How to Clean a Mountain Bike
Your mountain bike is an expensive piece of gear. Keep it clean between rides and you'll extend its life.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
-
-
1
Use a hose and your hands to remove any large chunks of dirt from the bike.
-
2
Remove the wheels and seat.
-
3
Put some dishwashing soap in a bucket and fill the bucket with warm water.
-
4
Take a clean rag (an old T-shirt works well), dunk it in the soapy water and give the entire frame a good scrub. Soap up as necessary.
-
5
Do the same with the wheels and the seat. Be sure to pull out mud from beneath the saddle and get the grime between wheel spokes.
-
6
Replace the wheels and seat.
-
7
Use the hose to rinse the soap from the bike.
-
8
Take a couple of dry rags and use them to dry off the bike and remove any remaining dirt.
-
9
Treat all moving parts with an oil-based lubricant like Tri-Flow once your bike is dry.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Wash your bike immediately after a ride when the dirt and mud is fresh and easy to remove.
Related Searches
Comments
-
do you need to remove the disc brake rotors and calipers when cleaning with water? or dou you just wet them and just let them dry?
-
darylsuen
Jul 02, 2010
don't use a hose at all. let the mud dry then wipe off with a cloth and toothbrush. much better for your bike than water. -
gza2002
Jan 08, 2007
More about water pressure... the following areas are particularly sensitive to high pressure: hubs at the axle, pedals at the axle, linkage joints, some bottom brackets (the traditional 3 piece type, whether Ocatlink or ISIS splined...the newer 2 piece type are much less susceptible, if at all). High pressure forces the lubricant out of these areas, leaving the surrounding metal with nothing to glide on except whatever dirt, mud etc. that the high pressure water forced in.
-
gza2002
Jan 08, 2007
More about water pressure... the following areas are particularly sensitive to high pressure: hubs at the axle, pedals at the axle, linkage joints, some bottom brackets (the traditional 3 piece type, whether Ocatlink or ISIS splined...the newer 2 piece type are much less susceptible, if at all). High pressure forces the lubricant out of these areas, leaving the surrounding metal with nothing to glide on except whatever dirt, mud etc. that the high pressure water forced in.
-
Nov 22, 2005
Hose down your bike carefully with low water pressure. Too much pressure can contaminate the bearings on wheels and inside the bottom bracket. Clean your bike with a bucket of warm soapy water and an assortment of brushes and rags.
