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Mud,
Glorious Mud
Cleaning your bike after a muddy adventure can easily be more fun
than a chore. Instead of making a dash for the shower when you get home,
roll up your sleeves and first attend to your steed's personal hygiene.
It makes sense to rip into it while you're still hot 'n' grimy and before
corrosion can attack your expensive components - a stitch in time and
all that. It's also a good bonding session for you and your bike. You’ll
discover new things about each other - worn parts, sore bits, unloved
bits … and then there’s the bike.
Gentle
Annie
Water is your
bike's best friend and worst enemy. Use just enough to wash off the bulk
of the offending muck without swamping the hubs, gears, brakes or other
vital parts. A steam cleaner or high pressure hose makes quick work of
it but you risk stripping protective grease and lube or worse, forcing
water into erstwhile smooth running bearings. That’s okay if you’re
a pro racer with a mechanic to strip and rebuild your bike … but
back on planet earth. It's generally necessary to whip your wheels off
so you can do a thorough job. A good rub with a soft brush and a little
detergent is next. Beware of weld holes and other entry points where water
may find its way into your frame. If you hear water sloshing around then
you've sprung a leak. Take out your seat-post and hang the bike upside
down for the night with the bats in the attic.
Bubble
and Squeak
Now rinse and
dry off with a soft rag. This is a good time to lovingly fondle your bike
and check for any broken or loose bits. Your chain is easy to keep clean
and lubed - point your mouse at 'Chain care' under
'Maintenance' in Tech Tips. Keep your brakes and braking surfaces
clean - you minimise wear, avoid unfriendly screeching … and they
just work better. All moving parts (brakes, gear shifters, derailleurs
etc.) should be sparkling clean and lubed with grease or oil as appropriate.
Try some silicon spray - it magically penetrates and lubes in one. CRC
gives immediate relief but doesn’t last and eats into the residual
lube you want to preserve.
Cable
TV
Brake and gear
cables get gunged up with a combination of mud, rust and water. Brake
cables are easy to clean. Simply release the brake at the calliper, then
the cable-stops and finally from the lever. Slide the housing along to
one end and then the other - allowing you to wipe and apply lube. The
same goes for gear cables - you know this procedure is overdue when changing
down becomes 'sticky'. There's the trick to releasing your rear derailleur
cable though. Put your bike in a stand or hang it by the seat with an
old tyre. Select the hardest gear at the back (smallest cog) and then
while still pedalling, manually ease the derailleur over to the biggest
cog. The cable goes all floppy letting you release it from the stops and
shuffle the housing backwards and forwards letting you clean and lube
the entire length.
Prevention
Suspension
booties, fully enclosed cables, internal hub gears, disc brakes, derailleur
boots … oiling your frame even. These can all help to repel dirt
and water and lessen the amount of TLC required to keep your bundle of
joy purring.
Spring
Cleaning
When summer
starts poking its head around the corner and the trails begin to dry out,
it becomes worthwhile to consider shouting your bike a spring overhaul.
Those annoying clicks and squeaks take on real meaning when you can actually
see which part of your bike is trying to communicate with you. Get it
looking clean and pretty, then wheel it down to your local bike shop for
a full service - mechanics generally respect that 'one careful owner'
look. Consider replacing all of your cables (you can probably skip the
front derailleur if you are running low on cash), brake pads and chain.
Depending on the amount of wear, you can probably fit two new chains before
having to splash out on a new cluster and chain rings. They'll also check
out your shocks, headset and have a good hunt around for any other areas
requiring remedial work. There are heaps of things you can do yourself
too - pull off your tyres and clear out any water or mud that’s shimmied
its way in. While they are off, lightly buff your rims with a steelo-pad
to remove any break-pad residue.
And hey presto, a nearly
new bike, that shifts, brakes and performs like a new one ready for some
full on summer riding.
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