on where you live, where you ride,how neat a person you are. I'm hands on, on both my health and my bikes health. A quick rub down after a road ride takes what , 5 minutes, dirt/mud/rain requires additional time.
The problem with most bike owners is they wait until the dirt /grease/ turns to a heavy grime that clogs up drive parts such as derailleur pulleys, chains,and brakes.
CX racers ,take it to a outdoor power washer,then do as potato does,take it all apart,dry and lube.

No-brainer.

[JAGI410]

Whenever I'm bored, have free time, and have beer to drink. It's not often those 3 elements combine though.

[Lewis Moon]

Wash?

[AngryScientist]

hey what is that stand the c'dale is on by the way? it does look perfect for outdoor bike cleaning??

i bet i could make something just like that in the garage over the winter. how does it support the bike?

[choke]

hey what is that stand the c'dale is on by the way? it does look perfect for outdoor bike cleaning??

i bet i could make something just like that in the garage over the winter. how does it support the bike?It looks like it could be this one - http://www.bikewagon.com/eleven81-rear-stay-mount-display-stand-single-bike-storage?CAWELAID=400006350000056578&catargetid=400006350000144164&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CJnn7Nnq5LsCFSho7Aod4QoAcg.

[Seramount]

I have never 'washed' a bike.

I've cleaned a lot of them, but never done the 'soap and water' routine on one.

[bloody sunday]

hey what is that stand the c'dale is on by the way? it does look perfect for outdoor bike cleaning??

i bet i could make something just like that in the garage over the winter. how does it support the bike?
It's cheap, and I hate it. I currently use it as a stand in my office, but would much rather use this: http://www.amazon.com/Feedback-Sports-Bicycle-Storage-Stand/dp/B001F9V842/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388850290&sr=8-1&keywords=feedback+sports+stand

If you're going to make one, I would suggest making a good base, because this one is terrible. It moves around a lot.

It looks like it could be this one - http://www.bikewagon.com/eleven81-rear-stay-mount-display-stand-single-bike-storage?CAWELAID=400006350000056578&catargetid=400006350000144164&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CJnn7Nnq5LsCFSho7Aod4QoAcg.
Yeah, that's the one.

[Saint Vitus]

Depends on where you live, where you ride,how neat a person you are. I'm hands on, on both my health and my bikes health. A quick rub down after a road ride takes what , 5 minutes, dirt/mud/rain requires additional time.
The problem with most bike owners is they wait until the dirt /grease/ turns to a heavy grime that clogs up drive parts such as derailleur pulleys, chains,and brakes.


No-brainer.

This.

I ride most days around an hour, and the conditions are usually dry and clear so I spend 5-10 minutes wiping the chain and then the bike. This keeps the schmutz from building up over time.

[fourflys]

It looks like it could be this one - http://www.bikewagon.com/eleven81-rear-stay-mount-display-stand-single-bike-storage?CAWELAID=400006350000056578&catargetid=400006350000144164&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CJnn7Nnq5LsCFSho7Aod4QoAcg.

Performance sells one of those as well if you have a store close...

[mgm777]

I wash my bikes a couple times each season (i.e. Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring) and more often, if I rode in wet or muddy conditions. I just like having a clean bike and clean car. I am weird that way. Also, I use the opportunity to inspect the bike for failing components. Discovered two cracked Ritchey WCS stems that way...and yes, I do use a torque wrench.

[enr1co]

This.

I ride most days around an hour, and the conditions are usually dry and clear so I spend 5-10 minutes wiping the chain and then the bike. This keeps the schmutz from building up over time.


I also dont care for schmuzt on my bike and love the feeling of a smooth chain/gearing so generally wipe the chain with a rag and chain cleaner and then spritz the frame with Pedro's Bike lust- takes me about 5 minutes.

After a couple of weeks or if after a rain, will do a full wash and make sure I get all the road debris, grit off the drivetrain, brakes and rims. Usually takes me only about 10-15 min to wash and dry.

Also as mentioned earlier, a clean bike provides better view identify any issues/damage before the next ride..

Bike stuff is expensive so I dont mind investing a little time to take care of it.

[Fishbike]

Usually after every 2 or 3 rides and after every wet ride. I kind of like cleaning the bike and touching and admiring the genius and artistry of it all. And like most cleaning tasks, if you keep up with it, the chore is not so bad. Let something get really dirty, and then the cleaning is no fun at all.

[Ralph]

Well.....Living where I do, and I don't ride in rain or mess....don't have to....wait a few hours, or next day.....and roads are clear and dry.....my bikes don't really get dirty. Just some road crap and sweat. So I wipe down with rag soaked in WD 40.....and disasemble small parts pretty regularly. I do spray a little WD 40 here and there into cable ends, stops, etc. Use bar oil on my chains from a dispenser that lets out small drops. Spray a small tad of spray greese into thumb shifter area on Campy shifters occasionally....but not much greese. I never use water.

When I had a Mt bike.....used water.