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How often do you wash your bike?
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 2015-07-12 3:40 PM |
Extreme Veteran  1190    Silicon Valley |  Subject: How often do you wash your bike?This may be a dumb question but how often do you wash your bike? With my work schedule I only ride outside on the weekends. Generally about 100 miles total between the two days. Sometimes the bike gets really dirty and sometimes I can ride for several weekends and it still looks pretty clean. So how do you decide when to actually wash your bike? Is it appearance, number of days/weeks, number of miles, pre-event? Curious what other people do out there. |
| 2015-07-12 5:10 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Champion 7036  Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? I wipe mine down after every ride, especially the chain and drive train. I do a full washdown about twice a month, or when needed due to riding in the rain, etc. My big concern living in FL is keeping sand and grit off the drivetrain and other mechanical components. I keep an old toothbrush by my bike stand to help brush off the derailleurs and brakes. Mark |
| 2015-07-12 5:16 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Master 3127 Sunny Southern Cal | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? I clean my bike at least once a year whether or not it needs it. |
| 2015-07-12 8:10 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Expert 1180 Iowa | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? Took mine to the car wash today and soaped it down good and washed it with high pressure hose. So I guess my answer is every two years.
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| 2015-07-12 10:31 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Expert 2355 Madison, Wisconsin | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? Full strip down to the frame once a year, clean and replace what is needed. Wipe down and drivetrain clean before each race, other then that, just routine maintenance as needed. Chain gets lubed 1-2x week depending on my mileage. |
| 2015-07-13 11:06 AM in reply to: bcagle25 |
Veteran 740 The Woodlands, TX | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? Here's a link to a great article Greg Kopecky published a few years ago with an "ideal-world" bike cleaning and maintenance schedule. Time is one factor, but usage is the other.....A bike ridden 10,000 miles a year obviously needs a lot more attention than one ridden 500 miles a year. http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Bike_Maintenance_Schedule_3877.html |
| 2015-07-13 11:23 AM in reply to: 0 |
| 100 | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? Lots of responses here. In your case, it sounds like you only get out on the road on the weekends, so it shouldn't really get that dirty. I would clean the chain and gears once a week, and then re-lube. Maybe wash it down thoroughly with soap and water once a month. Let it dry completely and then re-lube. Personally I ride at least 3 days a week, on the road. So I lube the chain before each ride, and wash it down weekly. You can tell a big difference between my bike and some others (that are usually dry/dirty) when we hit a downhill. Edited by NewDiz 2015-07-13 11:24 AM |
| 2015-07-13 11:42 AM in reply to: Stuartap |
| 788 Across the river from Memphis, Tennessee | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? i haven't washed my van in 2 years... Then again it's a gold Town & Country so the grime just kind of blends. Whichever bike I ride gets a wipedown after each ride. Haven't done a full-blown wash though... |
| 2015-07-13 12:51 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Extreme Veteran 909 Westchester, NY | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? I don't "wash" my bike as such. I do wipe it down with baby wipes, and clean rags. The drive chain i use degreaser and new lube. I like my chain to gleam !! I hate seeing black chains. |
| 2015-07-13 12:57 PM in reply to: g_shotts |
Extreme Veteran 1190 Silicon Valley | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? Originally posted by g_shotts Here's a link to a great article Greg Kopecky published a few years ago with an "ideal-world" bike cleaning and maintenance schedule. Time is one factor, but usage is the other.....A bike ridden 10,000 miles a year obviously needs a lot more attention than one ridden 500 miles a year. http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Bike_Maintenance_Schedule_3877.html Excellent article, thanks for the post. |
| 2015-07-13 12:59 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Extreme Veteran 1190 Silicon Valley | Subject: RE: How often do you wash your bike? Thanks for all the great feedback. It looks like I am probably not providing the best care for my bike but better than some. Looks like I have some work to do. But that's why I ask questions, to learn. Thanks again, |
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