I used Si's "5 minute" bike wash (but with chain lube rather than WD40) th-cam.com/video/QvzVRxlIUL0/w-d-xo.html. (Bloody hell that was over 6 years ago.) Got it down to about 40 minutes, after lots of practice. Made a world of difference to how long my bikes last. One part Si didn't cover is how to dry your bike, in particular the chain, and the fact that you need separate rags/sponges for the chain. Piecing Si's video together with this one should give you a pretty good idea of how to keep your bike clean, though it would be good to have one "Start to Finish", video with realistic times.
I clean the drivetrain pretty much after every wet winter ride. Always remember to change to the little front ring when cleaning the drivetrain and scrub the big ring, so many people clean a chain and forget the dirty teeth on the big ring.
Best not to use washing up liquid as it contains salt and if not washed off really well will cause corrosion. Typically example is corrosion at spoke nipples and hubs.
I use a leaf blower to dry my bike. I also apply the protector spray before installing the wheels so I can get it on those tiny spaces and I don't have to worry about contaminating the rotors.
I've tried various methods of cleaning bicycle chains and have settled upon removing the chain from the bike via the quick link. I than place the chain in a plastic bottle part full with either kerosene of a biodegradable cleaner. Next I shake the bottle for a few mins, pour off the dirty fluid and replace with clean and then shake the bottle for a few more minutes before draining off the fluid. I repeat this process until after shaking the fluid remains clean indicating that all the dirt is removed. Next I carefully vacuum the chain with a wet vac while using the crevice tool attachment. This insures that all the cleaning fluid is removed which enables the lubricants to penetrate the link roller as you lube the chain. For the actual lube process I stretch out the chain on my work bench then using a squeeze applicator bottle I carefully lube each roller, allow some time for the lube to soak in and then remove the access with a clean rag. This process takes longer to describe than to perform and results in a very clean and well lubricated chain which shifts better and lasts longer.
For those of us who live where it’s constantly below freezing and can’t use a garden hose I recommend getting a 1 gallon lawn and garden sprayer. They cost about $12 from Home Depot and you manually pump the handle to create pressure. I fill mine with 1 gallon of hot water and spray down my bike after a ride to get rid of all the sand and salt.
@@ouztaki lucky for you that you don't live in a neighbourhood where people have sticky fingers and take it to the chop shop for donna parts after its been liberated from you because its been left unattended dirty or not. Plus grinding gears and brake pads ouch the pain of that sound is as horrific as finger nails scratching a black board. Also when customers shout how much? When mechanics quote them for a service to replace the worn out parts because they failed to keep them clean in the winter months 🤣
To keep the bike spotless and in tip top shape, I just tie a rope to the bike an throw it into the river. Let the river current work its magic, pull it up again, voila done.
I do it in the shower or tub. Road bike is easy, as it's usually not caked over with mud, so I just rinse it with the shower head, degrease the drivetrain with a dedicated foam, then soap the bike up (I just use hand or dish soap), scrub it with a car sponge, scrub the chain etc, then rinse it all down. The worst part is taking care of disc brakes, as the back one can get contaminated with grease and grime.
Alex has really come into his own as a presenter! He admittedly wasn't my favorite initially, but I've been loving the recent content. Keep up the good work!
Never get tired of these cleaning videos lol nice seeing the different approaches employed by the presenters. Need to get me some Muc-Off stuff also...thx for the reminder
Great video GCN. Actually I’ve just done exactly the same wash process steps a few hours ago after a good ride out on my BMC Urs. Parktool stand, Muc Off pressure washer and drive train cleaner. I use a 2 PSI blow dryer for drying my bike which is very simple and gets all the moisture out from your parts. I also apply the bike protector spray on a cloth not only for the entire bike but also for my DT Swiss Arc rims and the bike looks like new every time. Love the Muc Off products and all of your vids. Keep up the great work. Greetings from Switzerland
Think you should remind electric bike owners that power washing, even low pressure, can cause damage to the internal electrical parts including the battery. Most E-bikes are rated water resistant for rain and puddles but not for pressurized spray.
A tip from a lesson I learned the hard way - be really careful when drying your chain like is shown in this video. If that crank moves too fast, you won’t be able to react when your old tshirt gets caught. Your fingers will get sucked right into those teeth and leave some deep punctures.
3:07 you shouldn't use a brush on your frame in general. That's a pretty good way to put a lot of haze into the paintwork. I also keep an old tooth brush to really get in and around the jockey wheels.
Believe it or not, when I buy a new bike that has paint, I waxed the frames with Collinite Fleetwax 885 right off the bat before even taking it out for the first official ride, but any car wax will do. A brush with very soft bristles works fine without cutting through the wax. I rewax each bike about every 6 months and the paint still looks beautiful. My titanium bike doesn't need shit done to it except a wipe.
