We’ve all been there, cold and soaked to the bone, looking forward to getting back in the door and back to the warm saviour of the shower. But there’s a catch. Your bike is lurking against the wall like a guilty dog waiting to be washed. Unfortunately, no matter what you do it’s going to need cleaned if you don’t want your bike to turn into an expensive pile of seized and creaky metal.

What you need to wash your bike

If you really want to keep on top of the cleaning and condition of your bike we’re afraid simply using the old garden hose isn’t going to cut it. Brushes, sponges, bike cleaner, degreaser, chain lubricant and water repellant are all things that should be in regular use to keep your bike in tip top condition.

  • Access to a garden hose
  • Bike Cleaner such as Juice Lubes Dirt Juice, Muc Off, Hope Sh1t Shifter etc…
  • Brush and Sponge
  • Degreaser / Drivetrain Cleaner
  • Water Repellant
  • Chain Lube
The money spent on cleaning products will justify itself it the long run!
The money spent on cleaning products will justify itself it the long run!

Find the right spot to wash your bike

To make your life easy, you will need access to a hose and it’s best to clean the bike on a hard or easily draining / permeable surface such as gravel. Clamping the bike into a bike stand will help you to get into the hard to reach places like at the bottom of the bottom bracket and the nooks and crannies of the suspension linkages. When clamping try to clamp below the dropper post’s top cap and not on the stanchion which might mean bringing the post out of the frame slightly, but plenty of EWS mechanics simply place a cloth around the jaws of the clamp for efficiency. It’s best to use a low pressure garden hose and avoiding a jet wash as this will strip grease out the bearings and dramatically decrease their lifespan.

Find a surface which which will have no drainage issues.
Find a surface which which will have no drainage issues.

Time to get wet!

Begin to hose the bike down, avoid blasting water into the hubs and frame bearings but focu in getting rid of all the excess mud and grime you can. Think of the hard to reach places; under the seat, inside the steerer tube of the fork, the bottom bracket shell, suspension linkages as these areas can hoard mud.

When spraying the bike down be careful not to force water into hubs or frame bearings.
When spraying the bike down be careful not to force water into hubs or frame bearings.

Apply bike cleaner and get scrubbing

Using soap and warm water is fine but this isn’t as effective as bike cleaner, we used Juice Lubes’ Dirt Juice which is bio friendly – worth thinking about if you want to do your bit for the environment. Spray the cleaner on the bike, no need to avoid brakes as the cleaner should not contaminate them, and leave to work for 2 minutes. To make sure no areas are missed it may be easier for you to get in the routine of working from the front of the bike to the back. With a brush scrub the frame, seat, wheels, tyres and cockpit whilst rinsing the brush in the water regularly. For more sensitive areas such as stanchions and dropper posts use a soft and clean sponge to gently wipe around the seals, for chains and gears it’s worth keeping a separate brush dedicated to the drivetrain to avoid contaminating your stoppers. If you do use a brush for degreasing it will be useless for washing anywhere else on the bike, as it will rather obviously coat the bike in a layer of grime!

Soap is fine but bike wash will break up mud and grime more effectively
Soap is fine but bike wash will break up mud and grime more effectively.
Brushes will help to get the most stubborn mud and marks off
Brushes will help to get the most stubborn mud and marks off.

Getting rid of chain grime

Never use degreaser or disc brake cleaner as these will wash out the oil/grease from between the chain links and this cannot be re-applied later. We are also skeptical about laying the chain in cleaning solutions or using special chain cleaning devices, which we see as unnecessary. A towel is all you need! Just swipe the dirt off the chain.

Chain cleaners are cost effective and will get your chain looking spick and span.
Fail! Don’t use Chain cleaners or degreaser as they wash out the oil from in between the chain links.

Dry & lube

The final step is to lube and spray the correct parts on the bike. Bump or shake off the excess water and if you’re feeling extra generous towards your bike running a cloth over the frame, forks, cockpit and wheel will get it gleaming, this is also a good time to check for damage! With a suitable lube (check our How To), pedal the drivetrain and apply the lube on the chain at the lower jockey wheel which well help avoid it from dripping onto other areas. It’s worth spraying a water repellant spray like GT85 or JL69 on other moving parts and bolts such as pedals and linkages to keep them in tip top condition, once again ensuring not to go near the brake caliper or rotor, if you are worried you can pop a plastic bag over the brakes.

Water repellent helps prevent rust and components seizing.
Water repellent helps prevent rust and components seizing.
Lubing the chain is super important, keeping the drivetrain smooth and long living.
Lubing the chain is super important, keeping the drivetrain smooth and long living.
Now go and get that bike dirty again!
Now go and get that bike dirty again!

Job done! Now and again it’s worth doing a full strip down on your bike, greasing axles, linkages, headsets etc and cleaning up brake rotors, but if you follow the steps above after every wet and muddy ride your bike and wallet will remain in a much better condition!


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