To keep your bicycle running smoothly you really have to do some maintenance every now and then. A bit of grease is necessary for some bicycle parts, but it also attracts sand and other dirt. Leaving that on there for too long will make these parts wear out more quickly. So if you want to save money and keep your bicycle running smoothly. Clean it regularly!

Cleaning my bicycle

It's a week since I'm back from holiday now. I've been making some commuting rides and a nice long ride with friends last Saturday (check my post about that). That have been hundreds of kilometers since my last cleaning job.

When I checked the status of my chain, the cassette and the pulleys, it was clear to me that I really needed to clean it. And since I had a lazy Sunday afternoon and it was dry, I decided to clean my bicycle.

To start, I put my bicycle upside down on some rubber tiles in the front yard and use the hose to spray the bike. Be sure not to use a strong jet if you use a hose, since since you don't want water to get inside some parts.

For the chain and the gears I use degreaser. I use a bio degradable degreaser from cyclon. But you can also use regular dish soap for this.

I used to have a drive train cleaner that I could put around muy chain, but then mine broke, I never bought another one again. I use an old dish brush and toothbrushes for this. A nice trick is to squeeze two tooth brushes against each other around the chain and then run your chain through it. It's perfect to remove the grease in between the links.

After cleaning all the grease and dirt from the chain and gears I sprinkle the rest of the soap from these parts again and dry the chain with an old cloth. After that I apply some new lube to the chain links; one drop per link. The oil gets 'sucked in' the link. When I have done all the links I run the chain through a dry cloth again to remove excessive lubricant.

And look how nice and shiny the chain is again! Just compare that with the first image in this blog 😊

Replacing my tire

When cleaning my bicycle I also inspect other parts of my bicycle. I already noticed that the profile of my back wheel was fading. When I took a closer look I noticed some damage here and there, And it had also dried out in some places. Time to replace it!

I make sure to always have important parts at home, so I can replace them immediately if needed. Another useful thing about buying them in advance is that you can get them when they are on sale. Since I cycle in all weather conditions I always buy Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires. These are a bit more expensive, but they have an extra protection layer in the tread of the tire which reduces the chance on punctures significantly. I've cycled through glass many times with them. They leave marks, but it hardly results in punctures.

When I held the tires side by side it was clear that the old one needed to be replaced. When yo are going to replace a tire yourself, do watch out in which directions the profile goes. This does matter!

After the cleaning job and replacing the tire, my bicycle is ready for a ride again!

When was the last time you cleaned your bicycle?

Happy cycling!

Friendlymoose

I'm an amateur photographer with a love for indoor gardening, craft beer, and cycling. As the owner of the Cycling Community and the creator of the Topcomment initiative, I focus on fostering engagement and bringing like-minded people together. Check out my projects below!

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