@@casualguy3938 same here. Every bike i get, first thing I do is give it a polish, then wax or ceramic coat (if I have any). It just makes it so much easier to keep it clean. I'm also one of those pedantic people who soak new chains in naptha then IPA in an ultrasonic cleaner just to get the factory shit grease out because I hate having to continuously clean my drivetrain as that grease oozes out and mucks everything up.
@@mihalis1010 Yeah, I agree. That factory grease on chains sucks balls. I used to take a lot of care with my chains, now, I just use WD40 and a rag about every 400-500km. I never ride in the rain and easily get 20,000km out of my chains before I even think of replacing them. According to Fast Fitness Tips on here I lose about 3 watts over the very best chain waxes, and since I don't race the simplicity of a rag and a can over all the wax stuff is a no brainer for me. Waxing the frames helps a ton though, not only for cleaning but resale value too ;)
If we use "Bio" degreasers as a means of contributing to the environment, I believe we can achieve a whole lot more for the environment by being more conscious with the amount of water we spend. Water might be readily available for a lot of you but think of other places where clean safe water is hard or impossible to come by. Ditch the hoses, use a bucket and challenge yourself to achieve the cleanest result with the least amount of water. Cheers and happy washing.
Uhm, I don’t think that people in areas of low water availability really profit from me using less water in an area of high water availability. The water I don’t use doesn’t get transported to the Savannah
@@DrKjoergoe I see your point, while this is technically correct nowadays, I still fail to see a single reason why we should be overusing our finite resources based on the fact we have plenty to go around today (we've done quite a number on ourselves with oil already) that is just as irresponsible as it is inconsiderate. There will be a point when we will actually have to help other nations by actually carrying that water over to them, or if we keep blasting away all that water with jets and hoses, perhaps we'll be the ones begging other nations for some H2O. Food for thought.
Living in Florida, I ride every day. Because of heavy traffic I ride mostly on the sidewalks. On the rare mucky days, I don't ride. So my bike doesn't require much cleaning. All I have is very light dust which is easily brushed off with a paint brush. Occasionally, I'll wash it because the wheels get a bit dirtier, then let it dry in the sun. I use a spray polish for protection. I clean the chain and lube it every 100 miles, and I don't clean the lube off the sprockets because it protects them. I'll use a citrus cleaner to clean them if they get grit on them. At four years old and almost 10,000 miles on it, it's in excellent condition. And I do all my own mechanical work.
We have dogs that often need bathing and drying. We have a high volume air blaster. Search dog dryer on Amazon. Also great for drying off bikes and motorcycles after washing.
A mechanic in my LBS showed how they use disinfectant wipes such as Lysol to clean matte finished frames. Works like a charm for this part of the bike and it's pretty cheap too!
Would it make more sense to dry it and detail the frame and forks with the wheels still off? Then dry the drive train once the wheels are back on. Just an idea. Thanks for the video!
Cover your disks with the Muc-Off rotor covers. Degrease your chain and rinse off. Then try “Prolong Waterless Wash and Shine” on your frame. It’s perfect!!!!
Cleaning the drivetrain is better to remove the chain by the master link as well as both wheels, then cleaning them separately. I use an air blower or air compressor to dry all components and in between small spaces, air displacing all the water, rag wipe dry the rest of the bike then put all back together then polish and lube.
having bought a new cross bike (Cube Cross Race C:62 SL) a month ago, I spray it off after every ride, just with water tho, but that's actually a very good tip, no matter what bike you have.
Great tutorial, please do allow me to share my washing routine, i use the muc off c3 dry lube (dish soap soluble no need for degreaser AT ALL) So i blast water into the chain links and spray dish washing liquid on the chain and brush all of the chain + pulley + chain rings and i once again blast it. By this stage the only thing on the bike is dirt on the frame and totally oil free. I then spray dish washing liquid all over the bike without any care for rotors because if you can eat off your plates, your rotors will not be contaminated. I then sponge wash the whole bike and proceed to drying/protection. Since i have used Turtlewax ice seal and shine on the frame and wheels, dishwashing liquid will NOT remove any hydrophobic coating at all (proof on youtube video on the turtlewax) all i have to do is use a portable air blower to blast off the water and since it is hydrophobic it just slides off. I blast all bolts as well as FD and FD as well as chain. By this time the bike is 100% dry and chain is 80% dry. I feel comfortable to relube the FD, RD and chain with 0% chance of contaminating the brake rotor. I bought the muc off protect but i have never found it to be a good idea to spray any aerosol anywhere within 50m radius of my pads and rotors. I wash my bike once every week and they are absolutely pristine.
If you are looking for good bike pressure cleaner Kärcher OC3 Plus is a amazing! Water container 7 litres and good battery in one pack. Price is about ~100e
Brilliant! Thanks for that, ever since I moved to an apartment block I couldn't figure out how I'd ever use my 'normal' Karcher again. One of these things though, and I can use it in the parking courtyard. Thanks again, didn't even know they did these.
