# How often and how much do you wipe down the bike



## jfd986 (Jul 17, 2011)

Took my bike out on its first ride today. Very different from my old bike, very smooth and generally quieter ride.

After I came back inside from the pouring rain, I noticed the bike was a tad wet. Being my first 600 dollar expense, and being in a largely sterile environment for the last 4 or so years, I started to wipe the bike down. I wiped the seat, a bit of the seatpost, the tubes, the handlebars, the brake levers, the spokes on the front and back wheels, the outside of the crank, then I engaged the brakes and wiped under the hoods because there were droplets there, dabbed the droplets off the underside of the top tube where the cables run, dried the brake assemblies, I think that was it.

So how much of this could I have skipped? And how often am I supposed to wipe it down? Is it a personal choice thing, and I could wipe it every day and make it last longer, or is it overkill?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

jfd986 said:


> Took my bike out on its first ride today. Very different from my old bike, very smooth and generally quieter ride.
> 
> After I came back inside from the pouring rain, I noticed the bike was a tad wet. Being my first 600 dollar expense, and being in a largely sterile environment for the last 4 or so years, I started to wipe the bike down. I wiped the seat, a bit of the seatpost, the tubes, the handlebars, the brake levers, the spokes on the front and back wheels, the outside of the crank, then I engaged the brakes and wiped under the hoods because there were droplets there, dabbed the droplets off the underside of the top tube where the cables run, dried the brake assemblies, I think that was it.
> 
> So how much of this could I have skipped? And how often am I supposed to wipe it down? Is it a personal choice thing, and I could wipe it every day and make it last longer, or is it overkill?


It's fine to wipe down your bike after a wet ride, but I see no mention of cleaning/ lubing the drivetrain. That's important, because riding in wet conditions you'll pick up road grit, and between the two will ruin a chain (then, associated parts) in fairly short order.

Besides the drivetrain cleaning/ lubing, I also wipe down the rim braking surfaces/ pads with a rag/ paper towel and alcohol.


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## jfd986 (Jul 17, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> It's fine to wipe down your bike after a wet ride, but I see no mention of cleaning/ lubing the drivetrain. That's important, because riding in wet conditions you'll pick up road grit, and between the two will ruin a chain (then, associated parts) in fairly short order.
> 
> Besides the drivetrain cleaning/ lubing, I also wipe down the rim braking surfaces/ pads with a rag/ paper towel and alcohol.


Oh okay I thought you only have to clean and oil the chain and cassette once a week during wet season. That's fine I'll throw on some finish line tonight. Thanks for the tip with the alcohol , didn't know what to use for the braking surface on the rim and definitely want to avoid wear, and that screeching noise


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

jfd986 said:


> Oh okay I thought you only have to clean and oil the chain and cassette once a week during wet season. That's fine I'll throw on some finish line tonight. Thanks for the tip with the alcohol , didn't know what to use for the braking surface on the rim and definitely want to avoid wear, and that screeching noise


IMO bike maintenance should be based more on hours of use than time, but for most recreational riders cleaning/ lubing the drivetrain once weekly will suffice. But after every wet ride.

That screeching noise might indicate that your pads aren't toed in at the front. It's more the grinding noise when the brakes are applied that's gonna chew up the rim braking surfaces over time, so try to keep them and the pads clean.


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## MPov (Oct 22, 2010)

I wipe my bike with a damp rag after every ride. I want to keep it looking nice.


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## CBS78 (May 29, 2012)

I wipe my bike down after every ride and wax it with auto wax every week or 2. I sweat pretty heavily so I have had problems with the derailleurs getting sticky from sweat. I try to lube the pivot points once a week to prevent that.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

The amount of time I'd waste screwing around with my bikes if I cleaned the whole thing after every ride would be staggering. At least, for me. I also don't bother to shave my legs.

I wipe my chain with a dry rag after every ride. Suspension stanchions too on the bike that has that. I relube as needed. Cleaning the rims is a good idea, although I'm not very good about it.

As for the rest - next time you ride, it's going to get dirty again. If it's rainy where you are at this time of year, even if it's not actually raining when you ride, if the roads are wet, that's enough.

Do pay attention to how the mechanical components of the bike feel when you ride. Braking action a little gritty? Shifting gritty or slow? A grind or play in the pedaling? Roughness transmitted up the fork? Etc.

