Want a comfortable mountain bike? Bike upkeep might not be the most exciting a part of mountain biking, but understanding how to clean your mountain bike nicely after a muddy ride is an absolute important.
Cleaning your mountain bike can't most straightforward keep your rig driving smoother for longer, it can save you a whole lot of money inside the system, and it means you can spend a few hours observing longingly into that light frame of yours every night before going to mattress.
You’ve bought mountain bike under $600 or below 500 got the equipment and recognize how to dress for mountain biking, navigated the mountain bike wheel length debate and were given it filthy. Now it’s time to learn how to smooth it.
What You’ll Need To Clean Mountain Bike
If you want to continue on top of the cleansing and condition of your mountain bike we’re afraid genuinely the usage of the old lawn hose isn’t going to cut it.
Brushes, sponges, bicycle cleaner, degreaser, chain lubricant and water repellent are all matters that must be in everyday use to hold your top mountain bike in tip pinnacle situation.
- Access to a garden hose
- Brush and Sponge
- Degreaser / Drivetrain Cleaner
- Water Repellant
- Chain Lube
- A dirty mountain bike
- A mountain bike stand
- A big brush for the bike frame
- A smaller brush for the additives
- Bike cleaner spray
- A material
- Bike polish spray
- Disc brake cleaner spray
Get Your Mountain Bike Dirty
One of the motives human beings become doing more harm than actual even as washing their mountain bike is because they remove it too regularly. Just because there is a bit speckling of dust on the down tube does now not suggest you need to bust out the scrub brushes it’s a mountain bike humans. But in case your bike is undoubtedly dirty, provide it a bathtub.
Washing The Mountain Bike
Find a place to scrub your bicycle, ideally with a bike stand and hose nearby – sometimes bike racks can are available in useful right here. This may be handy at the doorway/go out to your local path center, or if now not, your local bike save ought to assist you to smooth your mountain bike at no cost.
It’s additionally worth remembering if the mud or dirt is already dried when you begin cleansing your mountain bike, you’re going to want to get it moist once more with a purpose to get it off. Your tires ought to be satisfied with just a quick hose and a brush.
Get The Brushes Out
Once you’ve hosed or washed off all the fundamentals, it’s time to get the brushes out. It’s an excellent concept to brush and comfortable from the pinnacle of your mountain bike down so that you won’t be letting the dust fall onto parts of your mountain bike which you’ve already washed.
Use a broad brush for the body to wipe away any ultimate dust, and then use a smaller, more delicate brush to get in the ones smaller spots inside the suspension and drivetrain.
A term used to explain all the components that allow you to pedal the bike forwards; the chain, chainrings, cassette, derailleur, cranks, and pedals – without unfavorable them.
Apply Bike Cleaner and Get Scrubbing
Using cleaning soap and warm water is quality, but this isn’t as powerful as mountain bike cleaner, we used Juice Lubes’ Dirt Juice which is bio-friendly – well worth considering if you want to do your bit for the environment.
Spray the cleaner at the mountain bike, no need to keep away from brakes as the detergent should no longer contaminate them, and leave to paintings for two mins. To ensure no regions are missed it may be less complicated to get into the routine of running from the front of the mountain bike to the back.
With a brush scrub the body, seat, wheels, tires, and cockpit at the same time as rinsing the comb in the water regularly. For extra sensitive areas consisting of stanchions and dropper posts use a gentle and smooth sponge to softly wipe around the seals, for chains and gears it’s well worth retaining a separate brush devoted to the drivetrain to keep away from contaminating your stoppers.
If you do use a brush for degreasing, it will be useless for laundry everywhere else on the bike, as it will instead glaringly coat the bike in a layer of filth!
Getting Rid of Chain Grime
Never use degreaser or disc brake cleaner as those will wash out the oil/grease from among the chain links and this cannot be re-implemented later. We are also skeptical approximately laying the chain in cleansing solutions or using unique chain cleansing devices, which we see as needless. A towel is all you want! Just swipe the dust off the chain.
Wet Your Bike and Spray on some Bicycle Wash
Wet the mountain bike with a hose or a bucket and sponge. If you’re using a strain washer, make sure to stay nicely returned to avoid ruining your bearings. Spray the entire bike with bike wash and depart it to settle according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Brush it Down
Start at the top of your bicycle and move any residual muck from the mountain bike with brushes. Pay unique interest to transfer components which include gears and brakes.
Lube the Chain
Finally, lube the chain by preserving the bottle and progressively dripping it onto the chain even as turning the pedals backward. Wipe off any extra, and spray any steel additives with PTFE lube, again avoiding braking surfaces.
