I just spray the mud off with a hose. Any greasy stuff that still caked on I spray with a degreaser then spray off with a hose. Then lube everything with a drip bottle (a spray is messy and sprays too much lube).
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
I don't understand why this subject is repeatedly such a dilemma.
A mountain bike is a machine and any quality bike is designed to take a beating. People wash cars and motorcycles all the time without ill effect. Why should a bike be any different. People ride their bikes through river crossings.
If I come home with my bike covered in mud, I hose it off (even in nooks and crannies), let it dry and re-lube. I have been doing that to most of my components for over five years. I've replaced more by breaking them than by wearing them out. Every now and then I'll use a commercially available chain cleaner to get all the muck out of the chain and it obviously results in citrus degreaser getting into the rest of the drive train, specifically the derailleurs and cogs/rings. I've never had any problems and I'll usually brush the stuff over everything. My 2004 XTR derailleurs are still working fine. I'll rinse it off and wash with some dish washing liquid in warm water. Maybe once a year I'll service My Shimano XTR hubs and there is always still clean grease in the hubs, even after degreaser and a hose.
Oh! Before someone tells me it is bad for bearings, my bike is not a hardtail. It's an Intense 5point5. I've only replaced bearings twice in 5½ years
Wash the bike if you feel like it!.:yesnod:
Ronnie.
A mountain bike is a machine and any quality bike is designed to take a beating. People wash cars and motorcycles all the time without ill effect. Why should a bike be any different. People ride their bikes through river crossings.If I come home with my bike covered in mud, I hose it off (even in nooks and crannies), let it dry and re-lube. I have been doing that to most of my components for over five years. I've replaced more by breaking them than by wearing them out. Every now and then I'll use a commercially available chain cleaner to get all the muck out of the chain and it obviously results in citrus degreaser getting into the rest of the drive train, specifically the derailleurs and cogs/rings. I've never had any problems and I'll usually brush the stuff over everything. My 2004 XTR derailleurs are still working fine. I'll rinse it off and wash with some dish washing liquid in warm water. Maybe once a year I'll service My Shimano XTR hubs and there is always still clean grease in the hubs, even after degreaser and a hose.
Oh! Before someone tells me it is bad for bearings, my bike is not a hardtail. It's an Intense 5point5. I've only replaced bearings twice in 5½ years
Wash the bike if you feel like it!.:yesnod:
Ronnie.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
