Comments on: Screw The House, Clean Your Bike! http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/ Where every man is king. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:08:30 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ffolliet http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-43084 ffolliet Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:07:05 +0000 http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/#comment-43084 chain cleaning is a dawdle with something like this (no conflict of interest just good pic) http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/lifeline-chain-care-kit-mai.jpg clip it over the chain, turn a few times and it's spotless. makes a HUGE difference. same cleaner on the cassette (gears at the back) and you'll notice the difference whether you are Armstrong or mortal. best of all you don't have to remove anything. following that proper lubricant is essential otherwise it'll cease and all your work'll be in vain. chain cleaning is a dawdle with something like this (no conflict of interest just good pic)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/lifeline-chain-care-kit-mai.jpg

clip it over the chain, turn a few times and it’s spotless. makes a HUGE difference. same cleaner on the cassette (gears at the back) and you’ll notice the difference whether you are Armstrong or mortal. best of all you don’t have to remove anything.

following that proper lubricant is essential otherwise it’ll cease and all your work’ll be in vain.

]]> By: Cycle 365 http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-43069 Cycle 365 Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:43:28 +0000 http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/#comment-43069 Don't use a scouring pad for bike cleaning! Most are no better than steel wool or brillo which "clean" by scratching away the surface. Problem is that the newly scratched surface will now much more easily collect grease, dirt and grime. Especially a problem with anodized aluminium bike parts like rims which have a micro thin hardened surface you are scratching away. "Scotch Brite" is a complete line of cleaning pads. The Scotch Brite "Dobie" pads are nylon and O.K. to use but most are bad news for bikes. "Dawn" dishwashing soap is a great degreaser. Dawn and paper towels should take off any grime on the rims without heavy scrubing. Window cleaner works great for the painted frame. The wax based chain lubes such as "Ice Wax" work great as they are non greasy so everything stays much cleaner (and lasts much longer without the road grit and sand). After a winter of not riding be sure to pump up the tires. If you're a casual rider ask a cyclist friend to check your seat height. Often it's set way too low and you are not effectively using your leg muscles (your leg should be close to straight on the full downstroke). Even though I bike year round, I'd wait till the snow's gone and it's above 50 to begin any outside cleaning projects. Inside it's not spring cleaning until the windows are open with a warm breeze blowing. Don’t use a scouring pad for bike cleaning! Most are no better than steel wool or brillo which “clean” by scratching away the surface. Problem is that the newly scratched surface will now much more easily collect grease, dirt and grime. Especially a problem with anodized aluminium bike parts like rims which have a micro thin hardened surface you are scratching away.

“Scotch Brite” is a complete line of cleaning pads. The Scotch Brite “Dobie” pads are nylon and O.K. to use but most are bad news for bikes. “Dawn” dishwashing soap is a great degreaser. Dawn and paper towels should take off any grime on the rims without heavy scrubing.

Window cleaner works great for the painted frame.

The wax based chain lubes such as “Ice Wax” work great as they are non greasy so everything stays much cleaner (and lasts much longer without the road grit and sand).

After a winter of not riding be sure to pump up the tires. If you’re a casual rider ask a cyclist friend to check your seat height. Often it’s set way too low and you are not effectively using your leg muscles (your leg should be close to straight on the full downstroke).

Even though I bike year round, I’d wait till the snow’s gone and it’s above 50 to begin any outside cleaning projects.

Inside it’s not spring cleaning until the windows are open with a warm breeze blowing.

]]> By: DavidK http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-42985 DavidK Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:47:10 +0000 http://dethroner.com/2007/03/20/screw-the-house-clean-your-bike/#comment-42985 Was that your cleaning method? If so... you've just ensured that parts of your bike will be in a mess over the years to come. Lesson 1: Any metal on metal contact should be greased. If you do not grease then the metals will bond and you'll find yourself hitting it with a hammer in years to come. This is for: Seat! Seat post, headset, bottom bracket, bearings, pedals (in cranks), etc. I'd recommend Phil's Grease: http://www.philwood.com/webcatolog/page18.htm Lesson 2: The only metal on metal contact that you do not grease is the chain, but you never EVER put oil on a chain. Synthetic Lube is the thing you need. I'd recommend Purple Extreme 400: http://www.purpleextreme.com/ If you do not learn these lessons then you'll shorten the life of your bike greatly. Bonus Lesson: When dismantling your bike, everything that is threaded un-threads the same way except for the left pedal. Excessive force is a sign that someone never learnt lesson 1. Was that your cleaning method?

If so… you’ve just ensured that parts of your bike will be in a mess over the years to come.

Lesson 1: Any metal on metal contact should be greased. If you do not grease then the metals will bond and you’ll find yourself hitting it with a hammer in years to come. This is for: Seat! Seat post, headset, bottom bracket, bearings, pedals (in cranks), etc. I’d recommend Phil’s Grease: http://www.philwood.com/webcatolog/page18.htm

Lesson 2: The only metal on metal contact that you do not grease is the chain, but you never EVER put oil on a chain. Synthetic Lube is the thing you need. I’d recommend Purple Extreme 400: http://www.purpleextreme.com/

If you do not learn these lessons then you’ll shorten the life of your bike greatly.

Bonus Lesson: When dismantling your bike, everything that is threaded un-threads the same way except for the left pedal. Excessive force is a sign that someone never learnt lesson 1.

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