How to clean a road bike
If you want your bike to last and provide you with years of fun rides it is essential that you take proper care of it. Dusting it off occasionally and keeping it out of the rain just won’t cut it. You need to properly clean your bike after every long ride, make sure to clean the mud off and dry it down. If you do not do this you are risking damaged parts, chain wear and shortened lifespan of your favorite metal pet. Every 2-3 months you need to devote a couple of hours of your time and thoroughly clean and lube your bike.
The first thing you want to do when you start cleaning your road bike is to wash it down with hot water and mild detergent. Grab a rag and get the worst of the dirt off. Start with the handlebars and the seat and move down to tire. Tires are usually the dirtiest so you might want to spend a bit more time on them. Avoid getting water on your brakes and the chain. You will clean them later. When the bike is squeaky clean (well, at least the frame, the rims …show more content…
For this part it would be best if you had some basic bike cleaning equipment such as a chain cleaner and a cassette brush/rack. Pop the chain cleaner over your chain (it is a piece of plastic generally that has a lot of brushes on the inside) and turn the pedals backward so the chain slides through the cleaner. The brushes in the inside will remove the grime and the dirt from the chain. If you cannot get your hands on a store bought chain cleaner you will have to improvise. Don’t worry, there is nothing to it. Simply mix some water based degreaser with water and apply it generously to your chain. Leave it there for a minute or two then take a brush and clean the chain. After that part is done take a piece of cloth and hold it over the chain while turning the pedals. The goal is to run the chain through the cloth to make sure you get all of the dirt and water
If you want your bike to last and provide you with years of fun rides it is essential that you take proper care of it. Dusting it off occasionally and keeping it out of the rain just won’t cut it. You need to properly clean your bike after every long ride, make sure to clean the mud off and dry it down. If you do not do this you are risking damaged parts, chain wear and shortened lifespan of your favorite metal pet. Every 2-3 months you need to devote a couple of hours of your time and thoroughly clean and lube your bike.
The first thing you want to do when you start cleaning your road bike is to wash it down with hot water and mild detergent. Grab a rag and get the worst of the dirt off. Start with the handlebars and the seat and move down to tire. Tires are usually the dirtiest so you might want to spend a bit more time on them. Avoid getting water on your brakes and the chain. You will clean them later. When the bike is squeaky clean (well, at least the frame, the rims …show more content…
For this part it would be best if you had some basic bike cleaning equipment such as a chain cleaner and a cassette brush/rack. Pop the chain cleaner over your chain (it is a piece of plastic generally that has a lot of brushes on the inside) and turn the pedals backward so the chain slides through the cleaner. The brushes in the inside will remove the grime and the dirt from the chain. If you cannot get your hands on a store bought chain cleaner you will have to improvise. Don’t worry, there is nothing to it. Simply mix some water based degreaser with water and apply it generously to your chain. Leave it there for a minute or two then take a brush and clean the chain. After that part is done take a piece of cloth and hold it over the chain while turning the pedals. The goal is to run the chain through the cloth to make sure you get all of the dirt and water