What to clean with???

Joined
Mar 31, 2017
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190
Location
IL
Geeze, my first ride on my new rig and it got absolutely destroyed. It was mostly dry or i wouldn't of ridden. 24 miles and about 10 mud holes. Now i need an intense clean. Drive train isn't so bad but it's just completely covered in mud. First time with discs and am more conscious with suspension pivots so I started looking around at cleaners. More than I ever remember. Any recommendations?
 
First thing I would do would be to take the garden hose to it.

Not being sarcastic, but i'd be trying to remove all of the mud and gunk that I could before it hardens too much.
After that, then probably the 2-bucket routine. One with soapy water, other with fresh water.

Of course everything will have to be inspected - just to make sure.
Follow that with a full lubrication of every moving part, naturally.
 
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Nothing beats soap and water. If you have a hose nozzle that adjusts to a mist just take your time and rinse it off as best you can and then wash with regular car wash soap or mild dish detergent. An old toothbrush comes in handy for those hard to reach spots. A leaf blower works great for drying out the nooks and crannies and then the wax and lube of your choice. Avoid the hard jet streams of water, you dont want to drive water in where you cant get it out.
 
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Yep - Normac and samven have the basics covered. No high pressure nozzle in the mechanical bits and then if for just routine and preventative insurance - lube everything.
We are lucky here to not have much muck to contend with and really, most leave the trails be as they dry out fast and can damaged so easy in the rutty soft slop. Our clay is more slippery than oil on water too.
Been hampered like that twice in the past few years and once, bad enough to break my chain. The other time was the plus bike 3" tires so caked it was a true fatty.
It's sooo not worth it.
 
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I always ride my fat bike a few days after a rain to iron out all the ruts left by skinny tire guys that don't care.

Doin' my part as a heavy Clydesdale.
 
If its super muddy I agree with the garden hose, just remember to use low pressure near any bearings. I've used Pledge extensively for frame wipe downs and helps keep dirt/mud from sticking for a while. These days I've using a spray wash from the automotive section on my personal bikes. Works great, shines great, leaves a wax to provide protection. Current favorite is Meguiars Ultimate Waterless Wash and Wax. ONR makes a great product as well.

Drivetrain is simple. Simple Green, that is. Couple years back I picked up one of those on-bike chain cleaners and its simply awesome. Always used to pop the quick link and clean them off the bike but this is SO much easier and just about as effective.

Edit: As alluded to above, riding a trail during heavy mud does damage the trail, sometimes severely. Please try to avoid those conditions unless your local trail maintenance organization is specifically OK with it.
 
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Garden hose and a nylon-bristled brush.
If it's really dirty or you want it extra-special-clean add bucket of soapy water to that mix.

Hose the bike down, use the brush to remove any remaining dirt, and hose it down again to remove the loosened dirt.

Try not to spray directly at any bearings or pivots.

Re-lube the chain afterwards or at least wipe it down with a dry rag to remove water so it doesn't rust.

Once again for that extra-special-clean look spray some silicone spray lube on a rag and use it to wipe down the frame afterwards (keep it away from the brake rotors or brake track on the rims). This will give it a nice shine.
 
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