Who does not love how well a freshly released bicycle is going? Or what is fine after a review in our trusted workshop?
Well, maintaining those sensations that everything is going perfect is something available to everyone and very easy to prolong over time getting a minimal routine of cleaning and maintenance of the bicycle after each output.
>> How to correctly wash a bicycle
Many cyclists make the mistake of washing the bicycle when they notice that it is dirty. However, if you want to prolong the life of your components - specially, the transmission - and that everything works as the first day you should start washing every time you finish an exit or a race.
Benefits of cleaning the bicycle after each route
It is clear that when getting out of the bicycle after a good kilometer and a remarkable physical effort, what you want most is a shower. What we think is least in cleaning the bike.
But if we are able to assume a minimal cleaning discipline, we will avoid many future problems, saving time and money in maintenance.
And it is that having the bicycle always will help us extend the life of the components, we will avoid unexpected breakdowns and our portfolio will also luxury.
There is also the theme of postureo in today's growl and is not trivial. That cyclist or cyclist that joins his colleagues on a sunny Sunday, dressed in blank and with the dirty bicycle and emitting noise, will become the junction of the exit.
Is it better to clean the bike before or after the route?
Performing proper cleaning and lubrication at the end of each route we will avoid problems with the oxide and those uncomfortable noises that so many migraines cause us.
A very common mistake is to perform this task before taking the bicycle, with the probable disgust of finding some surprise at that time or perhaps something worse, and that is that something overlooks us and we discover it kilometers from home.
It is also possible to recognize that if we know that we have the bicycle, it will give us less lazy to go to enjoy it.
Cleaning routine to follow
As soon as I finish the route and without thinking twice, you have to put hand to the bicycle, so we will overcome the laziness. Next, I will tell you the steps I follow to leave the bicycle in optimal conditions as soon as a route is finished.
The broadcast
A poorly lubricated transmission or with remains of dust and mud will not only shorten the useful life of the components, but will cause noise and mismatches in the changes. To avoid it, after each exit do the following:
First place the chain on the big plate and in the intermediate crown of the cassette. Then we degreaser with the help of a spray boat on the cassette while turning the connecting rod so that the product is uniformly distributed throughout the chain.
Once the degreaser has distributed, with a brush rubbed the chain and the cassette while you keep turning the connecting rods. Do the same with the dishes. Thus the liquid will penetrate well between the teeth.
Let the degreaser act for a few minutes. Then, clarify with water but without using pressure. With this, what we will get will be to eliminate all dirt, dust, mud and fat remains.
The next step is to grease the transmission. For this it is important to let it dry, since water and fat are not getting along. If you grease the chain being wet you will not get anything.
Before lubricating the chain again you must take into account two things: the first is that there are specific waxes and lubricants for each time of the year and type of use. In case of using lubricant, if we live in an area of many rains, we must use a more durable wet lubricant. And if it is a dry area or summer we will use one for dry environments that better repel the dust, but it goes more easily with water.
The second detail that you should keep in mind is that, if you are going to completely wash the bicycle, the task of the lubricated should do it at the end.
The painting and the wheels
To clean the box and the fork it is enough to use a water hose without pressure, a sponj ay soap. It is advisable to do so starting from the top of the bicycle and ending at the lowest. Pay care that the water does not penetrate into the painting through the junction between the wasch and the vertical tube. In the event that between water or that you need to remove the shell for excessive dirt, put the picture upside down.
The fork
If we talk about a mountain bicycle, the minimum we must do is clean the bottles, so that the dirt is not adhered to. Otherwise they could scratch at the next exit, shortening the life of the suspension.
As with the picture, it is very important to not use pressure water, since the seals could spoil.
If you use a pressurized water gun, such as those of gas stations areas, try to avoid areas with bicycle bearings, such as the pedalier, the wheel nucleus and direction pipe. The pressure water easily enters these areas taking the fat that the bearings have, and these in the medium term will end up spoiling and causing a greater fault.
Before saving the bicycle, it is necessary to leave it dry, and with all its elements in the most relaxed position possible: the transmission in plate and small pinion, and in Mountain Bike the fork and the open telescopic bee.
