Washing/Polishing your MTB

How do you wash your mtb?

  • Washing Up Liquid

    Votes: 6 19.4%
  • Car Wash

    Votes: 10 32.3%
  • Degreaser

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Muc-Off / Finish Line (& other 'bike brand' products)

    Votes: 9 29.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 6 19.4%

  • Total voters
    31

~Alan~

Likes Dirt
Thanks for all the replies.

I'm a bit OCD so basically wash them once a week after riding once or twice during the week.
CT18 mix in a spray bottle, spray on and let it soak for 5 min.
Rinse off with garden watering head, then sponge wash with bucket of car wash.
Let dry then re-lube. (love the blower idea, will be giving that a go)

I also use this method on my road bike with way less water resistance for bearings etc, no problems in 12,000km over 3 years.
I was actually considering CT18 as I don't think it has waxes etc. in it as that is what CT20 has. CT18 seem to be the same stuff bike companies use. Might give that a go and see.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Thanks for all the replies.



I was actually considering CT18 as I don't think it has waxes etc. in it as that is what CT20 has. CT18 seem to be the same stuff bike companies use. Might give that a go and see.
Mucoff nanotec is the best I've used. Still prefer it to CT18. We have a shitload of dust here so I use RideMechanic degreaser on the drivetrain before then washing with mucoff.
 

Tim_the_Clyde

Likes Dirt
Funny - thought I invented something cool using the little cordless Makita blower last weekend. Nope.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
What’s this strange word wash you keep using?

Moving surfaces are the only areas that get my attention.
 

moorey

call me Mia
What’s this strange word wash you keep using?

Moving surfaces are the only areas that get my attention.
Some people on here don’t ride, but they like to keep the beastly dust off their trophies.
Ballarat has rained basically ever day or had sticky mud for last 3 months. You can’t even find the drivetrain without getting the 6” of caked mud off the bike.
Otherwise, yes, less is more. Over dry weather, it’s only ever a clean train for me.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
How often are you lads strip down rebuilding? Washing vs no washing.
XC bike is 2013 vintage. Done one stripdown and stopped half way because everything seemed fine and lubricated. That bike has had the grand total of 3 washes in it's entire life.

My AM bike has had one and is 2015 vintage. The headset is most prone to getting gritty but everything else seems ok for now.

I find fine dust is worse than wet mud.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I hope you mean their car, not their music :mad:
Maybe both...but certainly the car at the moment. A beautiful shiny tribute to what I'd rather be doing that lives under a cover and occasionally rolls out onto the street and back into the shed. The bike is a lot quieter than the car! Far out those things have grunt.
 

Chriso_29er

Likes Bikes and Dirt
How often are you lads strip down rebuilding? Washing vs no washing.
Both excessively washed lol.

My XC bike is a 2015, had a new bottom bracket and rear shift cable this year, only maintenance its ever had in over 5000km.
My Trail bike is only 12 months old, but nothing yet in 1000km. Have re-greased the dropper once.
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Wash with water, dry water off everything with a cloth. Every few rides if it's not muddy. CT18 every few months and check everything is lubed ok. I did the grease gun thing on the Bronson pivots the other day, very messy job. Inox on the dropper. RnR Lightning on the chain before most rides.
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
I wipe down dust and mud off stanchions (fork/shock/dropper) every ride and wash every few rides with muc off though I feel like this thread is giving me permission to do it less often...

Thought I would try something different once and ordered the WD-40 bike wash. Read the fine print and found it recommended not using near bearings :eek:. Not easy to was a dual link full suspension bike without going near pivots, bottom bracket, headset or hubs...

Gotta wonder what it's doing to your bike it its no good fro bearings too.
 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
I was mine basically when its caked in mud. I use bike cleaner and a hose, then I dry it off with what ever rags I have around.

I never really paid much mind to "a clean bike is a fast bike" until I watched a video where they weighed a clean bike, did a few laps of a muddy course and then weighed it again and it added like 2kgs to the weight.
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
I am with nerf herder on this one ,my bikes arent house trained and house is small , so can stay dirty outside
I am not OCD. Cleaning a bike will satisfy that though.
After each ride wipe chain w rag and apply appropriate wet or dry chain lube. occasionally staunchions.
Yack is like Ballarat ,muddy most of winter into spring ,so I just use a hose with a nozzle if really bad, give it a wipe w a brush.
Why on earth would you want to use detergent / degreaser to remove dirt + vital lubrication ?
The classic was Vietnam where they used soapy pressure washers = bike was f*cked water in forks bearings etc
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Both excessively washed lol.

My XC bike is a 2015, had a new bottom bracket and rear shift cable this year, only maintenance its ever had in over 5000km.
My Trail bike is only 12 months old, but nothing yet in 1000km. Have re-greased the dropper once.
Not even a chain in 5000km?
 
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