When should I clean my bike?
Set up a cleaning routine depending on;
- how often you ride. The more you ride the more you should clean e.g. commuters/everyday riders should clean once a week.
- how the weather is. Wet weather flicks up grime and grit from the road.
- where you tend to ride. Mountain biking tends to cover the bike in dirt so it will need sprayed down more often than a bike that travels on the road.
What should I use to clean my bike?
A goRide general bike cleaning kit would have;
- gentle degreasing detergent e.g. biodegradable dishwashing liquid
- sponge and soft cloth
- toothbrush/paintbrush (small to medium size)
- bucket
Grab your kit, give a couple of squirts of detergent into your bucket and fill it up with water.
How should I clean my bike?
Flip your bike upside down to clean it. You will be able to see where all the dirt from the ground has flicked up to.
Mud/grit/sand needs to be removed – gently spray your bike with water if the mud is still wet otherwise use your brush and detergent/water combo to wet and loosen any dry dirt.
Whats the paintbrush for? The bristles from the brush help to move out any dirt, gravel, sand etc from places they may have got lodged in. The brush is also very good at creating lather on your frame or tyres.
Whats the toothbrush for? Getting into small, tricky places.
Whats the sponge for? Rubbing – any hard to move bits of dirt.
Whats the soft cloth for? Use the edge to run between the disks in your rear cluster.
Now spray your bike down to remove all detergent. Don’t use a high pressure water hose on any moveable parts of your bike. Its essential water does not get forced into any spaces in your bike that has bearings.
Let your bike drip dry or give it a rub down with a towel. Then store it in a protected/covered place where it can remain dry. Water left on your bike will damage it….
A clean bike looks good, performs better, lasts longer and is easier to maintain.
Thanks for reading Cleaning Your Bike. Used together our stories and resources support you to achieve and develop as a rider. Do it, at your own pace, in your own time, in a fun, supported way – the goRide way.
Terminology – if there is any jargon or terms in our story you are unsure of then check it out in our riding terminology
goRide is a shared journey, so we would like you to assist in guiding it along the way. Contact us with your thoughts, comments or feedback. Thank you for being a part of the goRide way.
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