When riding in dirt and mud the chain lubricant you use gets broken down through abrasion and dilution with water and grit. when should you use a graphite lubricant and not a multi-purpose oil? And the best part is, you can do it all at home with the right supplies and some basic knowledge. If you also spray Silicon Shine on your frame and components (covering braking surfaces!) The more often you wash your bike, the less build up of dirt you will have, and the easier it will be to wash your bike. I do that and lube the chain after every other ride and that's pretty much it. As a general rule, excess lube should always be carefully wiped away before the bicycle is ridden. Including the can of worms question "How Often To Lubricate & Degrease A Chain". It was making a creaking sound that I had never heard before and figured after almost 25 years I might as well get a new one. Whether you’re commuting, road biking, mountain biking or just heading out for a sunny ride in July, always treat your bicycle chain to regular cleaning and lubing. A clean bike is a fast bike, and one of the first jobs on your checklist should be to give your bike a good clean, whether it’s been in use, especially if you have been riding in dirt, mud or wet weather. Shift your bike into the middle gear on your cassette or freewheel (the set of gears on your back wheel). But you also don't want to use the same lube that you'd select for a foul weather commuter bike as you would for a mountain bike in the desert. If there’s dirt left it will stick to the lube and cause wear to your drivetrain and chain. We're here to help you get the most out of your time on the bike, whether you're a road rider, mountain biker, gravel rider, cycle commuter or anything in between. The only cleaning my BB's get is when I wash my bikes. You'd be surprised what taking 5 minutes and wiping your bike down with a dry cloth after every ride does for keeping a bike clean. But it's actually not that hard. Ideally, mountain bikers should be washing off their bike every time you oil your chain, which is actually quite often because smooth shifting of gears is essential to your climbing ability. Considering what your bike chain has to bear and how important the chain is. With your left hand, hold the tip of the chain lub bottle over the chain near the gears, and pedal backwards with your right hand. Look out for any worn components that may need replacing. 5 reasons why diesel turbochargers commonly fail. If dirt gets into your gearing components it can cause scratching … If there is a lot of water, or you need the lube to last as long as possible, use a wet lube. A good benchmark is to go through a cleaning after every 20-25 rides or so. As the saying goes, a clean bike is a fast bike. But even if your bike isn’t completely caked in mud and dirt, it still needs some TLC every so often. Here are some things you can easily do at home to protect your investment: Clean Your Fork and Shock After Every Ride. If you spend a lot of time riding in wet, muddy conditions, or if you ride hard, fast and often, plan to clean your bike more frequently. You want to lube the chain only; it's not necessary to put lube on the gears. This renders it useless, and removes it from your chain more effectively than you ever will! The main concern you should have when cleaning your bike is the care of your drivetrain. The reasons behind why it’s so important to clean your bike, whether you’re road biking, bicycle touring or mountain biking, are simple. Wet lubes will often accumulate dirt. Check your chain after every ride and clean it if needed. 5. The question of how often should I degrease and lube my bike chain is a common question, especially when beginning. I wash the bike with soap and water like once or twice a year at most, not needed and degrades the bike if done too often IMO. My thumb suck is that decent quality hubs in average commuting conditions should be able to go 20,000 miles or so before servicing. You will likely need to clean your drivetrain more often than the rest of the bike. But a regular cleaning routine can prevent problems down the road. Getting mud, dirt and water off helps to keep things working longer. Contrary to a lot of belief, road bikes and mountain bikes should use the same chain oils for the same reasons. – Keep your eBike clean. That might mean a quick spray with bike wash and another rinse, or a full wash if it still looks grimy. Once you’ve cleaned your bike, applying a specialist polish can help stop dirt sticking and make your bike easier to wash next time. Squeeze the lube bottle to make a light but steady stream onto the chain. We recommend using our Bike Bundle to wash your mountain bike once a month. Make sure to get all the dirt out before you relate. When you service, clean thoroughly, add fresh, good quality bike bearing grease, and use new balls. Completely clean your fork and rear shock after each and every ride. If there’s anything we’ve missed that you do when washing your own dirt bike, please let us know in the comments below. Cleaning your bike immediately after your ride helps to keep