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Properly cleaning a tri bike

mcstrangelovemcstrangelove
in General Training Discussions

Newbie question here (sorry). My bike is a year old and it's already showing signs of rust on the bolts and derailieur.  I'm starting to wonder if I'm not properly cleaning it.  I figure it's a legitimate concern considering it's the most expensive item I own (including my car).

I've gotten all sorts of questionable advice from spraying it down with a garden hose (not gonna do that 'cause of the PowerTap) or taking the entire thing apart and washing each piece separately in a bucket of degreaser (not gonna do that 'cause I don't wanna screw it up putting it back together).

After an hour workout along the beach, my bike is coated in sand and salt.  Multiply that by 3-4x a week and my bike gets nasty real quick.

Any advice on what to do, what kind of cleaner to use, frequency, and the most reliable chain lube to use?

Thanks!

Comments

  • Spokane_AlSpokane_Al

    I use diluted Simple Green to clean the chain with a tool similar to a Park Chain Cleaner .  I take three passes each time in that I run the chain through the cleaning tool, empty and wash it out, refill, and follow this process two more times.  I catch the used Simple Green solution in a bucket for the next step.

    I then use a Park Bike Cleaning Brush Set and scrub down the rest of the gearing, brakes, all the nooks and crannies etc. with my left over Simple Green solution.  

    Afterwards I take the bike, on my stand, into the front yard and gently squirt it down with a water hose (and yes I have a Power Tap that I have owned since 2008).  I wash the entire bike with a sponge and dish washing soap, rinse it off with the hose and then dry it off.  I lube the chain with teflon lube and add a few drops of regular lube to the rear derailer gears and am good to go.

    The challenge when using a teflon based chain lube is that you need to crank your pedals like crazy by hand to get the drive train warmed up to seat the teflon lube.  If you don't the teflon lube will instantly collect all kinds of crap on your first ride.  This works best when done on a hot day in the sun.

    I follow this process weekly during the outdoor riding season (yes I have the process set up as a weekly task in MS Outlook).  If I rode along a beach like you I suspect that I would need to do this more frequently.  I would think that the sand and salt, if not cleaned regularly, could cause havoc on your drive train and all your moving parts.

  • David AmbroseDavid Ambrose
    Don't know if it is accurate, but my local tri bike shop insists Simple Green will eventually do harm to bike paint jobs, chains, and gearing.
  • Spokane_AlSpokane_Al

    @David, that may be true, however my n=1 experience is that I have been using it on my two bikes since 2007 without any problems. It is cheap - a gallon will last me the entire season, and it can be dumped on to the yard afterwards without worry. I like it because it is gentle, biodegradable and works great. 

    As I mentioned, I dilute it with water before using.  Following up with a good soap and water washing  afterwards helps to make sure that no residue remains.

    Not to question the expertise of any bike shop, but would guess that they probably offer a cleaning solution that costs much more than Simple Green.

  • chris malonechris malone
    There are a couple of different types of Simple Green, one of which is extra strength or something, for cars maybe, and not recommended for bikes. I think the regular stuff, diluted is okay.
  • chris malonechris malone
    I've watched the pro team guys clean the bikes with compressed air. Have always wanted to try that. Really gets the grime off and out of the nooks.
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    After I sweat all over my bike on every ride in the summer, I hose it off. Then dry it, bounce it a few times to get more water off and dry it again. If I'm ambitious, I'll turn on my air compressor and dry it with that. I'll soak the cassette every other month or so and reinstall it, plus get the grime off all the spinners, etc. And for good measure, let the LBS rebuild it about every 18 months. Still, corrosion is going to happen, especially the way I sweat on my bikes. Found out how bad when I cracked my stem this year due to corrosion.
  • mcstrangelovemcstrangelove

    Thanks for the info.  I've been using diluted Simple Green and/or Lysol cleaner and a chain gang tool.  I've hosed it off once, and while it was a super fast and efficient method, I wasn't sure if it was the best idea.  I certainly don't seem to be cleaning it as frequent as everyone else.  I only cleaned it twice last season (Feb thru August).  I don't have the time to thoroughly clean it once a week, but at least once a month will be better than I've been doing.

  • Michele CellaiMichele Cellai
    Nemo lives by the beach in Nags head and has to clean after every ride.
  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Posted By Michele Cellai on 12 Oct 2011 02:29 PM

    Nemo lives by the beach in Nags head and has to clean after every ride.



    Yup.  Sand is everywhere.  I wipe the whole bike down, clean the chain with a rag & some diluted simple green, and then lube the chain.  Sand still gets in there and a weekly complete chain clean would probably be a good idea as well, but I generally save that task for when I'm swapping a wheel, changing a cassette, or other task.

  • Chris M.Chris M.

    @Mac- I did multiple 3-4 hour rides in downpours this summer and the PT was not harmed at all.  There is a rubber gasket that gets sealed when you reinstall the cap after changing the battery.   When I got home I had to turn my bike upside down and pour all the water out through the internal cable routing holes in the top tube and the PT never skipped a beat.

     

     

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