Is there a trick to cleaning hubs?

[veggieburger]

So you wipe down your rims and tires. Run a rag along the spokes. But then there's that part between the spokes - the hub body. Got lots of spokes? You're running a rag in with your finger, sort of like flossing teeth.

There's got to be an easier way!

[Ken Robb]

Take a strip of rag about 1" x 12" and wrap it around the hub one full turn then pull the ends back/forth so the rag polishes the hub.

[Tony T]

Originally Posted by veggieburger

So you wipe down your rims and tires. Run a rag along the spokes. But then there's that part between the spokes - the hub body. Got lots of spokes? You're running a rag in with your finger, sort of like flossing teeth.

There's got to be an easier way!

I do it as you described, but in the olden days:

[Caballero]

Originally Posted by veggieburger

So you wipe down your rims and tires. Run a rag along the spokes. But then there's that part between the spokes - the hub body. Got lots of spokes? You're running a rag in with your finger, sort of like flossing teeth.

There's got to be an easier way!.

.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by veggieburger

So you wipe down your rims and tires. Run a rag along the spokes. But then there's that part between the spokes - the hub body. Got lots of spokes? You're running a rag in with your finger, sort of like flossing teeth.

There's got to be an easier way!

Just depends on how nasty they are. But I spray a mild soap/water mix on them and use a light scrub brush with long bristles. Then a light rinse with water. Air dry then polish.

[Tony T]

Use black hubs

[Andy sti]

Just use a wheel brush. A detailing brush that fits easily through the spokes.

[jeffkoller91]

A bottle scrubber with a sponge end is good to use too (just designate it for only bike cleaning)


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[teleguy57]

Originally Posted by Andy sti

Just use a wheel brush. A detailing brush that fits easily through the spokes.

My recommendation too. The natural fibers release grease/dirt pretty easily in a bucket of soapy water. Really good for under forks and cleaning rim brakes too. I think mine are about 9" long to easily reach the hub through the spokes (great for cleaning the whole wheel).

I think I got a box of a dozen on ebay for pretty cheap. And I think I have 10 of those left -- after giving one away

[johnniecakes]

A light spray with a degreaser mixture, sit for 30 seconds or so and then a shot from the air comnpressor. Do this first since some the over spray will land where you have not yet cleaned.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by veggieburger

So you wipe down your rims and tires. Run a rag along the spokes. But then there's that part between the spokes - the hub body. Got lots of spokes? You're running a rag in with your finger, sort of like flossing teeth.

There's got to be an easier way!

Some used to loosely tie a ring made of a pipe cleaner around the hub so it would stay clean while riding. Haven seen anyone do this in years.

[8eh3iub]

Old toothbrush, Dawn.

[veggieburger]

Originally Posted by Tony T

Use black hubs

Got some black, some silver. The black get just as filthy imo.

Some of these long brushes look good!

[jb_11]

Originally Posted by djg21

Some used to loosely tie a ring made of a pipe cleaner around the hub so it would stay clean while riding. Haven seen anyone do this in years.

GCN posted that trick in a video awhile ago. Looks to be a similar concept to the "Hub Shiners" list above.

[dddd]

I take a roughly 12" x 12" shop rag and drape it over my fingertips, then shove my hand at the hub body and let the hub center fall between my fingers.
You have to do this in three different locations along the wheel to clean the hub all the way around.

If there's real grime on the hub you either put cleaner on the rag or on the hub.

This method can also be used for serious polishing of the hub center and flanges, in which case you have to hit both flanges so go in with the rag at least six times to get all of the surfaces.
I just did my post-winter cleaning/polishing of some old Sunshine hi-flange hubs, only to get them all dirty riding off road a few days later! At least now they will clean up without having to actually polish them again, and cleaning old hubs is therapeutic at times anyway.

Don't use terrycloth here as it tends to snag on the spoke crossings!

It's also possible to wrap a large rag half-way or 180 around the center and pull the ends of the rag back and forth between parallel spoke openings. A "fatter" rag tends to clean all the way out to the flanges and the higher surface velocity can do a good final polishing of bare aluminum.
I use the regular red shop rags/towels.