I got one of these Muc-Off pressure washers for Xmas, even with the foamer on the lowest setting it gets through the degreaser crazy quick. Need to water it down plenty.
Just buy car soap. Meguiar's in the pink bottle is 1/4 the cost of Muc Off's soap. Don't be tempted to buy fancy car soap: you don't want the wax they contaminating your braking surfaces.
Silicone spray on the underside of the downtube, bb area, chain stays and a very gentle wipe over, before a wet ride. The dirt then just washes right off at normal tap pressure.
Just a little tip I want to ad: Use the blowdrier to blow all the water especially from hidden parts like disc brakes, shifters... you will be surprised how much water you will be able to blow out. (make sure your wife/girlfriend doesn't see you using it)
@@tom4626 been using Fairy / Dreft washing-up liquid om all my bikes for decades, literally. Works a treat, never any adverse effects on the bikes’ paint work (both matte and gloss frames).
Love the video's .....to clean my cassette I use a cotton mop head and cut the strings off and they fit perfect between each cassette without taking it off the bike.
Not for after every winter ride, spray gt 80 over chain drive then use a chain cleaning tool dry as in put no degreaser in the bath part, run chain through it and dry all off with a rag, saves having to wash off the degreaser , no water left to seize the parts in winter then lubricate, if we had to do GCN method in winter we would get hypothermia after the ride, if the weather is too bad to go a cycle then certainly do there method
Question about spraying the cassette and chain with degreaser and then scrubbing it with a brush. Does this create any issues when the degreaser gets splattered all over the rear disc? I've been covering my rear disc with paper towel for that part, but if that's not necessary, I'd gladly stop. It's kind of a pain.
I swear to god on my ride this morning I was thinking, gotta search GCNs videos to see if they can give me tips on cleaning my bike after a ride. Actual mind blown you posted this 8 hours later 🤣🤯
And for those of us that have cleaned a cassette next to a rotor (you only do it once 🤦♂️), there's a good video on GCN somewhere about replacing pads and cleaning rotors 😁
So that pressure washer is it strong enough like power wise as in video looks weak though not as powerful in blasting water? I already have degreasers off canadian tire store specific to bikes and I use another one called Purple Super Clean another form of heavy duty degreaser that cleans off bike instantly literally and car wash liquid also and thats all i use.
Are the disc brakes not going to lose efficiency by getting contaminated with degreaser at the start of the video? Is the degreaser in essence a type of lubricant?
I great tip is to use a Blower (DEWALT do a good one) and blow the water off your bike. So much faster and it gets into all the areas your fingers cannot.
For a thorough cleaning, I take off the wheels and clean wheels and frames in my bathtub: warm water? Check. Low pressure water jet? Check. Quick drying of parts? Check.
Is that degreaser save to use near the pads and brake discs? I have it but I'm extra cautious using it that liberally. I do have the bike protect and use the cloth method as I know that's not good for the brakes. I only ask because I've recently bought a new Ribble bike and don't want to screw the brakes up straight away lol.
Bike cleaners ought to learn from car detailers. NEVER lay down the sponge on the ground unless you like having swirls and scratches all over. I use some of the car products but also bike specific things, but try not to use Nano blabla because it pollutes the water and has no effects only expensive. Make sure to dry it after washing so you won't get ugly water stains. You may use a car detailer or a bike detailer as shown. But nevertheless a nice Video!
I wonder which one of the two mucoff products, bio degreaser or the yellow drivetrain cleaner is better to clean the chain and cassette? Do you know it? Big fan of the mucoff products 👍
Why do you need to dry the bike after the wash? Mine just dries naturally after some time. Why take the time to dry it? I get it for the drive train, because you dont want to lube a wet chain, but the frame?
Yeah.....how about a guy in a 5th floor flat? No hose , no power washer? I use a hand pump/canister to pressurize, and get water from my sink. It's not as good, but it works , especially in winter!!! Be safe !! And thanks
Wax your chain and you can skip most of this, and your chain and gears will last twice as long. I remember the bad old days when I had to clean my chain and cassette... Kind of amazed GCN is still pushing oiled chains.
Here in Warroad, MN, USA, and similar areas (I'm thinking of Winnipeg, Manitoba, for example), our landscape water is in its solid state for about half the year. That condition requires cold air, and the air density in that half of the year is great enough that ridin' dirty is not appreciably a great brake on progress. (Notwithstanding Slick Willie.) That said, the road treatments can be an issue. I do not ride my aluminum frame when the road chemical is applied. Aluminum, you'll recall, is pretty reactive. [Sorry, GCN: 'aluminium'] On the other hand, the air temperature needs to be above a certain point in order for the road chemical to work, whether it's a chloride, or urea-based. The works departments, God bless them, know this, through valiant use and wont, and will switch between chemical and sand on a per case basis. The sand just needs dry brushing. We do get blizzards. I ski during blizzards, because wheeled travel is impossible. Your results may vary. Travel, or movement, is the main thing. Sometimes you just can't stay home and wait for the JDAM. The Finns, for example, just didn't sit there, "sheltering in place", in their fight against the USSR back then.
