Cleaning Frame
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Dish soap is fine but unless my bike is muddy, I just use windex....
After the bike is clean, I spray it down with Lemon Pledge...
After the bike is clean, I spray it down with Lemon Pledge...
I'm an expert at this.....
I'm the most anal bike nerd you will ever find. I clean my bikes after every ride and my bikes end up looking new forever! Here is what I do:
1. If the bike is really dusty, I use compressed air or canned air to first remove the dust.
2. I wipe down the bike and parts with a bucket of warm water and Mothers car wash soap. I use a microfiber cloth for this to prevent scratching anything. I have never had a hose come anywhere near my bikes.....not even a muddy mountain bike. My LBS always teases me that my bikes looker cleaner than the ones on the showroom floor.
3. I used to use Pedros Bike Lust, but I am back to using Lemon Pledge again. It works really nice w/ a micro fiber cloth. It especially shines up carbon!
4. I even go as far as to not mix my cloths and rags from one bike to another.
5. I have a Gios compact pro that has a really delicate high gloss paint job that scratches when you look at it. I use one coat of Mother's carnuba wax on it and then touch it up with Pledge.
6. Q-tips work good for hard to reach area like inside the front/rear derailluer.
7. I also use the Park Chain Cleaner contraption every 400 miles or so. Some people on these forums have said this is bad for the chain. But it keeps mine nice and shiny and I replace chains before they are worn anyway.
8. My Shimano pedal/cleat interface started creaking, so I sprayed my cleats with pledge. No more creaks. Pledge is my answer to everything.
I know I have a sickness and need help, but my bikes are clean and last forever.
I'm the most anal bike nerd you will ever find. I clean my bikes after every ride and my bikes end up looking new forever! Here is what I do:
1. If the bike is really dusty, I use compressed air or canned air to first remove the dust.
2. I wipe down the bike and parts with a bucket of warm water and Mothers car wash soap. I use a microfiber cloth for this to prevent scratching anything. I have never had a hose come anywhere near my bikes.....not even a muddy mountain bike. My LBS always teases me that my bikes looker cleaner than the ones on the showroom floor.
3. I used to use Pedros Bike Lust, but I am back to using Lemon Pledge again. It works really nice w/ a micro fiber cloth. It especially shines up carbon!
4. I even go as far as to not mix my cloths and rags from one bike to another.
5. I have a Gios compact pro that has a really delicate high gloss paint job that scratches when you look at it. I use one coat of Mother's carnuba wax on it and then touch it up with Pledge.
6. Q-tips work good for hard to reach area like inside the front/rear derailluer.
7. I also use the Park Chain Cleaner contraption every 400 miles or so. Some people on these forums have said this is bad for the chain. But it keeps mine nice and shiny and I replace chains before they are worn anyway.
8. My Shimano pedal/cleat interface started creaking, so I sprayed my cleats with pledge. No more creaks. Pledge is my answer to everything.
I know I have a sickness and need help, but my bikes are clean and last forever.
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1,010 Posts
If you wax your frame don't use dish soap. Even if you don't use any wax then dish soap and windex is still much, much, more aggressive then you need.
I treat my bike frame with the exact same Zaino stuff I use on my car. Car soap, then the sealant and gloss enhancer. It, takes very little time and I don't need to spend any additional money on unnecessary bike finish products. Just about nothing sticks to the frame after that washing it thereafter is not a problem. A damp diaper-cloth is all it needs.
For the chain, home-brew 4:1 has been simply awesome at keeping the drive train clean. I threw out the chain cleaner thing...far to messy.
I treat my bike frame with the exact same Zaino stuff I use on my car. Car soap, then the sealant and gloss enhancer. It, takes very little time and I don't need to spend any additional money on unnecessary bike finish products. Just about nothing sticks to the frame after that washing it thereafter is not a problem. A damp diaper-cloth is all it needs.
For the chain, home-brew 4:1 has been simply awesome at keeping the drive train clean. I threw out the chain cleaner thing...far to messy.
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21,865 Posts
Just water
90+ % of the time, a damp rag is all you need. If you get tar or gum, then a little mineral spirits will take that off. Furniture polish is a long time favorite to use after the frame is clean.lucky13 said:
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I spray it down with a very diluted Simple Green/water mix.
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13,390 Posts
Another vote for Lemon Pledge. It's all I ever use unless I get some tar - then mineral spirits does the job.
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620 Posts
Most of the time...
...just wiping off crud with a rag will work. About once a month, however, I see that I've accumulated sufficient crud and/or I just had a ride on wet or muddy roads...whole bike needs a hose down. So I spray it with a garden hose, wash it with car detergent, which is usually pretty mild, hose it off, let it dry in the sun, wipe it down, relube everything...works great...
...just wiping off crud with a rag will work. About once a month, however, I see that I've accumulated sufficient crud and/or I just had a ride on wet or muddy roads...whole bike needs a hose down. So I spray it with a garden hose, wash it with car detergent, which is usually pretty mild, hose it off, let it dry in the sun, wipe it down, relube everything...works great...
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41,533 Posts
my bike's all lemony fresh too.................my truck......not so much......
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13,390 Posts
pledge pledge pledge pledge pledge pledge pledge pedge
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2,861 Posts
Pledge Ingredients
Like many others, I use Pledge for its mild grease/smudge removing capability and the residual "shine" it leaves behind.
I was curious what Pledge's ingredients were, and looked up its MSDS.
Like many others, I use Pledge for its mild grease/smudge removing capability and the residual "shine" it leaves behind.
I was curious what Pledge's ingredients were, and looked up its MSDS.
Silicones 5-10%
Isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent 5-10%
Water 70-85%
Butane & propane gaseous propellants - balance
All the Pledge varieties (lemon, orange, allergen, etc) are the same, except for the scent.Isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent 5-10%
Water 70-85%
Butane & propane gaseous propellants - balance
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