When I first took up cycling again in 2011 I had no idea of the importance of cleaning my bike. If it was lucky, the bike might get a clean once every 3 months, and at best it would be a quick hose down. I didn’t understand the importance of keeping the drivetrain clean and lubricated, how it reduced component wear and I didn’t understand the importance of cleaning to make sure the bike was safe and roadworthy. I also didn’t fully appreciate how cleaning the bik could help me get the most out of it in terms of performance.
Anyhow, over the years I cottoned on and thought I would share my process for giving the bike a good clean to keep it performing well and looking like it just came out of the showroom.
First of all, always clamp your bike in a workstand using the seatpost. This gives you the best access to all areas of the bike and also protects the frame from being marked or damaged in the clamp.
To start with I give it a light hosedown (don’t use a jetwash as it can cause water to get into the bearings causing them to seize and you don’t want to be dealing with that very often) and then I spray my trutension gel cleaner all over the frame, forks, seatpost and drivetrain and let it work its magic for a few minutes.
I then brush, using a soft brush, the frame (including the underside of the downtube and between the frame and wheels), forks (ouside and inside), drivetrain (cassette, jocky wheels, derilleurs, chainset and cranks), wheels, stem and seatpost.
Once I have done that I lightly rinse the bike using the hose to remove all the dirt and soap from the bike. It’s already starting to look better.
At that point I generally dry the frame using a clean cloth ready for the next phase.
Now I use trutension cycle drivetrain cleaner by spraying the cassette and jocky wheels, and then whilst lightly turning the crank, make sure I spray the whole chain too.
Once that’s done I get my trutension chain brush cleaner tool and again turning the crank clean the chain through the brush. Be careful not to push the brush towards the wheels too much or you could catch a spoke. Better still reverse pedal the crank so the wheel doesn’t move.
I then use a hard brush to go at the cassette and the jocky wheels before rinsing off the entire drivetrain. At that point your chain and drivetrain should be fairly free or dirt and muck, just like mine does now.
Now I move on to the disc brakes. It’s vital that your discs and disc pads are free from dirt and grease so that you can ensure you have optimal stopping power out on the road.
For this I use trutension cycle brake cleaner. I spray the cleaner onto the discs and onto the pads and leave them to work for a few minutes. Then I dry the discs off using a clean cloth (making super-sure that the cloth has no grease on it).
Having done that I turn the cranks so the back wheel is spinning pretty fast before applying the rear brake to make sure it stops well and without noise. I manually turn the front wheel and do the same.
One of the joys I used to experience was when I had taken my bike in for its annual service and when I got it back was the gleaming showroom shine the shop managed to give it. I always found it diifficult to get that showroom look when cleaning it at home. However, using trutension cycle maintenance spray I spray the entire frame (be careful not to get it on your brake pads or brake discs or onto the tyre tread) and it coats the frame in a wonderful sheen that not only gives it that showroom shine, but also protects the frame from the elements with a prtective film that disperses water and dirt. After a couple of minutes I wipe off the excess coating with a clean dry cloth.
The results are stunning.
The final step is also a crucial one. Lubricating the chain. If you don’t lubricate the chain you will take months and thousands of kilometers off the life of the chain, as well as wear out your cassette and chainset faster too. At this time of year I use the trutension all weather premium lube. It makes the drivetrain run so smoothly and quietly through all types of weather.
I apply the lube by shaking it well and then applying it to the top of the chain at the lower point in it’s rotation whilst slowly turning the cranks backwards. This ensures an even application of lube over the whole chain, on the side of the chain that matters most (the point it has contacts with the cassette and chainset).
I leave it to set for 5 minutes before removing the excess lube with a cloth.
And that’s it. The bike is now ready for its next adventure. The whole cleaning process need not take longer than 15 or 20 minutes, and that time invested will save you a lot of time and trouble further down the road.
You may have noticed that I have been using a specific product set throughout. I am a trutension ambassador and I stand by their products wholeheartedly. As you can see from the photos above, they do provide stunning results when cleaning your bike.
I am also pleased to be able to offer my readers 2 specific offers for trutension products.
For a limited time (until 30th October 2020) you can get the trutension revive bundle and get 20% off the set. The bundle contains many of the products I used above including:
Snow foam (a cleaner that doesn’t require water)
Simply use the code REVIVE30 at the checkout.
You can alsxo get a 10% discount on any order by using the code 4MYFOLLOWERS at checkout (you can’t use this offer with any other offer).
To get either of these offers simply visit trutension and don’t forget to use the code to secure your discount.
Wishing y9ou many winter months of happy and safe cycling!