#AskGCNTech which of your bike cleaning videos should I use if my bike is muddy but not a cyclo-cross bike, second-hand, outside but I can only use my showerhead hanging out of the bathroom window, the drive-train only needs a shallow clean, I have exactly 21.46 minutes available and I don't have any GCN Castelli kit to wear while I do it. Also, I need to build my own bike stand to wash it on but I only have some old cereal boxes and blu-tack?
Can you do again just try wash it between two scooters in the middle of Taipei. Oh and you live on the third floor with no hose pipe or water access. Thanks
Hi. Great video. Photography and filming stunning...even for cleaning a bike. Muc products work. And I like that spray machine! Checking it out on line now. See ya soon. : )
A) Leave it in the centre of the living room as art B) Live where it's always dry and sunny C) Get out there and clean/ wash/ dry it. ....Degreaser, hot soapy water, GT85, lube.......Finally canuba liquid car wax (cheaper and better protection than any bike specific spray) :)
What are your top tips for keeping your new bike super clean? Let us know in the comments below!
I used Si's "5 minute" bike wash (but with chain lube rather than WD40) th-cam.com/video/QvzVRxlIUL0/w-d-xo.html. (Bloody hell that was over 6 years ago.) Got it down to about 40 minutes, after lots of practice. Made a world of difference to how long my bikes last.
One part Si didn't cover is how to dry your bike, in particular the chain, and the fact that you need separate rags/sponges for the chain. Piecing Si's video together with this one should give you a pretty good idea of how to keep your bike clean, though it would be good to have one "Start to Finish", video with realistic times.
Would be helpful if you left the link in the description where you bought all the products from
I clean the drivetrain pretty much after every wet winter ride. Always remember to change to the little front ring when cleaning the drivetrain and scrub the big ring, so many people clean a chain and forget the dirty teeth on the big ring.
@@Phones007 Most likely wiggle, however you’ll find these in most local bike shops too.
apps.apple.com/gb/app/wiggle-cycle-run-swim/id1039829129
I use my leaf blower to dry out the nooks and crannies.
I can't believe GCN finally made a bike cleaning video!
:-)
😂
I think it is part of the initiation rites at GCN - marking you as worthy for fun challenges and exciting travel
Finally this year....
The best is simons old school cleaning video with WD 40 😂
Tbh I used to use all muc off products, I find good old washing up liquid does just the same job, warm water, sponge and fairy goes along way 👍
Best not to use washing up liquid as it contains salt and if not washed off really well will cause corrosion. Typically example is corrosion at spoke nipples and hubs.
@@scrossman8991 I've been using it on my madone SLR for over a year and had no issues 👍
@@scrossman8991 GCN investigated this myth and the salts in washing up liquids are not the type that cause corrosion, they're perfectly safe.
Mate I’m totally with you on this! I think a lot of muc off products are a rip off
@@darrencripps Yes, if a brand does contain 'salt', it will be Sodium Sulphate, not Sodium Chloride.
Thankfully yet another bike cleaning video. Haven't had one for a week or two.
I use a leaf blower to dry my bike. I also apply the protector spray before installing the wheels so I can get it on those tiny spaces and I don't have to worry about contaminating the rotors.
I've tried various methods of cleaning bicycle chains and have settled upon removing the chain from the bike via the quick link. I than place the chain in a plastic bottle part full with either kerosene of a biodegradable cleaner. Next I shake the bottle for a few mins, pour off the dirty fluid and replace with clean and then shake the bottle for a few more minutes before draining off the fluid. I repeat this process until after shaking the fluid remains clean indicating that all the dirt is removed. Next I carefully vacuum the chain with a wet vac while using the crevice tool attachment. This insures that all the cleaning fluid is removed which enables the lubricants to penetrate the link roller as you lube the chain. For the actual lube process I stretch out the chain on my work bench then using a squeeze applicator bottle I carefully lube each roller, allow some time for the lube to soak in and then remove the access with a clean rag. This process takes longer to describe than to perform and results in a very clean and well lubricated chain which shifts better and lasts longer.
I clean my bike every time there’s a GCN bike-wash video. My bike is definitely faster: mostly because there’s no paint left.
For those of us who live where it’s constantly below freezing and can’t use a garden hose I recommend getting a 1 gallon lawn and garden sprayer. They cost about $12 from Home Depot and you manually pump the handle to create pressure. I fill mine with 1 gallon of hot water and spray down my bike after a ride to get rid of all the sand and salt.
