6 Steps To The Ultimately Clean Bicycle

There is clean, and there is spotless. When it comes to my bicycle I prefer the later. Cleaning my bike is a labor or love. Bike shops do a good job for the most part, but no one will give your bike as much TLC as you will. Not only will it look better, a dirty drive train can rob 1-3% of your power and wears faster. Over the years I have experimented with various methods of cleaning and degreasing my bike and I have finally come up with a system that completely removes the accumulated power robbing gunk. It is not the fastest method; but it is thorough and you will feel the difference. A bike stand will make your job a lot easier, and be sure to work in an area that can get a bit dirty. You may want to note that the cleaning process I am going to recommend does not have to be performed each time you clean your bike but is more of a “deep cleaning” process to be performed periodically. You may not need to perform such a deep cleaning every time, unless you ride in a very dusty area or your bike is extremely dirty. A less involved cleaning process can be used between deep cleanings.

Step 1- The Big Stuff. Start with a bucket of mild detergent (such as Dawn), rinse the bike thoroughly keeping the stream of water aimed downwards. You may want to remove your computer or other electronic devices. Never shoot a high pressure jet of water laterally at your bike or at any of the moving parts. Use a small sponge to remove accumulated dirt, sports drink, and/or energy gel, then rinse again. Make sure you remove all surface dirt as you don't want to rub dirt into your paint job in the later steps.

Step 2- Clean Chain. Chain lubes are meant to be very sticky and they are hard to remove completely. I highly recommend a chain you can easily take off, such as a Wipperman. Not only does this allow you to more thoroughly clean the chain, once removed you have easy access to the drive train without having to work around the dirty chain. It also makes maintenance or repair of the drive train easier. Spray a small amount of WD-40 downwards onto your chain and sprockets as you slowly turn the crank. This will penetrate and lift the grease and oil, and make the next step a lot easier. Remove the chain and soak it for a few minutes in a mild degreasing solution. Agitate the solution or use an old tooth brush to help remove the accumulated chain lube and dirt, then rinse the chain. It should now be free of all dirt and old lubricant. Hang it preferably in the sun to drain and dry.

Step 3- Clean Drive Train. Next spray the drive train components and cassette with a mild solution of degreaser and scrub the front chain rings, cassette, and rear derailleur pulleys until they are clean, then rinse. An easy way to accomplish this is by holding a soft brush on the chain ring while turning the crank. Also clean all areas of accumulated gunk, such as your pedals and in-between your brake calipers. Make sure you do not leave any degreasing solution on your components for an extended period of time and use a product recommended by your bike shop. Some degreasing solutions can harm your paint! Chain cleaning devices do a decent job but they almost always leave some dirt and lube on the chain.

Step 4- Super Lube Drive Train. Your drive train is clean but we are going to do one step better than that. I use a product called “Super Lube Dry Film.” It is a combination of cleaning solvent and lube, but the lube is completely “dry” and leaves a white film of Teflon that will not harm your paint. Wet lubes leave an oily residue that attracts dirt. Spray Super Lube into the crevices of the moving parts of your bike and you will see any remaining amounts of dirt, grease, and oil are blasted out and removed. It is designed to remove small particles. Simply wipe off excess film. Do not spray Super Lube directly into any sealed bearings (wheels, bottom bracket, derailleur pulleys) as the solvent will penetrate and break down their grease. Spray onto the working components of your pedals, brake calipers, and shifters. Using a small amount on a clean cloth, wipe your cables down and spray into the ends of your cable housing. This in itself will make your bike shift more cleanly. Super Lube is also great for quick cleaning components in-between deep cleanings.

Step 5- Lube Chain. You can now put the chain back on. Using a chain lube of your choice put a small amount on the TOP of each link. You do not need to lube the sides of the chain. Run the drive train around a bit and wipe of excess using a clean white cloth. An over lubed chain is a mess and will attract dirt. With a thorough chain cleaning you must ensure each link has a small amount of lube or you will get a “dry link.” This is usually indicated by a squeaking noise. You may want to wipe the chain down a second time after allowing it to sit overnight. The excess lube gravitates to the bottom of each link.

Step 6- Polish. It is now time for the detail. Without a doubt the best product (and easiest to work with) is Honda Pro Cleaner / Polish. You can find this at your motorcycle / ATV store. I have been using this on my motorcycle for years and it is safe for all surfaces (except tires). Spray on a clean cloth and begin wiping your bike down from top to bottom. The great thing about this product is that if there are any remaining drops of lube or dirt it lifts it off and leaves a light protective film. You can also spray some on a rag to remove brake pad build up on your rims. It is safe for carbon fiber.

This is obviously not a 10 minute cleaning but once you get it down to a system it should take under an hour. Be sure to inspect all of your components for wear as you clean. An additional step would be to make sure your bolts are tight; especially at the stem and seat post / seat. Take it for a test ride and you will feel a noticeable difference in shifting and pedaling. A short ride also helps get rid of any water. Deep cleaning your bike is a great pre-race ritual and helps ensure against preventable mechanical failures. Treat your bike nicely and it will return the favor.

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