Bike Washing Detergent

[wallymann]

pretty much any quality grease-cutting dish detergent. the bulk stuff @ costco works fine. rinse well immediately.

i follow-up and hit all the nooks-and-crannies with compressed air to chase out water, but that's completely optional.

[Billybob62]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

I left a good chain in Simple Green overnite and in the morning it was rusted. Ouch.

ditto with a cassette

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Link to instructional Youtube video or it didn't happen!

Here you go, link to instructional wash video.

[LouDeeter]

I only use a moist rag unless I have a LOT of sand/dirt (no detergent), then I will drizzle water over the area of dirt build up to remove most of the surface. No pressure washing as that can push moisture into the bearings. Change the rag often to prevent scratches. Then, use a spray wax regularly to remove light grit and other build up, again with a clean rag. I use a rag (old socks are great) to clean the chain and pulley wheels often. Then, just toss them in the trash on trash day. My wife allows me to wash my old rags that don't have black grease on them with the towels. I lube the chain about once every two weeks by dropping a dab of oil on each bushing, then cleaning the outside of the links after running the chain a few times to allow the oil to seep into the moving areas. I lube the moving pivots of the brakes and derailleurs about once a month. I also don't ride in rain unless I get caught in it, so that would entail a different approach to cleaning and lubing.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by wallymann

i follow-up and hit all the nooks-and-crannies with compressed air to chase out water, but that's completely optional.

We recently moved to a house with a basement shop. PO left me some good stuff, including some Shop Smith woodworking tools and a basic vertical compressor. I moved the compressor to the utility room and plumbed copper airlines to the garage and to the shop.

Nice having air available.

Now I need to build a small closet for the compressor for sound management. It's pretty darn loud, and it's in a 10x10 concrete floor/walled room, which echoes like crazy!

[ultraman6970]

You can use wet butt wipes, they work awesome with grease.

[Hellgate]

For a full wash I start with hosing the entire bike off. Then spray with Simple Green bike cleaner foam. Let sit a few minutes. Then wash with HEB Ginger Orange dish detergent, best .97 cents you'll spend on soap. Then dry with microfiber towels. Works great for raw Ti and 40 YO paint.

[Zoomie80]

I use whatever I have for washing/detailing my car. Typically it's Meguiars Gold Class shampoo...a couple cap fulls in a half-bucket of water, gently wash using a microfiber car wash mitt (takes a couple minutes at most). Then gently dry with a microfiber towel.

For a quick clean, a few squirts of Meguiars Gold Class Quick Detailer on a small microfiber towel does the trick for me.

I've been caught in the rain a few times and rode home w/ mud, grass, worms all over my bike. I give the whole bike a gentle rinse to loosen/remove debris before washing with car wash shampoo. I make an extra effort to clean the wheels and brakes/pads, anything that pivots or spins--then lube once dry.

[Unpredictable]

If you need to use simple green.....Use Simple Green Extreme Aircraft. It is much better and won't stain or etch alloy....I like it
a bunch. For most mild cleaning, I just use Dawn too.

https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Green-...treme+aircraft