Check out parktool.com for answers to pretty much all your specific maintenance questions.


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

jfd986 said:


> Oh okay I thought you only have to clean and oil the chain and cassette once a week during wet season. That's fine I'll throw on some finish line tonight. Thanks for the tip with the alcohol , didn't know what to use for the braking surface on the rim and definitely want to avoid wear, and that screeching noise


Just wanted to be clear that "cleaning" is more than wiping the chain with a rag. Depending on how often you ride, you'll want to clean the drivetrain maybe 1x every 2months or so. 

You can use an on teh bike chain cleaner gizmo or remove the chain and clean it off the bike. You can use an old toothbrush or more specialized tools to clean the chainrings and cassette.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

BostonG said:


> *Just wanted to be clear that "cleaning" is more than wiping the chain with a rag*. Depending on how often you ride, you'll want to clean the drivetrain maybe 1x every 2months or so.
> 
> You can use an on teh bike chain cleaner gizmo or remove the chain and clean it off the bike. You can use an old toothbrush or more specialized tools to clean the chainrings and cassette.


True, but FWIW I don't follow most of what you outlined and my last chain lasted ~4k miles.

Every few days I clean the drivetrain using a rag/ paper towels (with lube applied). I hold the rag (or similar) tightly around the chain while turning the cranks backwards, running the chain through the rag, repeating (changing to new areas of the rag) as necessary. Floss the cogs, wipe the chainrings and RD pulleys (lubing the pulleys 'occasionally') finishes the job. 

The only thing I add to my more 'intensive' ~weekly cleanings is to lube the chain, let the solvent work (for maybe an hour) then run the chain through the rag(s) as described. 

I use no chain cleaners and the chain only comes off the bike during my annual tear down or when it's replaced.

I used to remove the chain and scrub it with a brush, but found no payback from the added labor.


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## eidolon (Jun 21, 2012)

I only wipe down the mountain bike, if it's covered in mud.

On the road bike, I pretty much just rinse off the toptube and downtube with whatever water remains in my water bottle to get rid of salt from sweat. I'll do basic chain lubing occasionally.

Every six months or so I'll apply Boeshield or something similar to the bolts to prevent corrosion.

That's pretty much it. Far as I can tell, you really don't have to spend much time cleaning a road bike.


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## captain stubbing (Mar 30, 2011)

So how much of this could I have skipped? And how often am I supposed to wipe it down? Is it a personal choice thing, and I could wipe it every day and make it last longer, or is it overkill?[/QUOTE]

you could skip most of it
clean it as often as you like
yes its a personal choice thing
no it won't last any longer
yes its overkill (imo)

people on these forums love their bikes and obsess over keeping them clean and lubed....but the world won't end if you don't, and no the bike will not fall to pieces either....they are fairly simple machines and dont' require constant maintenance of the sort advocated on many of these forums.

i wipe my chain once a month with a rage, lube and then rewipe......every so often when crud starts to build up, i'll hose it down and let it drip dry.

but if you enjoy it, knock yourself out.


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## disfunkd (Sep 18, 2012)

i will be oiling my gears etc weekly and washing the rims down arfter every wet ride


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

I wipe it down when it looks like it needs it - some low level of dust / dirt showing up. More often where the chain bounces off the frame when going over big bumps because it leaves some lube from the chain on it. Probably weekly on average I would guess.


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## MPov (Oct 22, 2010)

captain stubbing said:


> So how much of this could I have skipped? And how often am I supposed to wipe it down?
> 
> people on these forums love their bikes and obsess over keeping them clean and lubed....but the world won't end if you don't, and no the bike will not fall to pieces either....they are fairly simple machines and dont' require constant maintenance of the sort advocated on many of these forums


unless you have a carbon frame. Carbon explodes if you don't clean it after every ride


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## Blackbeerthepirate (Apr 26, 2011)

If it's wet, dry it
If it's dirty, clean it.
If it makes noise, lube it.

It's a bike, ride it.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

captain stubbing said:


> i wipe my chain once a month with a rage, . . .


I wipe and lube the chain when it looks or sounds like it needs it, but I don't get all that mad about it. I might be a little annoyed, but never enraged.


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## FatGut1 (Dec 16, 2008)

I use the Progold Monster wipes. They are the bomb!

Wipe the bike every couple of days, lube the chain once a week. 

Keep you bike looking tight that way the chicks dig it and you look pro.


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