How to clean a horribly dirty bike?

[d_douglas]

My buddy at work was asking me about how to get his shifting working better and my first comment was “good God, you should clean it first!”.

He is a regular short distance commuter on a maybe 10yr old Giant Rapid - a decent basic bike. It looks like he has never once cleaned it. The road grit coming off his fenders and the gunk from the drivetrain seem to be baked onto both the frame and the drivetrain.

All that said, I spun around on it and it shifts quite well to be honest. As a favour to him (he’s helped me out a lot at work) I’ve decided that I would scrub it down for him, but I don’t know how to get the grit off the B.B, dropouts, cranks, derailleurs, hubs.

I just used soapy water first, but something slightly toxic needs to be used. Is there a product that basically ‘melts’ this stuff off? If I scrape the brake calipers, it comes off, so I know it’ll clean up quite nicely, but I do t want to use something really nasty that will eat away the paint.

Any suggestions? I live in Canada, to if you’re suggesting a specific product, it might not be available here.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[pasadena]

I use White Lightning Clean Streak degreaser - spray can
it melts off the grease and grime
I'm sure someone will suggest an auto parts store spray degreaser

[Louis]

I don't like the "hose down the entire bike" method, so I take the time and use paper towels with a basic cleaner like 409 sprayed on. Doesn't take too long to do an entire bike, unless you really want hard-to-get-to spots like the hubs to be perfect.

[rustychisel]

Kerosene, or a good spray of WD40 will do it. Rinse and repeat.

Warning: road grit in plague proportions will scratch both paint and anodized alloy, so clean as much off as you can [softly] before a final clean/polish.

A soft toothbrush and WD40 is great for spoke beds and caked on areas like front derailleur mount and pivots.

[BdaGhisallo]

Odorless mineral spirits - paint thinner. Just brush it on the gunk and it should soften it right up.

[Black Dog]

Go to MEC and get some of their biodegreaser. Works well and does not destroy parts or paint. It will remove almost any gunk. Comes in 1L and 4L containers.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4013-718/Bio-Cycle-1L-Chain-Cleaner?org_text=bio

[AngryScientist]

at the end of the day, yes - there are some good effective products out there, but my experience is that there are really no shortcuts to the elbow grease method when the bike is really dirty. a pile of rags and a few sized stiff bristle brushes and just go for it.

there is indeed a special kind of black gunk that craps up the drivetrains of city commuter bikes. it's part blacktop, part concrete, part hybrid epoxy, and it's a dirty job to remove it!

[benb]

Isopropyl alcohol is a great cleaner that’s very cheap and very safe for parts.

I started using it for disc brakes and use it for everything but cleaning the chain now. The chain seems to require stronger stuff sometimes.

[charliedid]

A set of these Pedros brushes, a bucket of hot water and dawn dish soap. No need to go so toxic as others have said. The bike shifts well because the DT is likely toast.

It's good to be a friend.

[BobbyJones]

I don't like the "hose down the entire bike" method, so I take the time and use paper towels with a basic cleaner like 409 sprayed on. Doesn't take too long to do an entire bike, unless you really want hard-to-get-to spots like the hubs to be perfect.

Be careful with 409 / fantastic etc. They can ruin some finshes, especially if left in too long.

[Bob Ross]

there is indeed a special kind of black gunk that craps up the drivetrains of city commuter bikes. it's part blacktop, part concrete, part hybrid epoxy

That reminds me of an old Robin Williams line about changing the diaper of a newborn infant: "What is that stuff?!?! It's like a cross between algae and Velcro!"

[David Kirk]

When I was a kid I worked at a bike shop in Florida. There was an epoxy resin factory not far away and they used trikes to run stuff around the place. The trikes had stalactites of semi-cured resin that hung down a good 6" off most everything. We had to use a hacksaw to cut them off so we could put the bike in a workstand.

We eventually told them we couldn't work on them until they were clean so they just threw them out and bought new ones.

Odd days.

dave

[EricEstlund]

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/5137fe1b-4c37-4d74-a853-935b5503c596_1.6a81ccd1f56a13dc516cf33d02511817.jp eg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF

[benb]

Just to be a broken record some versions of simple green are not terribly safe for alloy parts/frames. It always becomes an argument in bike forums but simple green is bad enough it had FAA notices and such to keep people from using it on aircraft. I think some versions have been reformulated now though.

That resin factory story is scary. Was that spilled epoxy on the trikes or stuff that was in the air settling on them? If it was stuff in the air I would have been scared to be working in that factory.