Exactly how i do it, right on a busy sidewalk of downtown New York City lol
Thanks for the tip! NYC resident here as well 😅
in winter I wash my bike in the bathtub ^___^
I watch all the GCN bike washing videos. There’s a simple joy to it.
The most annoying part is once you've cleaned the bike ready for the next ride it rains and ruins best part of a hours work.
Reason for it's pretty silly to clean your bike in winter. In more, a dirty bike has much less risk to be stolen 😜
@@ouztaki lucky for you that you don't live in a neighbourhood where people have sticky fingers and take it to the chop shop for donna parts after its been liberated from you because its been left unattended dirty or not.
Plus grinding gears and brake pads ouch the pain of that sound is as horrific as finger nails scratching a black board.
Also when customers shout how much? When mechanics quote them for a service to replace the worn out parts because they failed to keep them clean in the winter months 🤣
To keep the bike spotless and in tip top shape, I just tie a rope to the bike an throw it into the river.
Let the river current work its magic, pull it up again, voila done.
If you're lucky you even pull up a few fish with the wheel spokes!
That's how we cleaned pots and pans when sailing
love that you guys help people who haven't cleaned anything in their life.
You’ve made this video a billion times
there is no new content, so you have to repeat yourself just to advertise the Orbea & M-off products again..
@@vadlme don’t hate the player hate the game, how else do you think you get free content like this? #marketing/advertising
There are many GCN bike cleaning videos, but this one is Alex’s! 😄
Good job putting the “frame brush” on the cassette and the brake rotors lol.
Who else doesn’t have a yard and instead has to do this in the bathroom?
in the yard or street -- but yeah if you're in an apartment this is tough.
Me too..
It’s the kitchen for me 😂😂
I do it in the shower or tub. Road bike is easy, as it's usually not caked over with mud, so I just rinse it with the shower head, degrease the drivetrain with a dedicated foam, then soap the bike up (I just use hand or dish soap), scrub it with a car sponge, scrub the chain etc, then rinse it all down. The worst part is taking care of disc brakes, as the back one can get contaminated with grease and grime.
You and me bud, haha. It's such a mess...
Alex has really come into his own as a presenter! He admittedly wasn't my favorite initially, but I've been loving the recent content. Keep up the good work!
Alex and Ollie are the bestest.
Cleaning my bike is just as therapeutic as riding. Gets my mind away from all the stress and anxiety
Never get tired of these cleaning videos lol nice seeing the different approaches employed by the presenters. Need to get me some Muc-Off stuff also...thx for the reminder
Great video GCN. Actually I’ve just done exactly the same wash process steps a few hours ago after a good ride out on my BMC Urs. Parktool stand, Muc Off pressure washer and drive train cleaner. I use a 2 PSI blow dryer for drying my bike which is very simple and gets all the moisture out from your parts. I also apply the bike protector spray on a cloth not only for the entire bike but also for my DT Swiss Arc rims and the bike looks like new every time. Love the Muc Off products and all of your vids. Keep up the great work. Greetings from Switzerland
Great tips! I also use compressed air to get any remaining water off the drivetrain after cleaning.
Think you should remind electric bike owners that power washing, even low pressure, can cause damage to the internal electrical parts including the battery. Most E-bikes are rated water resistant for rain and puddles but not for pressurized spray.
If you're bike is not too dirty, you live in a flat/apartment or you're in a rush then baby wipes are a good alternative to all that jet washing!
This is perfectly timed for me!!!! New bike day!!!
A tip from a lesson I learned the hard way - be really careful when drying your chain like is shown in this video. If that crank moves too fast, you won’t be able to react when your old tshirt gets caught. Your fingers will get sucked right into those teeth and leave some deep punctures.
3:07 you shouldn't use a brush on your frame in general. That's a pretty good way to put a lot of haze into the paintwork. I also keep an old tooth brush to really get in and around the jockey wheels.
Believe it or not, when I buy a new bike that has paint, I waxed the frames with Collinite Fleetwax 885 right off the bat before even taking it out for the first official ride, but any car wax will do. A brush with very soft bristles works fine without cutting through the wax. I rewax each bike about every 6 months and the paint still looks beautiful. My titanium bike doesn't need shit done to it except a wipe.
@@casualguy3938 same here. Every bike i get, first thing I do is give it a polish, then wax or ceramic coat (if I have any). It just makes it so much easier to keep it clean. I'm also one of those pedantic people who soak new chains in naptha then IPA in an ultrasonic cleaner just to get the factory shit grease out because I hate having to continuously clean my drivetrain as that grease oozes out and mucks everything up.
@@mihalis1010 Yeah, I agree. That factory grease on chains sucks balls. I used to take a lot of care with my chains, now, I just use WD40 and a rag about every 400-500km. I never ride in the rain and easily get 20,000km out of my chains before I even think of replacing them. According to Fast Fitness Tips on here I lose about 3 watts over the very best chain waxes, and since I don't race the simplicity of a rag and a can over all the wax stuff is a no brainer for me.
