[Closed] Whose bike is also constantly caked in an impenitrable layer of filth?

Me too, just quick wash & lube of the chain & fork stanchions here, mind you my bike looks kak even when it is clean

Currently riding about once a week, and I'm pretty sure the filth is actually holding my bike together. To the point where I had a few very wet days in the Lakes last week and I think the puddles actually left the bike cleaner than when I got there!

Naah, I'm with you. What's the point of getting that Autoglym gleam every time I ride, when I could just spend the time doing some extra riding? I'm reasonably good at cleaning the drivetrain (less so on the singlespeed, where there's REALLY not much point in worrying too much). But other than that I buy dependable stuff, use full-length outers, and generally don't worry too much about seeing my reflection in it.

Dismantled my bike after the last outing to give everything a major overhaul (or replace bits), so took the opportunity to clean it up a bit, especially around the fiddly bits. Still a bit mucky, and would need a good waxing to make it shiny again (which isn't gonna happen).

Other bike was purposefully matt black powder coat, so will never be shiny.

Actually Andy - my bike is gleaming at the moment, as I've just done the same. I fitted a new drivechain and sealed cables yesterday, so thought I'd treat it to a proper clean. This cleanliness will last until approximately 6.30 this evening 😀

apart from keeping the drive chain clean

Here's mine at the minute. I'll splash a bit of lube on the chain before I ride it again tomorrow.

[img] [/img]

Actually, round here the muck seems quite sandy. So often let it dry, then brush/hoover it off.
Chain+mech obviously get cleaned every 2-3 rides (well just a wipe, and stick a screwdriver into the rear mech jockey wheels to scrape off the black cake, then relube).

Blimy! I'm not fastidious, but I always give them a wash, brush up and lube after a ride. Like one of the blokes at work says, you've got to look after your pony.

I like to give mine a clean every now and again, after a particularly muddy ride I hose it off while the mud is still wet. I lube the chain if it is getting noisy or looking a bit orange/dry. I normally spray the stanchions with silicone but the nozzle broke off about 6 months ago and I havn't bothered replacing it. Come to think of it I don't have any chain lube either.

Never, unless I'm doing maintenance on it, before every ride I make sure stanchions are clean and lube the chain, have done for years with no problems whatsoever, I do about 10 hours riding a week and change the whole drivetrain once a year.

Actually I do dunk it in a nearby stream, river, canal at the end of a ride if there's one near otherwise don't bother

Let the mud dry then brush it off

Squirt lube on the geared bikes means drivetrain care can be kept to a minimum

If the bike is covered in wet mud at the end of the ride then a quick hose down does make sense

Singlespeed comes out when things get silly muddy

I don't have time to be constantly polishing bikes

Got one of those brand x powered cleaners from CRC clearance for 60 quid, I leave it in the car then give the bike a jet wash off( its only about 60 psi so no worries with seals etc) and a quick spray with muc off type stuff and a brush with a small brush then a quick rinse - takes about 5-10 minutes and it cleanish til next time

haven't wash my bike as such for 2 years, just let dry then brush it down to top soil the lawn. I just find stuff seems to work better without water, brakes remain more consistent between rides ( except when I am clumsy brushing down the cassette 😳 ), bottom brackets last a long time and thomson seat post (even though caked in mud) stop squeaking.

apart from keeping the drive chain clean

+1
that's all it needs

I will give the forks a wipe and lube and I am almost OCD with my uppy-downy post that begins with the letter J that dare not be named on this forum. It still works fine, so its paid off.

I hose mine down if it's really muddy, but that's because I keep it hanging up and when the mud dries it falls off and makes a mess in the garage. The sign that it really needs a clean is when the bits that are supposed to go round won't go round any more.

Can't help feeling that some of the more fastidious cleaners are asking for trouble what with all that degreaser around the moving parts.

It takes about 5mins to wipe down the drive train and re-lube. It takes an additional 5-6mins to spray the whole bike with a hose, quick go with the soft brush on the bits that didn't get clean, then hose again.

I keep my bikes in the house so 5mins extra spent doing it as soon as I get back saves me the 5mins sweeping up the dry mud that has fallen off over night.

I ride most weekends and at least one night ride a week in similar conditions to you. I really don't understand your "life's to short" predicament. It sounds more like you just can't be arsed, which is fair enough, but making out like anyone who does clean their bike is "anal" is no way to justify a position.

Stanchions each ride, and give the chain a half arsed clean and oil every few rides, and apart from brushing dry mud off especially the jocky wheels and front chain ring, that's all i've done since march apart from service the forks, and clean the heaset. It may be different components, but this regime has meant stuff has lasted longer than in previous years with hose/jetwash/cleaning chemicals. The XT BB for example has lasted a year so far, where as before it would be 9 months.

It sounds more like you just can't be arsed

Fair comment

but making out like anyone who does clean their bike is "anal" is no way to justify a position

I wasn't saying that at all, to be honest fella. Just saying that the degree which some people go to, does seem a tad excessive IMHO. For something that is going to end up utterly filthy the very next time you take it out

Fair enough I can understand that more. I mean I'll give the stanchions a wipe after a hose down but I only fork juice them and get the seals cleaner every few weeks not every ride. Saying all that I don't even actually re-lube after every ride, wet lube in the winter/wet summer does it's job. 🙂

I have to spray mine off after each ride, because the bike lives in my bedroom.

My wife would not be best pleased if we were joined in there by Welsh woodland creatures that decided to detach from my bike at 2:00 a.m.

I hose the mtb's off as soon as i get back and lube chain then now and again they get a proper strip and degrease