Cleaning your bike... Tips & Tricks

willhub · 1 May 2008 at 21:37

Just want to ask, but should tyres never loose air unless they puncture? Is it normal for them to go down over say a couple of weeks, I dont mean totally, just mine seem to have gone down abit, still quite hard but I dont feel happy on them at the current pressure but dare not use my pump as I'll never get the darn thigns back up coz the pump is a pain in the ***

weescott · 1 May 2008 at 22:56

Tyres can loose air over time. Nothing to worry about.

LeperousDust · 1 May 2008 at 22:59

willhub said:
Just want to ask, but should tyres never loose air unless they puncture? Is it normal for them to go down over say a couple of weeks, I dont mean totally, just mine seem to have gone down abit, still quite hard but I dont feel happy on them at the current pressure but dare not use my pump as I'll never get the darn thigns back up coz the pump is a pain in the ***

They can lose a little sometimes, tubless lose more than innertubes generally.

weescott said:
Don't use a hose if you can get away with it. If you have had a muddy ride, let the mud dry then brush it off. It will save water getting into pivots and bearings.

I use Finishline Degreaser and chain lube.

I can't really get away with that, i can't have mud getting everywhere, i'm in a first floor flat, it just isn't practical

willhub · 1 May 2008 at 23:13

LeperousDust said:
They can lose a little sometimes, tubless lose more than innertubes generally.

I can't really get away with that, i can't have mud getting everywhere, i'm in a first floor flat, it just isn't practical

I use innertubes but they are abit soft now, dont think there is any punctures though, slightly worrying if I got a puncture away from home and I could not fix one myself, I feel safer doing longer distances when I go out with the club as I know there is people experienced that can fix these tyres, they are really hard to get off I cant believe it, guy at halfords.. his face went read and it looked like he was about to expload trying to get the tyre on and off!

greengiant · 8 May 2008 at 17:50

LeperousDust said:
Seems a bit of an extravagance really, surely you still have to take your chain off occasionally to remove the gritty paste that inevitably builds up? If you were doing a lot of 24 hour rides i could see why that would make sense, otherwise i'm not sold...

LOL, funny enough after posting the virtues of Scott oilers I broke the pump thing on mine. So removed it from the bike, (my road bike looks a lot better without it). Back to ye olde fashioned chain cleaning + lubing methods I think!

LeperousDust · 8 May 2008 at 18:56

Haha, it seemed to me like an expensive fad more than a reliable solution

I haven't really had a chance to get out on my bike in this wonderful weather and get it dirty enough to warrant cleaning, ive got too much revision and examage on atm

SDK^ · 8 May 2008 at 20:09

Good thread

What can I use on my Carbon frame ?
I use Muc-Off on my alu frame, its this okay for Carbon?

thanks

LeperousDust · 8 May 2008 at 20:23

I don't know for sure, but i can't imagine why not, its just a degreaser, and if that harms the carbon i'd be worried!

nicholas_yiu · 9 May 2008 at 02:29

SDK^ said:
Good thread

What can I use on my Carbon frame ?
I use Muc-Off on my alu frame, its this okay for Carbon?

thanks

http://www.muc-off.com/bicycle_muc-off_1ltr.html

Muc-off site says it's fine on carbon.

I think it's grease that you have to worry about on carbon frames as they swell the carbon fibre.

Greenlizard0 · 9 May 2008 at 02:42

Totally off topic and slightly random, but this thread for some reason made me remember those clicky things you stuck on the spokes of your wheels. *clank clank clank* they went when peddeled.

platypus · 9 May 2008 at 09:52

Greenlizard0 said:
Totally off topic and slightly random, but this thread for some reason made me remember those clicky things you stuck on the spokes of your wheels. *clank clank clank* they went when peddeled.

Wouldn't they have gone *click click click*

?

platypus · 9 May 2008 at 09:55

SDK^ said:
Good thread

What can I use on my Carbon frame ?
I use Muc-Off on my alu frame, its this okay for Carbon?

thanks

I've never used muc-off myself but it should be fine for carbon. I use white spirit, which is also fine on Carbon, to clean really tough greasy build-ups, or just water for dirt.

Admiral Huddy · 9 May 2008 at 10:44

I bought some muck off the other day. Bike came up spotless in minutes

greengiant · 9 May 2008 at 19:49

LeperousDust said:
Haha, it seemed to me like an expensive fad more than a reliable solution

I haven't really had a chance to get out on my bike in this wonderful weather and get it dirty enough to warrant cleaning, ive got too much revision and examage on atm

Heh, well, it lasted about 2 years. Can't be bothered spening £30 to replace it as that could be a few chains + lube.

leaskovski · 8 Jul 2008 at 13:15

Hmm, is muc off the same as dirt off? lol, Ive had a bottle of that for years! Sounds like someone has pinched the idea/name and changed it slightly.

This dry wax/lub!? Do you basically just rub it onto the chain then?

glitch · 8 Jul 2008 at 14:19

Dry lube just refers to the fact that it is a liquid which goes on wet but dries to a hard (ish) finish. Wet lube is the same but stays wet on the chain.

With either type you need to degrease your chain, wash that off with water, use a water-displacer (perferably WD40 but GT85 will do at a push) to make sure all the water is gone, wipe dry and then apply your lube.

Useful tip: use the thin plastic hose from a GT85 or WD40 bottle with your lube bottle (just make the hole in the nozzle large enough for the tube to go in) and it you'll only apply the amount you need and stop it from dripping all over the place.

Lowe · 8 Jul 2008 at 15:50

Hmm, doesn't GT85 work as a lube then? That's all I spray my chain with?

SDK^ · 8 Jul 2008 at 16:17

I used to spend a lot of time and money looking after my chain but now I just buy a new one every 4-5 months.

You can't stop the chain stretching which wears out the cassette and chain rings and they can be costly to replace (XT or higher) a couple of times each year.

glitch · 8 Jul 2008 at 16:21

Lowe said:
Hmm, doesn't GT85 work as a lube then? That's all I spray my chain with?

You can use it as a lube but it's not really designed for bike chains. It will only leave the thinnest of coatings and would need to be regularly reapplied for it to be any good.

It's better than nothing but not better than something specifically designed for the job. A little bottle of Finish Line lube would be a wise investment.

LordSplodge · 8 Jul 2008 at 16:39

My bike does a lot of miles (40+ a week on average) and it gets a nice clean with soapy water, the chain gets a wash and lube and then some GT85 gets sprayed where needs be.

The girl has given me two years of faultless (well almost, I fell off and bent the dérailleur hanger and I have had to adjust the gears) riding. The only real problem has been the Hayes Sole brakes. Crap!