bike washing with disc?

[wallymann]

i normally use a bucket of hot water, dawn detergent and a sponge and wash with wheels removed and just air-dry, no rinsing.

any issues with getting suds on the calipers/rotors?

figure i should wipe down any suds that splatter onto the rotors.

what about the calipers/pads? i'd expect to lather those up liberally, as i do the rest of the components -- it'd be a PITA to remove/clean the pads with every wash.

[josephr]

been washing my mtb that way for years...no problems. If you have cable actuated disc brakes, I'd squirt some lube into the bottom of the cable housings.

[vqdriver]

+1
mtbs have been washed like this for years.
you shouldn't have to remove your pads to clean at all unless there's something stuck in the pads biting into your rotors. in which case you'd have to clean them regardless. the hydro systems are sealed off to the outside world (for the most part) and won't mind soap/water. cable actuated = treat like cable actuated road brakes.

oil is the mortal foe of disc pads so a soapy wash of the rotors/pads is a good thing. no need to get crazy, just getting suds on them and a light rinse would suffice.

[mktng]

Been washing my mtb like that aswell. Hydro disc. No issues.
I usually take'er fer a rip after the wash just to dry the bike off a bike. Test the brakes out, dry them up a bit.

We wash our cars like that. Never an issue. Just avoid getting any oil based products on it.. lubes..grease..etc etc.

[Steve in SLO]

Wallyman,
Let me get this straight: you use soapy water and then do not rinse off after? The reason I ask is that I had never thought not to rinse off after using soapy water.

[wallymann]

Wallyman,
Let me get this straight: you use soapy water and then do not rinse off after? The reason I ask is that I had never thought not to rinse off after using soapy water.

correct. just like the euro-pro mechanics do.

any suds that dont roll off will disappear. seriously, just set the bike aside in the shade and it'll look fine after dry.

i'm sure there's a little soapy residue left over, but it is invisible to the naked eye and probably provides some infinitesimal level of post-wash protection.

[Ken Robb]

I think I would just feel like I "had" to rinse the soap off due to my Puritanical upbringing. I would worry just a little that some oil/grease that got emulsified and suspended in the suds might still be around and a blast of clear water would let me rest easier. :)

[malbecman]

correct. just like the euro-pro mechanics do.

any suds that dont roll off will disappear. seriously, just set the bike aside in the shade and it'll look fine after dry.

i'm sure there's a little soapy residue left over, but it is invisible to the naked eye and probably provides some infinitesimal level of post-wash protection.


Wow, I will have to try this. Here in dry-as-dust California, I'm always looking for ways to save water. Thanks!

[foo_fighter]

You could always try the no-rinse car wash detergent like:
http://www.optimumcarcare.com/onrwns.php

It works well on cars.

[peanutgallery]

Just as an FYI, Dawn is the best I've used to clean rotors and pads. Way better than anything else I've used, clears up DOT fluid and mineral oil like nobody's business

[Dave Ferris]

How does diluted Simply Green work for cleaning MTB ? Stick with the Dawn ?

[Steve in SLO]

Diluted Simple Green works well, but having heard about its negative effects on Alu finishes, I would be hesitant to try the "no rinse" technique with it.

[wallymann]

Diluted Simple Green works well, but having heard about its negative effects on Alu finishes, I would be hesitant to try the "no rinse" technique with it.

correct. simple green and any citrus-based or chemical de-greasers are all too aggressive and will dull or otherwise attack finishes -- do not leave de-greasers on!!!

dawn and similar grease-cutting *detergents* are fine.

like madge says: "mild? more than mild" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzmTtusvjR4

[JeffS]

correct. just like the euro-pro mechanics do.

From how many decades ago?

All those big team trucks come with hoses and pressure washers now. And they're frequently put to use.

[wallymann]

From how many decades ago?

All those big team trucks come with hoses and pressure washers now. And they're frequently put to use.

i learned from the motorola mechanics, 1991 -- since ~25 years ago!

figure they gotta use soap-injection with their pressure-washers these days, eh?

[peanutgallery]

I have issues with simple green and citrus degreasers when it comes to disc brakes. At 25 bucks for a pair of pads I stick with Dawn

A fun game to play (because I'm cheap) is decontaminating pads after you booger them up. I have had luck with holding the pad over a candle to burn off the oil or whatever and then washing with dawn and a green dish pad. Anyone else?

