theBicyclist
01-17-2006, 04:35 PM
Article from BMX-Zone.com, http://www.bmx-zone.com/en-article-id-300.html
This tutorial is great to clean up your bike before you go riding, or if you feel like your bike could use a good shine-up.
Stuff you'll need:
- Your favorite all-purpose cleaner (Fantastico, 409...) not Windex.
- Your favorite chain lube
- Two clean socks, rags, or shop rags
Take your bike and flip 'er upside down. Now, grab one of your rags and your all-purpose cleaner. Spray some generously all over your frame, rims, stem, bars, whatever. You can even spray the cleaner on your crank arms and chainring.
Begin wiping with some elbow grease everywhere you sprayed your cleaner, until the dirt and grime comes off.
I usually start on the underside of the bike, then, flip the bike back over and do the topside of the frame. The bottom bracket area is the area I find that gets gunked up with dirt and grime the most, so I try to spray a little more and rub a little harder in that area.
The one thing that really makes a bike look clean is if your rims are clean. It's actually quite easy, unless they are really mudded up.
Just spray your cleaner around your rim, then take your rag that you've already used for your frame and wipe inbetween the spokes and walls of your rims. They'll be looking great in a jiffy.
Now, for your chain. Grab your favorite chain lube. Doesn't matter if it's teflon-based or not. My favorite is Rock'N Roll lube. Now, despite what it says on your bottle of lube, It's best to first apply the lube liberally all along your chain, turn your cranks so that the chain goes around a few times, then take your other rag (that's still clean) and clean off all you can.
Don't be scared, because the lube has already worked into all the link pivots of the chain, and the rest will just attract dirt. So, don't be afraid to spend a few extra minutes getting that chain really wiped off.
Your bike should be looking great. Spend 15 minutes once a week wiping off your bike, and it'll last a long time. Clean bikes last longer. Plus, it'll be looking great when you go and ride.
Hopefully, I've taught you something. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
This tutorial is great to clean up your bike before you go riding, or if you feel like your bike could use a good shine-up.
Stuff you'll need:
- Your favorite all-purpose cleaner (Fantastico, 409...) not Windex.
- Your favorite chain lube
- Two clean socks, rags, or shop rags
Take your bike and flip 'er upside down. Now, grab one of your rags and your all-purpose cleaner. Spray some generously all over your frame, rims, stem, bars, whatever. You can even spray the cleaner on your crank arms and chainring.
Begin wiping with some elbow grease everywhere you sprayed your cleaner, until the dirt and grime comes off.
I usually start on the underside of the bike, then, flip the bike back over and do the topside of the frame. The bottom bracket area is the area I find that gets gunked up with dirt and grime the most, so I try to spray a little more and rub a little harder in that area.
The one thing that really makes a bike look clean is if your rims are clean. It's actually quite easy, unless they are really mudded up.
Just spray your cleaner around your rim, then take your rag that you've already used for your frame and wipe inbetween the spokes and walls of your rims. They'll be looking great in a jiffy.
Now, for your chain. Grab your favorite chain lube. Doesn't matter if it's teflon-based or not. My favorite is Rock'N Roll lube. Now, despite what it says on your bottle of lube, It's best to first apply the lube liberally all along your chain, turn your cranks so that the chain goes around a few times, then take your other rag (that's still clean) and clean off all you can.
Don't be scared, because the lube has already worked into all the link pivots of the chain, and the rest will just attract dirt. So, don't be afraid to spend a few extra minutes getting that chain really wiped off.
Your bike should be looking great. Spend 15 minutes once a week wiping off your bike, and it'll last a long time. Clean bikes last longer. Plus, it'll be looking great when you go and ride.
Hopefully, I've taught you something. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.