[OtayBW]

This stuff is kind of extravagant and expensive, but it is extremely effective:

[Gummee]

If you're going to regrease/rebuild the whole thing anyways, have him take it down to the local DIY car wash and blast the #$%$ out of it with hot soapy water.

MUCH less hassle than the alternatives. AMHIK

...but if you aren't going to go over the bike that way, well... elbow grease. If it's as nasty as I think it is, you'll want it clean 1st.

M

[David Kirk]

..............

That resin factory story is scary. Was that spilled epoxy on the trikes or stuff that was in the air settling on them? If it was stuff in the air I would have been scared to be working in that factory.

I recall that it was drips and spills. The guy that dropped the trikes off for service looked like he just walked out of a zombie movie.

Scary stuff.

dave

[Bob Ross]

This stuff is kind of extravagant and expensive, but it is extremely effective:

+1

My next door neighbor is also a cyclist, and though we never ride together we often find ourselves in the backyard together post-ride cleaning our bikes. I was once using Simple Green to de-mung a particularly stubborn goo-caked cassette, and he whipped out a can of that Finish Line stuff and said "Check this out!"

It put Simple Green to shame, that's for sure. Frighteningly effective at getting all the schmütz from between the cogs to literally melt away. Frighteningly.

[Ken Robb]

There are products sold by motorcycle shops that work well and are safe for the materials common to all bikes. I bought a liquid product in a gallon bottle and applied it with a spray bottle. It cut through the dirt/grease quite well. For some bad areas I needed to use a brush too but ultimately I rinsed it off streak-free with a garden hose.

[nooneline]

This stuff is kind of extravagant and expensive, but it is extremely effective:

Yeah, this times a million. Finish Line Speed Degreaser.

I know a few other companies make similar products (Motorex, for one). It's definitely different than a rub-on degreaser. It's got propellant, you spray it on, and seriously you watch the grease melt off. It's great for getting your chain back to like new condition so that you can give it a very fresh lube job, and it's good for some other parts that just get disgustingly gunked up.

http://www.finishlineusa.com/images/products/big_FL_SPD_18oz_wHANG_CAP_1000px.jpg

[chiasticon]

yeah finish line speed degreaser for the drivetrain is the way to go. it's worth the price for the effort saved, assuming your drivetrain is messy enough (which it sounds like it is). just make sure you do that before washing the rest of the bike (duh).

other than that, dish soap, hot water and brushes. and maybe a power washer for an initial blasting to get the surface gunk off. just don't hang out too long near any bearings you don't plan on re-packing.

also, this thread needs before and after pics.

[d_douglas]

What about the frame itself? it is aluminum, and it looks as though I need a razor blade to slice the filth off. I would like to spray something on that softens it up before I get to that point.

I told my buddy how gross it was this morning, just to shame him!! He laughed.

I will look into FinishLine stuff.

[mktng]

depending on how bad it is.
a good brush and couple passes of dawn dish soap would do the trick.

its never failed me.

just remove large clumps of build up by hand or hose it off

[Kontact]

Isopropyl alcohol is a great cleaner that’s very cheap and very safe for parts.

I started using it for disc brakes and use it for everything but cleaning the chain now. The chain seems to require stronger stuff sometimes.

Alcohol will damage many finishes.



Most every bike shop that does full cleanings uses hot water, dish soap and brushes. You can do it any way you like, but all other methods are going to take a lot longer. Soap and water dissolve all of the junk that makes bikes dirty.

[Ozz]

I start with using Dawn and hot water over the whole bike...saving the drivetrain for last. Once the big chunks are gone, they I follow up with degreaser on the drivetrain. Currently using a big jug of Zep Citrus Degreaser from Home Depot....That Finish Line stuff sounds interesting though.

Cheers.

[GregL]

A set of these Pedros brushes, a bucket of hot water and dawn dish soap. No need to go so toxic as others have said.
What he said. Keep it simple and as friendly to the environment and the bike parts as possible.

Greg

[Seramount]

it's raining buckets here today, so there's no riding planned.

with time on my hands, this thread prompted me to bust out the cleaning supplies (old t-shirt, Qtips, Pledge) and detail the bike.

since I don't ride in wet conditions or off-road, the bike is usually pretty clean. this morning, from 3 feet away it looks fairly pristine.

but, even so, running the rag around everything, there's lots of black gunk coming off the drivetrain, underside of the BB, brake blocks, rims, etc.

if my CLEAN bike has this much dirt on it, can't imagine what the OP is dealing with.

I'd start with a gallon of gasoline and a match for that mess...

