bike wash questions

[andrewclaycomb]

So what do you all use when washing your bikes? Any specific products work well or better than others? Also any special techniques such as covering the pods while soaking the bike, running the bike while washing, etc...

[sharpy]

cleaning

I use truck wash on the wheels and motor and Meguires car wash on the paint. I have clips to help me remove the seat as to protect the seat from water so it wont rust. Then when its washed i go for a short ride to dry it off and come home and WD40 the chain and polish it. Oh and polish the alloy (2 hr job)

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Best thing for the bike is to use damp cloths followed by dry cloths.
Water is the enemy. I never take a hose to my bike. High pressure is even worse.
May seem like more work to some but it's better if you think long term. If you plan to own the bike a much shorter amount of time, the slow damage caused by water probably won't matter. It will be someone elses problem.

[jimcor]

Twice, or so, a year depending on wet weather riding, I'll ride down to the spray car wash and Gunk the engine and wheels and do a general spray down with water. Bike's gotta really be dirty for me to do this for water is NOT your friend, unless you ride in the desert, but I digress.

Otherwise I now use Behold Spray furniture polish to clean and shine the bike. It's the best and cheapest spray cleaner I've found. $2 USD for a big spray can at the Dollar stores. Others I've used that work well: American Honda's Spray Cleaner& Polish, pricey, smells good, Pledge, another good one still it's costs more than Behold and the lemon version does attract bees till it dries. Family Dollar Spray Polish one buck a can almost the same as Behold it's just not as cheap because it comes in smaller cans.

To clean wheels and chain lube off fender WD-40.

[renobruce]

I use a hose and car wash soap in a bucket. I take the seat off, or put it up on it's hinges. Then I use compressed air to dry it and get the water out of the nooks and crannies, and off the wiring loom. Then I finish it off with a chamois. If I didn't have an air compressor, I would do like Keith does with minimal water.

[tkent02]

I just soak the hell out of it...

I run it long enough to make sure that it will start right up afterwards. Let it cool enough that the pipes or whatever don't sizzle the degreaser, it leaves stains. Use a pressure washer, hose, coin op carwash, whatever. Tons of water, degreaser, more water, more degeaser if needed, spray it way down inside the places the sun don't shine. Then when it's as clean as it's gonna get, blast down the highway untill it is surely and completely dry, then go for a ride to make sure. I agree water is bad for a garage queen, but on a real world bike that gets road grundge, rain, snow, oil, mud, grease, blood, salt, gum and God knows what else on it, a lot of water is a good thing.

Any cleaning regimen that cuts into riding time is counterproductive.

Never had a bike get rusty, I guess they don't rust while they're running down the road.

[renobruce]

Garage Queen? Maybe mine, but Keith's bike has over 100,000 miles on it.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Sounds like my cleaning method and maybe my bike is being targeted.
My bike has 130,000 miles and I plan to keep it forever and in good cosmetic/running shape. Since how I clean it today may come back to haunt me years from now, I never wash it down or use harsh cleaners or high pressure.
It really doesn't take any longer to go over the bike with a damp cloth in one hand and a dry one in the other. It may seem like it but it doesn't. Maybe I've become so good at "towel triwling" that I should suggest it for the Olympics. I don't miss a spot.
Water and cleaners will go places you don't want it and you won't get it all out. High pressure forces them into seals and chains and electrics. I think most people are just taught as kids how something should be cleaned and follow that.
My method isn't for everyone. Mine has long term benefits that won't matter to most. My method doesn't cut into my riding time and the only cleaner bikes you'll see out there are either show bikes or bikes only used for weekends here and there.

[J_C]

Honda Wash and Wax, or similar type product. I never wash my sportbike. I just wipe it down every few rides.

[gsgeezer]

You can pressure wash the wheels and tires, but I try to stay away from the electrics, especially on old bikes!

[jimcor]

Ahh, my 80 550L Garage Queen has 95,800 plus miles on it and looks pretty good for a bike that sleeps outside every night.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Yes it does. But it's your bike for heavens sake, not a dog!

[jimcor]

Yes it does. But it's your bike for heavens sake, not a dog!

The apartment complex won't let me keep it in the living room.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

The apartment complex won't let me keep it in the living room.

Yeah, I know. That's a bummer. I assume you toss a couple of nice warm blankies on her at least?

[jimcor]

Yeah, I know. That's a bummer. I assume you toss a couple of nice warm blankies on her at least?

Oh yeah, if I'm not riding it stays covered up. Three reasons, out of sight out of mind, nobody has ever messed with it, everybody thinks it's broken...an assumption I'm happy to spread. UV protection, sun can be worse than water, and of course the last is precip. One of the tricks to storing a bike outide is keep it buttoned down tight but still make sure it gets plenty of ventilation, keeps condensation away. And just before winter sets in hard, remove seat, side panels, mirrors, windshield, battery etc.