For gravel and road bikes ?
My routine is usually a quick spray, avoiding rubber and bearings, with muc-off, or Peatys foaming stuff, then hose and brush to agitate, then a thorough rinse (hose on gentle spray/sprinkle). I’ll use a chain degreaser in a park chain scrubber if required every few washes.
so the Muc-off and Peatys bottles are empty, I think I preferred the latter. Anything better out there ?
Car shampoo, a bucket of warm water, and an assortment of sponges, brushes and microfibre cloths.
The bike will be just as clean as if you'd used harsh degreasers. It doesn't dull finishes. It doesn't strip off any waxes/silicone shine/ceramic you might have used. The bearings and bushings will thank you!
Chain comes off and goes in the hot wax every few weeks.
Fairy liquid.
I know people will tell you the salt will kill your bike but I don't leave it to dwell and I rinse thoroughly. I keep my bikes for the long haul and those who know me will vouch for the fact my bikes are immaculate.
Chain gets a wipe with IPA on a microfibre cloth or a boiling water rinse and a Silca drip top up if needed. More likely, it gets swapped for another chain and sits in the pile to get rewaxed.
Every (nearly) ride - hose down, little GT85 squirt on mech pivots and jockey wheels.
Every so often - hose down, weak washing up liquid solution in a squirty bottle squirted all over, rub down with a cloth/brush, hose down, little GT85 squirt on mech pivots and jockey wheels.
Used to like the Guy Martin bike wash stuff, but it is quite hard to get hold of the non motorbike version, so I've been using Peaty's concentrated foam stuff of late.
Used to like the Guy Martin bike wash stuff,
I liked the concept , but found that it seized up the squirter nozzles. I suspect it was the disolvable sachet that did it.
I've just gone back to a dash of washing up liquid.
I was tempted to get some car shampoo but they all seem to have wax in them. Someone can tell me I'm wrong but I didn't think that was a good idea to use on a bike (risk of contaminating brakes pads, although appreciate cars have brakes too!).
Anyway, I'm currently using Peaty's Loam Foam and Peaty's Foaming Degreaser and like both of them so will buy again once they run out.
I only clean the whole bike if it's proper manky, but do clean the drivetrain after every few rides. Chain gets lubed with Peaty's All Weather, which I'm not so fond of so will try the Dry version next, or may buy a pre waxed KMC Chain and their wax lube.
Usually use Halfords own, but for some reason I recently used hot water and washing up liquid and it did a much better job. Really wish I'd had a hot outdoor tap when we had the kitchen done.
The lad I use for repairs/maintenance when I don't have the time or specific tools swears by Rhino Goo
https://www.demon-tweeks.com/rhino-goo-fast-action-cleaner-goofac10/
He also uses this and I've seen bikes treated with it almost clean after a ride when everyone else is caked in mud
Rinse
Chain cleaner with degreaser - Screwfix no nonsense diluted.
Bit of degreaser on the brush and a scrub
Second brush with a helping of degreaser on the chain/ cassette and chainring
Rinse
Wet lube on the chain
If the bikes not dirty, I'll just leave it. Up to 100 miles on the road bike, 40 or so on the MTB.
I've got a lot less meticulous since having kids
Chain cleaner with degreaser - Screwfix no nonsense diluted.
Have you bought any of this recently, mixed reports on the website, I suspect the formulation has changed for a more eco/less effective blend.
Whatever the cheapest "Fairy Liquid" equivalent is in Aldi. Diluted in a garden spray bottle.
TBH I'm not a frequent washer of (my own) bikes but we just used washing up liquid on the bike hire fleet too and they were washed after every hire, so often several times per week. There was no impact on paint finish, bare metal or anything else.
As above - car wash can contain wax which will contaminate brakes. Muc-Off is too harsh and also contaminates brakes. I’ve had good results with Silca stuff - it’s expensive but you literally need a quarter of a capful to do a mucky road bike - I’m only a quarter of the way through a bottle and I’ve had it 6 months. I ride 2-3 times a week and my bikes are always spotless to give you an idea of usage.
Our neighbour has just bought a caravan and parked it in front of our kitchen window. His drive is 2 foot above ours so we can't see the sky. He is oblivious to our requests to move it back a bit but as our outside tap is right there I'm looking for the bike wash that will leave the most permanent residue when sprayed on by a Karcher on full blast.
I’m still
working through a huge stockpile of Juice Lubes Super Gnar (watered down to normal Gnar wash), still doing the job.
I thought the washing up liquid salt thing was disproved. It contains "salts" as thickeners but not table salt. They may have moved on since then as there are many ways to formulate soaps.