Waxing the frames helps a ton though, not only for cleaning but resale value too ;)
If we use "Bio" degreasers as a means of contributing to the environment, I believe we can achieve a whole lot more for the environment by being more conscious with the amount of water we spend. Water might be readily available for a lot of you but think of other places where clean safe water is hard or impossible to come by. Ditch the hoses, use a bucket and challenge yourself to achieve the cleanest result with the least amount of water. Cheers and happy washing.
Indeed, and using the jetwasher like this also makes the lbs happy.
Uhm, I don’t think that people in areas of low water availability really profit from me using less water in an area of high water availability. The water I don’t use doesn’t get transported to the Savannah
@@DrKjoergoe I see your point, while this is technically correct nowadays, I still fail to see a single reason why we should be overusing our finite resources based on the fact we have plenty to go around today (we've done quite a number on ourselves with oil already) that is just as irresponsible as it is inconsiderate. There will be a point when we will actually have to help other nations by actually carrying that water over to them, or if we keep blasting away all that water with jets and hoses, perhaps we'll be the ones begging other nations for some H2O. Food for thought.
Hi GCN instructions unclear : i don't have brand new bike
Living in Florida, I ride every day. Because of heavy traffic I ride mostly on the sidewalks. On the rare mucky days, I don't ride. So my bike doesn't require much cleaning. All I have is very light dust which is easily brushed off with a paint brush. Occasionally, I'll wash it because the wheels get a bit dirtier, then let it dry in the sun. I use a spray polish for protection. I clean the chain and lube it every 100 miles, and I don't clean the lube off the sprockets because it protects them. I'll use a citrus cleaner to clean them if they get grit on them. At four years old and almost 10,000 miles on it, it's in excellent condition. And I do all my own mechanical work.
Step 350.... clean the neighbours garage door after covering it in old grease and snow foam 😂
We have dogs that often need bathing and drying. We have a high volume air blaster. Search dog dryer on Amazon. Also great for drying off bikes and motorcycles after washing.
I use my dog to dry my bike
@@johnx9774 🤣🤣🤣
Especially in winter -- a short wash after every ride makes a big difference.
A bike about “new bike feelings” after Christmas? Well done.
A mechanic in my LBS showed how they use disinfectant wipes such as Lysol to clean matte finished frames. Works like a charm for this part of the bike and it's pretty cheap too!
Would it make more sense to dry it and detail the frame and forks with the wheels still off? Then dry the drive train once the wheels are back on. Just an idea. Thanks for the video!
Cover your disks with the Muc-Off rotor covers. Degrease your chain and rinse off. Then try “Prolong Waterless Wash and Shine” on your frame. It’s perfect!!!!
Muc off degreaser is brilliant. Used bidons provide higher pressure water if you don't have a jet wash or hose!
It is so nice to watch Alex being a lively presenter already!
Cleaning the drivetrain is better to remove the chain by the master link as well as both wheels, then cleaning them separately. I use an air blower or air compressor to dry all components and in between small spaces, air displacing all the water, rag wipe dry the rest of the bike then put all back together then polish and lube.
Try waxing the frame with car wax. It does an amazing job on bikes as well
having bought a new cross bike (Cube Cross Race C:62 SL) a month ago, I spray it off after every ride, just with water tho, but that's actually a very good tip, no matter what bike you have.
Latex gloves make it much more pleasant. 👍
Great tutorial, please do allow me to share my washing routine, i use the muc off c3 dry lube (dish soap soluble no need for degreaser AT ALL) So i blast water into the chain links and spray dish washing liquid on the chain and brush all of the chain + pulley + chain rings and i once again blast it. By this stage the only thing on the bike is dirt on the frame and totally oil free. I then spray dish washing liquid all over the bike without any care for rotors because if you can eat off your plates, your rotors will not be contaminated. I then sponge wash the whole bike and proceed to drying/protection. Since i have used Turtlewax ice seal and shine on the frame and wheels, dishwashing liquid will NOT remove any hydrophobic coating at all (proof on youtube video on the turtlewax) all i have to do is use a portable air blower to blast off the water and since it is hydrophobic it just slides off. I blast all bolts as well as FD and FD as well as chain. By this time the bike is 100% dry and chain is 80% dry. I feel comfortable to relube the FD, RD and chain with 0% chance of contaminating the brake rotor. I bought the muc off protect but i have never found it to be a good idea to spray any aerosol anywhere within 50m radius of my pads and rotors. I wash my bike once every week and they are absolutely pristine.
Nothing like putting the sponge and brushes on the floor then promoting safe cleaning.........
If you are looking for good bike pressure cleaner Kärcher OC3 Plus is a amazing! Water container 7 litres and good battery in one pack. Price is about ~100e
Yeah but they haven't paid GCN to advertise one, so don't expect your common sense to be well received here.
