tim said:helo. i need some advice. juist inherited a bicycle about 3 yrs old. its got lots of little gears and stuff, and looks more than just a normal bicycle. i can ride, but i don't know anything abt bikes. trouble is, the whole bike is covered in some oily black gunk. i was intending to put some anti-rust on the rusty parts 1st, but now i am thinking i should clean up the bike 1st.
i've used some wd40 to remove parts that are stuck and its seems the oily
gunk does come off. but is there anyway i can wash a bike with like
degreaser and water?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Then we can all make some tofu for the dolphins who live in the fridge.
Bike Wash 101 by Bikesoiler 😉
1) Hose off bike with *Very* gentle spray of water, avoid directly hosing the hubs, bottom bracket or headset.
2) Brush over bike with soft brush & bucket of warm soapy water. (I use dish detergent & a soft broom head). Spend enough time getting into all the nooks & crannies that seem to hold tonnes of dirt, grit, roadkill, lost tribes etc.
3) Rinse with hose as above.
4) Clean chain, chainrings & rear cassette with solvent of choice. I use Citro Clean, citrus degreaser. Smells good & also gets stains off bathroom tiles.
4.5) Sometimes it may be necassary to partly disassemble your bike to get into all the spots mentioned in point 2. I like to do this every 6 ~ 12 months.
5) Now is a good time to also check your tyres & brake pads for wear, damage or foreign objects stuck in them.
6) Lube chain & check tyre pressure, ready for your next ride. 🙂