[tculbreath]

+1 for Simple Green

Cut the top off an old bottle, fill it half with your favorite degreaser, and an old tooth brush (place in your seat tube bottle cage)...commence drive train cleaning. Go for broke by adding water, and then re-cleaning rings, cassette, chain, pulleys until they are shinny!

Use the same degreaser (new brush though) to clean around brakes, and the nasty chain stay and BB shell. Once all grease is off, soap and water with a fat sponge is next!

Edit- I always go Drive Train first to prevent grease from getting on my clean sponge and spreading it around. I also have a heavy bristle brush that I use on the wheels/tires, and a narrow brush that I use to get between the spokes until i can see my reflection in my CK Hubs.

Enjoy!

[benb]

Alcohol will damage many finishes.


I was told by one of the engineers @ Hayes to do this after a bike specific brake cleaner destroyed a set of hydro disc calipers I had cleaned. It took a long time but they were pretty adamant it was chemical damage from cleaners.

Haven't seen any damage yet from alcohol.

I will agree it will damage some stuff like Latex paint finishes. Haven't seen any of those on bikes, latex paint would be falling off a bike really fast.

And honestly.. the $$$ saved with alcohol or even automotive stuff over boutique bike stuff is enough to replace the parts at least once.

[Kontact]

I was told by one of the engineers @ Hayes to do this after a bike specific brake cleaner destroyed a set of hydro disc calipers I had cleaned. It took a long time but they were pretty adamant it was chemical damage from cleaners.

Haven't seen any damage yet from alcohol.

I will agree it will damage some stuff like Latex paint finishes. Haven't seen any of those on bikes, latex paint would be falling off a bike really fast.

And honestly.. the $$$ saved with alcohol or even automotive stuff over boutique bike stuff is enough to replace the parts at least once.

I've seen alcohol damage bike paint. I haven't seen soap and water damage anything.

[charliedid]

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/5137fe1b-4c37-4d74-a853-935b5503c596_1.6a81ccd1f56a13dc516cf33d02511817.jp eg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF

yes

[charliedid]

Yeah, this times a million. Finish Line Speed Degreaser.

I know a few other companies make similar products (Motorex, for one). It's definitely different than a rub-on degreaser. It's got propellant, you spray it on, and seriously you watch the grease melt off. It's great for getting your chain back to like new condition so that you can give it a very fresh lube job, and it's good for some other parts that just get disgustingly gunked up.

http://www.finishlineusa.com/images/products/big_FL_SPD_18oz_wHANG_CAP_1000px.jpg

That will melt your brain :-)

[buddybikes]

Has anyone tried this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Green-13406-Aircraft-Precision/dp/B001VXU7OE

looks interesting, just didn't want to buy a gallon if didn't work

[Louis]

It probably works well, but how much cleaning do you plan on doing?

One gallon would last me ages (assuming it didn't all evaporate or otherwise go bad).

[mt2u77]

My vote is for a big bucket of hot soapy water, rag, and a hose. Lots of rinsing, liberal dousing with soap, not much scrubbing until the abrasive stuff is mostly cleaned off. Rinse, repeat as they say.

You’ll use a fortunes worth of the fancy cleaners if you use them from the start, and they won’t provide much benefit until it’s ready for a finishing clean.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sailorboy]

Check the classifieds here daily, there are plenty of new bikes you could buy rather than subject yourself to the ignominy of riding a horribly dirty bike.

[d_douglas]

Well, I finished it and did a totally mediocre job. I just didn’t have the determination to completely cleanse this thing.

He was really happy about my efforts and so I asked what the hell was all over the frame and drivetrain. He told me that someone advised him to spray Boeshield all over the drivetrain! I literally took an exacto knife to the frame and cranks and sliced chunks of hardened Boeshield off!!

[Louis]

I would have had him clean it on his own first, then help him work on any mechanical stuff that needed adjusting. If it's his bike that's the least he could have done.

[Pinned]

For a really dirty bike I'd use degreaser and a hose. For mildly dirty I just use water in a spray bottle, and sometimes Pedros concentrated bike wash if needed. These little ropes from Finish Line (http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/cleaning-tools/gear-floss-microfiber-rope) are also awesome - though you could probably cut up some shop rags and get 75% of the way there too.

[d_douglas]

I would have had him clean it on his own first, then help him work on any mechanical stuff that needed adjusting. If it's his bike that's the least he could have done.


Actually I was completely altruistic. My goal was to sell him my old MTB parts but upon shifting his bike I realized that it actually shifts quite well! Not only did I not make the sale, but I scraped gunk off his bike for 6hrs.

Oh well - he’s a great guy and I owed him one.