Cleaning equipment and potions
Winter maintenance needs to be performed very regularly, especially with salt on the roads, and the kind of Monday-Friday use my bicycle gets (approx 90 miles per week - can vary).
Materials:
1. Hose pipe that has a 'mist' setting, this will allow just enough water for the job (Too much water is bad, we don't water to enter the bearings if at all possible).
2. Various strengths of citrus based cleaning solutions, they are water soluble and environment safe meaning the job can be performed anywhere outside (no need for dangerous, smelly spirit based products nowadays). I use Muc-off for wheels and frame. FS-1 for drivetrain (used neat).
3. A chain cleaner is a useful tool, but not essential. I have a Park "CM5 Cyclone", this is filled with FS-1.
4. Various nylon brushes.
5. Rubber gloves.
6. Kitchen paper or similar.
7. Patience.
Method:
Clean frame, then wheels and drive train last. You have to turn the bike round halfway, then you get to the other side of the wheels and you can see which bits you've missed on the other side of the tubes.
Rinse, then dry as much as possible - this not only dries the bike, but removes more dirt. Take indoors, or leave outside if weather is good. You need the bike to be a dry as possible. Re-lube chain and control cables. If you really want to go for it then apply polish/wax to frame.
Cleaning equipment and potions
Winter maintenance needs to be performed very regularly, especially with salt on the roads, and the kind of Monday-Friday use my bicycle gets (approx 90 miles per week - can vary).
Materials:
1. Hose pipe that has a 'mist' setting, this will allow just enough water for the job (Too much water is bad, we don't water to enter the bearings if at all possible).
2. Various strengths of citrus based cleaning solutions, they are water soluble and environment safe meaning the job can be performed anywhere outside (no need for dangerous, smelly spirit based products nowadays). I use Muc-off for wheels and frame. FS-1 for drivetrain (used neat).
3. A chain cleaner is a useful tool, but not essential. I have a Park "CM5 Cyclone", this is filled with FS-1.
4. Various nylon brushes.
5. Rubber gloves.
6. Kitchen paper or similar.
7. Patience.
Method:
Clean frame, then wheels and drive train last. You have to turn the bike round halfway, then you get to the other side of the wheels and you can see which bits you've missed on the other side of the tubes.
Rinse, then dry as much as possible - this not only dries the bike, but removes more dirt. Take indoors, or leave outside if weather is good. You need the bike to be a dry as possible. Re-lube chain and control cables. If you really want to go for it then apply polish/wax to frame.