Brilliant! Thanks for that, ever since I moved to an apartment block I couldn't figure out how I'd ever use my 'normal' Karcher again. One of these things though, and I can use it in the parking courtyard. Thanks again, didn't even know they did these.
@@NikFowler I had same problem :) I highly recommend OC3 Plus model.
I got one of these Muc-Off pressure washers for Xmas, even with the foamer on the lowest setting it gets through the degreaser crazy quick. Need to water it down plenty.
Just buy car soap. Meguiar's in the pink bottle is 1/4 the cost of Muc Off's soap. Don't be tempted to buy fancy car soap: you don't want the wax they contaminating your braking surfaces.
Silicone spray on the underside of the downtube, bb area, chain stays and a very gentle wipe over, before a wet ride. The dirt then just washes right off at normal tap pressure.
Oh no @02:49 you're lacing the disc with degreaser. I am triggered, Alex!
Yes, also he should have the wheels removed first so he would not spray off some lube from the drive train on to the brake rotors.
Those brakes are no good any longer. What a junk video.
What's wrong with degreaser on the discs?
@@rikkiola He spills a mixture of degreaser and loosend grease/oil on the discs. It will embed into the brake pads and you can throw them away.
@@rikkiola It's more that you really don't want it on the pads, but you want to avoid the entire breaking area really
The power jet looks great.
Just a little tip I want to ad: Use the blowdrier to blow all the water especially from hidden parts like disc brakes, shifters... you will be surprised how much water you will be able to blow out. (make sure your wife/girlfriend doesn't see you using it)
Don't you only need washing-up liquid and WD40?
simple green, wd-40, and chain lube will do the trick
Well washing up liquid has abrasives in it so depends if you care about your paint work
Yeah muc off is overpriced weak sauce. Get 5L industrial degreaser from screwfix and dilute. Lasts forever.
Yes.
@@tom4626 been using Fairy / Dreft washing-up liquid om all my bikes for decades, literally. Works a treat, never any adverse effects on the bikes’ paint work (both matte and gloss frames).
Love the video's .....to clean my cassette I use a cotton mop head and cut the strings off and they fit perfect between each cassette without taking it off the bike.
Muc-off all year
Isn't the brush you are using to clean the frame a bit too harsh ? I use the same but I wonder if a microfiber would do better.
Not for after every winter ride, spray gt 80 over chain drive then use a chain cleaning tool dry as in put no degreaser in the bath part, run chain through it and dry all off with a rag, saves having to wash off the degreaser , no water left to seize the parts in winter then lubricate, if we had to do GCN method in winter we would get hypothermia after the ride, if the weather is too bad to go a cycle then certainly do there method
Nice old-school repair stand,Alex. I have the same exact one. Nice and sturdy.
Question about spraying the cassette and chain with degreaser and then scrubbing it with a brush. Does this create any issues when the degreaser gets splattered all over the rear disc? I've been covering my rear disc with paper towel for that part, but if that's not necessary, I'd gladly stop. It's kind of a pain.
Can u share the frame size of this Orbea - & if possible your height.
Thks.
I swear to god on my ride this morning I was thinking, gotta search GCNs videos to see if they can give me tips on cleaning my bike after a ride. Actual mind blown you posted this 8 hours later 🤣🤯
...and always remember to wear your castelli kit everytime you wash your bike...
Woah, I'm not sure about using the same brush for the frame on the disc brakes!
Yay! The GCN initiation ceremony of making a bike cleaning video :D
And for those of us that have cleaned a cassette next to a rotor (you only do it once 🤦♂️), there's a good video on GCN somewhere about replacing pads and cleaning rotors 😁
So that pressure washer is it strong enough like power wise as in video looks weak though not as powerful in blasting water? I already have degreasers off canadian tire store specific to bikes and I use another one called Purple Super Clean another form of heavy duty degreaser that cleans off bike instantly literally and car wash liquid also and thats all i use.
Is Bio Degreaser safe to use on disc rotors?
Are the disc brakes not going to lose efficiency by getting contaminated with degreaser at the start of the video? Is the degreaser in essence a type of lubricant?
I great tip is to use a Blower (DEWALT do a good one) and blow the water off your bike. So much faster and it gets into all the areas your fingers cannot.
nice 😊..your bike is awesome..i wish i have my own road bike too..ride safe always
For a thorough cleaning, I take off the wheels and clean wheels and frames in my bathtub: warm water? Check. Low pressure water jet? Check. Quick drying of parts? Check.
Alex creating a winterwonderland, cleaning his bike, garage and driveway
Is that degreaser save to use near the pads and brake discs? I have it but I'm extra cautious using it that liberally.
I do have the bike protect and use the cloth method as I know that's not good for the brakes.
