Clean Your Bike In 10 Minutes
Taking 10 minutes to clean your machine is critical to its performance and will help prolong the life of your components.
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Try to resist the urge to immediately flop onto the couch with your favorite recovery snack after getting home from a soggy ride! Instead, follow this simple guide.
Wash it off.
Remove the wheels for better access to your bike’s nooks and crannies and give your ride a light rinse to wash off road crud. Try to avoid spraying water directly into sealed components like the bottom bracket and headset.
Spray it down.
Spray it down.Use a cleaning product like Finish Line’s Super Bike Wash that’s safe for your entire bike. You can either spray it directly onto your frame or onto a rag. Make sure to clean under your downtube by the bottom bracket to wipe away dried drink mix that may have leaked out of your bottles. Scrub the tires, spokes and rims of your wheels, inspecting the tires for cuts and wear.
Clean your chain.
Park Tool’s Chain Cleaning System is easy to use and highly effective. Just fill it with the included ChainBrite cleaner and spin your cranks backward to remove grime picked up from the road. This kit is great because it comes with a brush you can use to clean in between the cogs of your cassette.
Rinse and dry.
Rinse your bike off again or use a bucket and sponge to save water. Wipe it dry with a soft towel and apply your preferred chain lube. If you want to go the extra mile, spray on Pedro’s Bike Lust to give your paint a little extra shine and to help protect the finish.
Your cleaning kit
Park Tool CG 2.2 Chain Cleaning System
$32, Parktool.com
Finish Line Super Bike Wash 1L spray bottle
$13, Finishlineusa.com
Feedback Sports Sport-Mechanic Repair Stand
$169, Feedbacksports.com
Pedro’s Bike Lust 16oz
$16, Pedros.com