Fwiw I'd go with Fenwicks. It works well and the last few big events I've been to they are there supporting. Offering advice, providing cleaning stations and getting involved. Means a lot to see companies pitching in like that. So they get my money.
I leave it in the garage for a week and hopefully the mud is dry enough to fall off next time I ride.
I only really clean them if I need to do work on them. Occasionally I'll give them a brush down if they're really filthy but only once the mud has dried.
Chain gets a bath in boiling water followed by a plunge into hot Putoline after a few hundred miles in summer and few rides in winter.
When I do wash them, I'll use a Worx Hydroshot (from a distance) to knock the worse off and then a wash mit in a bucket of water with car shampoo if I've got any and if not, a squidge of washing up liquid.
I did try using spray on wax for a while but other than making the invisiframe nice and shiny, it made sod all difference. The mud and crud still stick to it like poo on a blanket so I went back to method one which is leaving them in the garage.
Car shampoo. Big 20l containers direct from Turtle Wax work out very cheap. Muc off is nasty on certain surface treatments.
I use Carpro Reset, mostly as that's also what I use on my car but it doesn't contain wax or polymer additives either, which is important with exposed discs etc. On my road bike I found doing the Gtechnic ceramic coat really helps to, seems less impressive on the MTB (its a bit easier to clean still but mud manages to stick to it pretty well)
It's really not difficult to find a car shampoo without wax, there are literally hundreds. I just use mine and every wash must work out at a couple of pence but if people prefer to spend £ for the same result because the bottle bears the name of a famous cyclist, why not?
Best degreaser is a bottle of APC at £1 in any supermarket which will dilute to one's preference(s). Same remark as above.
Most grime is soluble - in shampoo. So a degreaser is not required most of the time. Save your ££ and bearings. Also, chain cleaning without water saves ££.
Bucket & brush (not a sponge). A light shampoo of sorts (not alkaline, no wax). Clean bike. Gentle rinse from a distance.
After the wash, I put liquid paraffin in my chain cleaner and that gets rid of the old lube. No need for a water displacer afterwards, as paraffin is oil based.
Dry the bike with a microfibre, then dry the chain at the end. Quick wipe of chainring and jockey wheels after.
For anything more stubborn/greasy, just a little spray with IPA and a quick wipe (like that layer of crap you get on a dropper post, or lube on the chainstay).
Thanks all, will likely get some shampoo in Halfords, am well stocked with buckets, brushes, hose and cloths 🤪
@BigJohn Mucoff is ideal for damaging most surfaces if you leave it on for longer than a nanosecond! It should suit your purposes admirably.
Have you bought any of this recently, mixed reports on the website, I suspect the formulation has changed for a more eco/less effective blend.
The new stuff is caustic.
Someone can tell me I'm wrong but I didn't think that was a good idea to use on a bike (risk of contaminating brakes pads, although appreciate cars have brakes too!).
It's never been a problem for me.
If it was a problem then it would come with a great big warning not to be used anywhere near car/motorbike disks and tyres.
If you're really worried, just buy the expensive "detailers" shampoo that doesn't come with wax in it.
A bit like the "washing up liquid contains salt" hysteria, I suspect it's a problem dreamt up by the marketing departments at bike cleaner / screen wash companies.
Mucoff is ideal for damaging most surfaces if you leave it on for longer than a nanosecond! It should suit your purposes admirably.
I once left a bottle outside and UV must have got to it, the leak ate the masonry paint, and left a bottle sized depression in the stone lintle!
Big bottle of Elbow Grease from who ever has it when I'm in the shops. A brush to agitate and spray off.
@BigJohn Mucoff is ideal for damaging most surfaces if you leave it on for longer than a nanosecond! It should suit your purposes admirably.
I learned quite early on.. I may have forgotten to rinse if off the front of my motorbike many years ago.
Needless to say - the windscreen crumbled (where it meets the fairing), and various decals started peeling off the fairing.
Oh, that would be a shame.
Have used Muc Off, Uberbike wash, Rhino Goo etc in the past and honestly can't say any of them are particularly better than a warm bucket of water with a splash of Fairy.
Anyone who says "but washing up liquid is corrosive and damages your bike" needs to get their head checked. How can a mild detergent formulated to be used daily by the general public without protective equipment be more corrosive than any of the specialist bike washes above which contain industrial chemicals? And how can the miniscule amount of salt that may or may not be in washing up liquid damage any component on your bike, especially when diluted with tens of litres of tap water?
‘Specialist’ bike wash is the most expensive snake oil for the gullible.
Water and a sponge/ brush, washing up liquid optional!
