We all had the same experience. You go for a ride and after a tough ride through hills or a forest you come back home crawling and begging for some food and a good rest, but not taking care of your bicycle at the end of the day could bring you more than one displeasure.
If it is not done immediately, chances are that you won´t do it till your next ride and let´s be honest, clean bikes work better and don´t wear out as fast. So if you care about your bicycle we recommend you to follow these easy steps to keep your bicycle on a good condition.
STEP one
I personally like to start with a rinse of water over the whole bicycle. Give your bike a good dousing with the hose. This helps to moisture and remove large accumulations of dirt and mug from frame or tires without risk of scratches, and it prepares your bicycle for a deeper cleaner. Don´t use a high pressure washer as this would force water into the bearings.
We strongly suggest you to use professional bike cleaning products, don´t substitute them with washing up liquid. Bike cleaning products are designed to remove dirt properly at the time that protects your bicycle. In case you don´t do it, it can result in a scratched or a colour faded frame.
STEP two
Now it is time to focus on the drivetrain: chain, chainset, cassette and derailleurs. Apply a drivetrain cleaner to the chain and give it a thorough scrub with a stiff brush to remove as much dirt as possible. We recommend you to repeat the process until all the dirt accumulated is gone.
Spray more bicycle cleaner over the chainrings and cassette and give them a scrub with a firm brush. Gear brush would help you to get into the cassette cogs.
STEP three
Once the drivetrain is clean focus on the frame and wheels. This is much easier. Rinse plenty of water over frame and wheels and spray enough bike cleaner. Again, make sure you use professional cleaning products that protect your bike finish. Let the cleaner go into the dirt and start melting it for a few seconds, then use a big and soft sponge kindly to dislodge dirt and clean the frame. Pay special attention to tricky areas, for example under the saddle, the inside surface of fork legs or around the bottom bracket.
When you need to clean the wheels, it is convenient to remove them if you really want a deep clean. This will allow you to access the inside surfaces of the fork or seatstays.
STEP four
Time to let your bicycle dry. I prefer to let it dry under the sun but I use to dry the chain with a rag before applying chain lube to the chain and the pivot points on the derailleurs.
For more information we invite you to check our bike cleaning products following this link.
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