How To Clean A Road Bike – (Five Steps)

You need to have your bike clean after having a rough day over hills and dales. If you do not clean your bike, then you are likely to have your bike not working well. Your bike might be mucky, some parts can corrode, squeaky brakes as well as non-working gears.

Therefore, you need to have a clean bike so that it will work accordingly. For instance, if you clean the chain properly, it will protect your bike from having rust as well as have an extended life. Additionally, a clean chain makes pedaling easier and so the work will be easily done.

If you are wondering how you will go by cleaning your bike, don’t worry because I have provided you with a step by step guide on how to clean a road bike.

Benefits Of Cleaning A Road Bike

Before we get into details, let us know some of the benefits of cleaning a road bike. There are benefits of cleaning a road bike. First, when the bike is clean, it reduces the resistance between the chains and the cogs. Cleaning your bike will help it run smooth and also gives the frame and components a quick once over. 

This will allow you to spot greater problems such as cracks in the frame. This will make it easier to peddle and therefore you will suffer less and so less wear and tear as well as low rusting chances that come from weather exposure.

Step By Step Guide On How To Clean A Road Bike

The first thing that you need to do is to look for a place where you can easily work or get your cleaning work done. You will need things like old newspapers, old rags, and solvents old toothbrush as well as a quality lubricant. Spread the old newspapers on the floor and lean your bike against something and turn the pedals so that the chain is on the largest ring in the front.

Wipe off the solvent from the bike and the make sure that you clean each and every part of the back. You can use the old toothbrush to clean to the deeper parts of the bike, those parts that cannot be wiped easily.

The toothbrush will get even the deepest dirt that could be hidden. After that, you can now clean the other parts of the bike. Reapply the lubricant to the bike and this will make the bike in position and working perfectly.

1. Rinse The Bike Frame Down:

First, you need to give the bike a basic wipe, using a sponge and a bucket. Do not use a pressure washer since water will be forced into the bearings. Get some bike cleaning products then leave it for some minutes then use a soft bristled brush and scrub gently. Make sure that you do not substitute the cleaning product and soft brush with the washing up liquid and a kitchen sponge. If this mix up is made you can have a faded or scratched frame.

2. Clean Your Bike Rims And Brake Pads:

Make sure that the rims on your wheels are clean, wipe them and also make sure that no crud on that can possibly corrode the braking surface. This makes them perform so perfectly without any difficulties. The braking system is the most crucial part of a bike, therefore, you need to make sure that all rims and brake pads are very clean and this will be easy to ride your bike as well as while cleaning the bike.

Read Also: Best Road Bikes Under 1500 Dollars

3. Use Degreaser On The Derailleurs And Chain Set:

Over the cassette and chain pour on more degreaser, the scrubs gently using a geared brush that will really help you get to the cassette cogs. You can still use a chain cleaner if the chain still looks dirty. Use a degreaser snapping it and rotate the pedal backward so that you feed the chain through. Finally, dispose of the degreaser after finishing up and also make sure that every part of the bike has been thoroughly cleaned.

4. Rinse The Frame Thoroughly, Dry And Lube The Chain:

Make sure that the soap suds off the bike and dry the chain with an old rag and then you will apply the chain lube to the chain and pivot points on the derailleurs. After cleaning make sure that you will let the bike dry well using an old rag. This will be useful since the bike will not be subjected to corrosives or even have it getting rust.

5. Lubrication:

You should apply a lubricant on a clean bike for the best performance. If there are few rust spots, take the chain off and scrub with a strong plastic brush. Paraffin also gets old grime off, you can use a sponge soaked in paraffin and wipe off bad grime off the bike. Use the correct lubricant since not all lubricants can be used on the bike.

The lubricants are essential in reducing friction of the contacting surfaces. It also serves as an anti-corrosion coating on the metal. Some lubricants also act as coolant preventing the chain of the bike from expanding. There are more benefits to lubricating your bike soon after cleaning it. The bike has more chance and increases its durability.

Conclusion:

Cleaning your bike after use is important and it is not a complicated process if you know how to do it well. Not only does this provide your bike with a clean and new look but also improves its durability and performance. Now I believe you have the right tips on how you can clean your road bike. You will notice that after a thorough cleaning, the performance of your bike on the road will improve.

Follow the steps above while cleaning your bike and keeping it looking neat. Washing your road bike keeps it running efficiently and smoothly for many years so you will not have to spend money replacing parts or doing repairs. There are also benefits that you will get when you clean your road bike frequently.