Mountain Bike How To - Clean your bike

Addressing the cleaning of your bike may seem too rudimentary even for a beginner. We would agree, except that recently we watched in horror as a buddy took a high-pressure washer to his $7000 dual-suspension trailbike. Friends just don't let friends take a pressure washer to their bike. Here is how you should do it.

Stuff you will need
1. a bucket
2. soap of your choice (we use CT10)
3. a brush
4. a sponge
5. a few towels
6. a hose attached to a water supply

1. Soften it up: Put your bike in a stand or lean it against a wall.
Take the hose and just let the water fall over the frame tubes, wheels, saddle and bar. Notice we don 't use a spray nozzle.
Blasting your bike's suspension pivots or your wheels' hubs can push dirt into the bearing area or force grease out. Neither is good for the long-term welfare of your bike.

2. Warm bath: Dip your sponge in the bucket tilled with warm water and your detergent of choice. Attack you r bike with the sponge. Don't worry about the wheels yet.

3. Another option: Muc-Off, is a cleanser formulated for cleaning bikes. After hosing off the bike, you spray on Muc-Off, let it sit a few minutes, loosen the big grime with a
sponge and then hose it off. By the way, there are hundreds of soaps and cleaning formulas (like Muc-off) available to cyclists.
There is nothing wrong with using them, but we've gotten along just fine using dish washing soap. Hose down the bike until the dirt is rinsed. Note again, we don't blast the water in a stream.

4. The gross stuff: Dip your brush in the so apy water and rub down the drivetrain. If you lubed your chain properly it should only take one pass. If you glopped on the lube and didn't remove the excess, you may have to attack small sections at a time to get the grime off.

5. Clean Gears: Spin the drivetrain while running the hose over it.

6. Water wheels : we saved the wheels for last because the drivetrain cleaning is
liable to get the rear wheel dirty. Same drill as the frame. Get the wheels wet, rub
them down with a soapy sponge (you can take the brush to the brake calipers) and hose everything off.

7. Towel it off: Use your towels to dry the bike. There are a number of bike waxes and polishes. We have not found that they make a big difference, but hey, its your baby. If you want to pamper it, go for it.

8. Dry links: Pay attention to drying your chain. Once dry, apply lube of your choice and wipe off excess.

9. Look and learn: Use your cleaning time to inspect your frame, suspension components and wheels for damage or signs of trouble. You can find a stress fracture whilst washing your bike or landing off a six foot jump. Which sounds better to you?