[wallymann]

I have issues with simple green and citrus degreasers when it comes to disc brakes. At 25 bucks for a pair of pads I stick with Dawn

A fun game to play (because I'm cheap) is decontaminating pads after you booger them up. I have had luck with holding the pad over a candle to burn off the oil or whatever and then washing with dawn and a green dish pad. Anyone else?

if you want to spend a little cash, brake cleaner spray would do the trick -- that's what it's designed for!

http://www.supplyhero.com/images/P/CRC%20brake.jpg

[11.4]

Foo Fighter had it right. The non-detergent carwash concentrates work great, don't leave any soapy residue, and do a good job of removing oil and dirt without damaging decals, tires, metals, etc. I can clean a bike in a hotel room with the stuff and just let the bike dry without remaining residue.

I'd be careful of brake cleaner -- it's made for use on automotive systems and Shimano systems, for one, aren't even designed to be resistant to DOT brake fluid so I have no reason to believe the DOT-compatible brake cleaners will not deteriorate seals or components on a mineral-oil-based hydraulic system. Just for cleaning brake rotors and calipers, 90% isopropyl alcohol works great and is available when you travel from any drug store. And it dries off without damaging bike or your home or hotel room.

Definitely avoid Simple Green and the like. The stuff can really mess up the finish on aluminum and promote early corrosion at scratches or dings on alloy components, plus you don't want it within a mile of tubular rim cement or better cycling tires or tubulars. Saddles either, for that matter. And I don't think I'd use it near HandleBra, though we should get an expert opinion on that. Nasty stuff.

[Tony]

Anyone use a leaf blower after washing? Been doing it for years, drys the bike in less than a minutes!

[Cat3roadracer]

Yikes! Car soap, light rinse, towel dry. Has served me well for decades.

[wallymann]

bike ready to wash, bucket o' suds (dawn dish soap), sponge and other scrubbing accoutrement. remove wheels before washing commences.
http://brown-snout.com/cycling/tech/wash-bike/IMG_20150315_141946731.jpg

starting to lather up, the key is to really load the sponge with soapy water when dunking into the suds and then slop onto the bike and inundate with soapy/water so you carry away the grime. dunk, slop, dunk, slop, etc, etc. working from high to low.
http://brown-snout.com/cycling/tech/wash-bike/IMG_20150315_143914743.jpghttp://brown-snout.com/cycling/tech/wash-bike/IMG_20150315_144425179.jpg

i've only just stopped washing and the frame is already largely free of residue and drying neat and clean. if you have a compressor handy, it's nice to blow water/bubbles away from bolt-heads, braze-ons, and other nooks-n-crannies to avoid corrosion. if not, no biggie. of course, follow this up with a good chain-scrubbing and lube.
http://brown-snout.com/cycling/tech/wash-bike/IMG_20150315_145529636.jpghttp://brown-snout.com/cycling/tech/wash-bike/IMG_20150315_145556327.jpg

[lonoeightysix]

I'd be leery of the candle; seems like a great way to load up the pad material with wax. I use a propane torch.

I have issues with simple green and citrus degreasers when it comes to disc brakes. At 25 bucks for a pair of pads I stick with Dawn

A fun game to play (because I'm cheap) is decontaminating pads after you booger them up. I have had luck with holding the pad over a candle to burn off the oil or whatever and then washing with dawn and a green dish pad. Anyone else?

[GRAVELBIKE]

Isopropyl alcohol is the only thing that I use on brake pads/calipers. No problems with contamination, etc.

Bikes get washed with dish soap, and rinsed with one of these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31qK9wt5dNL._SY300_.jpg

Just started using brushes from The Service Course (http://www.theservicecourse.com/), and they work much better than typical kitchen/household brushes.

[Lucasp]

I'd been thinking about getting a sprayer to clean the bike while the mud is fresh. Seams like an easy think you could leave in the back of a car.

[wallymann]

I'd been thinking about getting a sprayer to clean the bike while the mud is fresh. Seams like an easy think you could leave in the back of a car.

i've heard good things about this rechargeable deal, but $125 is pricey:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/mobi-v-15-portable-bike-pressure-washer/rp-prod34761

http://sheridanmarine.com/public/assets/images/shop/stock/1291161600/mobi-portable-12v-pressure-washer-v-15-1291744629-l.jpg