it going longer. Mountain bike chains get a lot more dust and dirt in them than road bikes do because they are much more likely to run through puddles and vegetation on trails. It is all based on riding conditions. Some extra bike cleaning tips. Of all the parts that make up a bicycle, the drive chain is among those that receive the most wear. How often you clean your drivetrain, and to what extent, will vary depending on your lube selection, riding conditions, and mileage. If you ride regularly then you should decrease and lube your bike’s chain at least once every month to maintain optimal performance. We hope this guide to dirt bike cleaning has been useful for beginners and experienced riders alike. If there is a lot of dust and grime, use a dry lube. how to de-rust an old potjie pot or cast iron cooker . A mountain bike doesn't need to sparkle in the sunlight; it's just going to get dirty the next time the sun is out anyway. If it’s full of mud or sand clean it as soon as possible. Video: How to clean and lube a bike chain . Simon is here for a special maintenance episode of Ask GCN. This video addresses the question of how often you should clean your bike! When lubricating your bike, really all you have to look for is the moving parts, where metal pieces move against one another. While cleaning your bike, inspect it too. If possible clean it after each ride with bike specific cleaners. Hey guys! Cleaning a mountain bike sounds daunting. For myself I have a fairly convenient set up so I clean my bike(s), in parts, almost every time I ride. The chain is also open and exposed to any elements that can damage it, including water and dirt. After one or two long rides or after wet rides, clean and lube your chain. Plus, a clean bike will last longer and improve performance. It's important to clean and LUBRICATE your chain that very same day for best results. Check out the video below to see how easy it is to properly maintain your chain. How often should you wash your mountain bike? – Don’t use a jet wash or alike as this can drive out grease lubricating the bearings, it will also compress water into the internals which in turn will corrode essential components. Use mild soapy water, rinse with a very light pressure water spray (taking care not … You should be cleaning your bike after every few rides and definitely after any ride when you get caught in the rain. It doesn’t take long and is easy to do. how often should you service your mountain bike? Caring for Your Mountain Bike Suspension November 13, 2019 / ... the more often your suspension will need attention. Don’t use a household polish! Many people will use a hose to wash dirt and grease off their bikes but the spray can find its way onto your rotors. How Often Should You Wash Your Mountain Bike Keeping your mountain bike clean is the number one thing you can do to keep it running well. How often should you clean your mountain bike chain? Steps to clean and lube your bike chain. Play. Last week we broke down how full-suspension mountain bike frames pivot and flex to move through their travel, most often through rotating bushings & bearings.All of those moving parts require varying degrees of attention and maintenance to keep pivoting smoothly. The chain is almost always in motion and under constant tension, bearing against other parts in the drive train. https://www.cyclingweekly.com/video/how-to-clean-your-bike-221294 At the very least you should check, clean, and potentially lube the chain every 1-2 weeks. how to clean your vehicle’s mass air flow (maf) sensor. Dried-up mud and water can have a corrosive effect on your frame, chain and gears. A regular schedule of maintenance (monthly, weekly or more often depending on your type of riding) is important. Clean your bike regularly to protect it from rust and damage. what’s the difference between a ‘wet’ & ‘dry’ chain lube? The good news is that with modern bikes and modern tools it’s a total breeze. I just replaced the bb on my 1991 trek Singletrack at the beginning of last summer for the first time ever. If you’ve never washed your bike and you’ve been riding it often, that’s a sign to give it a wash. After any ride that leaves your bike muddy, sandy, or with dirt chunks or road grime jammed in crevices, you should rinse off the worst of it, and then give it the attention it needs. When it comes to avoiding contamination in the first place, the cleaning process is important, as Ben Hillsdon at Shimano points out: "Our advice is that disc rotors should be cleaned AFTER you clean your bike to help avoid contamination. Your suspension fork is typically the most expensive component on your bike, so cleaning the bike each time you ride makes bike cleaning a quicker task than waiting until your bike is grinding itself to an early death and the dirt is much harder to remove! Use a light, specially-formulated bike lubricant and not any old junk that you find in your garage. In my world how often you clean really depends on how convenient it is for you to clean your bike and how much you enjoy a clean bike. 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