I only ask because I've recently bought a new Ribble bike and don't want to screw the brakes up straight away lol.
Bike cleaners ought to learn from car detailers. NEVER lay down the sponge on the ground unless you like having swirls and scratches all over. I use some of the car products but also bike specific things, but try not to use Nano blabla because it pollutes the water and has no effects only expensive. Make sure to dry it after washing so you won't get ugly water stains. You may use a car detailer or a bike detailer as shown. But nevertheless a nice Video!
I wonder which one of the two mucoff products, bio degreaser or the yellow drivetrain cleaner is better to clean the chain and cassette? Do you know it? Big fan of the mucoff products 👍
Nice , Garage door clean also :)
can i use campagnolo rotors for shimano calipers?
Turtle wax great on carbon frames protects and makes the next clean even easier.
How to clean your bike by GCN - Version 1872
Why do you need to dry the bike after the wash? Mine just dries naturally after some time. Why take the time to dry it? I get it for the drive train, because you dont want to lube a wet chain, but the frame?
Yeah.....how about a guy in a 5th floor flat? No hose , no power washer? I use a hand pump/canister to pressurize, and get water from my sink. It's not as good, but it works , especially in winter!!! Be safe !! And thanks
Alex rocks! Great job, man.
what Orbea is this ? Orbea Orca Aero? like it:)
Bike cleaned, garage doors and fence next. 😉
A cheap chain cleaning tool is also a great hack to use degreaser more effectively, to save time to get the bike all dirty again
Alison and wonderland..clip.🙄 💥 muck off💥 ..muck..off 💥 muck off💥 mmm what product to use.🤔.thanks Alex ✌
Great product love it
Do i need to blow dry my bike after cleaning?
Wax your chain and you can skip most of this, and your chain and gears will last twice as long. I remember the bad old days when I had to clean my chain and cassette... Kind of amazed GCN is still pushing oiled chains.
Fully agree, as for washing bike quick car foam then a 100mm paint brush and rince takes about 5 minutes
Here in Warroad, MN, USA, and similar areas (I'm thinking of Winnipeg, Manitoba, for example), our landscape water is in its solid state for about half the year. That condition requires cold air, and the air density in that half of the year is great enough that ridin' dirty is not appreciably a great brake on progress. (Notwithstanding Slick Willie.)
That said, the road treatments can be an issue. I do not ride my aluminum frame when the road chemical is applied. Aluminum, you'll recall, is pretty reactive. [Sorry, GCN: 'aluminium'] On the other hand, the air temperature needs to be above a certain point in order for the road chemical to work, whether it's a chloride, or urea-based. The works departments, God bless them, know this, through valiant use and wont, and will switch between chemical and sand on a per case basis. The sand just needs dry brushing.
We do get blizzards. I ski during blizzards, because wheeled travel is impossible.
Your results may vary. Travel, or movement, is the main thing. Sometimes you just can't stay home and wait for the JDAM. The Finns, for example, just didn't sit there, "sheltering in place", in their fight against the USSR back then.
th-cam.com/video/KeNa69uyYW0/w-d-xo.html His words, not mine.
#AskGCNTech which of your bike cleaning videos should I use if my bike is muddy but not a cyclo-cross bike, second-hand, outside but I can only use my showerhead hanging out of the bathroom window, the drive-train only needs a shallow clean, I have exactly 21.46 minutes available and I don't have any GCN Castelli kit to wear while I do it. Also, I need to build my own bike stand to wash it on but I only have some old cereal boxes and blu-tack?
Can you do again just try wash it between two scooters in the middle of Taipei. Oh and you live on the third floor with no hose pipe or water access. Thanks
Am I the only one that takes off the chain to clean it
No m8
Hi. Great video. Photography and filming stunning...even for cleaning a bike. Muc products work. And I like that spray machine! Checking it out on line now. See ya soon. : )
Scrubba-dub-dub? I'm starting to like this guy!
@8:27 Alex you missed a link with the chain oil! Ollie wont be happy with that! #frictionwatts
Which is you brilliant handlebar tape?
A) Leave it in the centre of the living room as art B) Live where it's always dry and sunny C) Get out there and clean/ wash/ dry it. ....Degreaser, hot soapy water, GT85, lube.......Finally canuba liquid car wax (cheaper and better protection than any bike specific spray) :)
There are some many mistakes in this advertisement that GCN should be ashamed of themselves
Washing the disc brake rotors with soap was a new one on me 😂😉
This is totally OTT for a bike. Just max-ing the number of product endorsements you can fit in
Is it important to wear cycling kit to get the bike clean? Asking for a mate.
Alex, is that a 1x setup?
Is it safe to spray the degreaser directly on the cassette ? I always thought it could find its way to the freehub.
Yes it will. You can spray water on it lightly, but with a lot of pressure is a really terrible idea.
@@casualguy3938 thanks for the info mate