Regular cleaning routine

Cleaning your bike is the best time to spot worn or broken parts that could otherwise fail and leave you stranded in the wilderness. Beware of jet washes though. The power hoses on garage forecourts can leave your bike looking very shiny without much effort, but, no matter how careful you are, they force water in through the bearing seals, flushing grease out. This shortens the lifespan of bearings, pivots and other components radically. As a principle, start with the dirtiest bits and work up to the cleaner ones. That way, you minimize the amount of recleaning you may have to do. If starting from scratch, here’s a routine to transform your bike. Drop off the wheels and hang it up so you can reach everything.

“No matter how careful you are, they force water in through the bearing seals, flushing grease out” 1) Start with the drivetrain: the chain, sprockets, chainset and derailleurs. If the chain isn’t too dirty, clean it with a rag. 2) If your chain is too oily and dirty to respond to this treatment, give it a thorough clean. You can do a very respectable job without removing the chain from the bike, which is a lot of trouble and can weaken the link you remove. For the best results with the least fuss, tip a little degreaser into a small pot. Use a toothbrush or washing-up brush dipped in degreaser to scrub the chain clean. A chain-cleaning box is a good investment, making this job cleaner and quicker. 3) Sprockets…

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Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques (Digital) - 1 Issue, Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques 3rd Edition

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