Hey, today’s weather guy says it’s going to be dry for the next couple days. Good deal. That only means my clean bike will stay that way. But, back up to last week when ice thawed on Monday and Tuesday By and by Wednesday we had full on rain. The combo sent every bit of sand and road salt into my gears, chain, frame and rims. The mid-week crud was messing with my ride and necessitated a cleaning and lube solution that would be quick and easy.
It was warm enough to do a sponge off on the deck when I got home. The bike frame easily came clean with generic floor cleaner diluted in hot water. The wheels and chain needed serious attention, so next up was my new favorite method. Two tips I have for bike crude removal and lube are new to me just this year. In the past I would use soft scrub on my wheels and expensive bike lube on my chain. Not this time around. Automotive 30 weight oil and Barkeeepers Friend is what I recommend for those using beater bikes this winter.
Clean Rims and Sidewalls the best.
First the wheels. The rims had black road stuff that was totally rank. It’s just not good to ride on wheels that abrade your brake pads. My BarKeepers Friend quickly removed all signs of crud. Rinse with warm water and move on to the chain. For less than two dollars you can get a quart of automotive oil. This is enough oil for a family of bikes. What I did was pour the oil directly on the chain. I put the bike in a Park Repair Stand and then got the chain moving and had at it. It’s best to get the derailleurs oiled up too. The important thing is to really soak the chain and then wipe off the dripping excess. Be sure to have something under the bike and wear work cloths.
That’s it for lube and clean. Until next time. /Ride your bike more and drive your call less.
domotion2011 