After a Dirty/Muddy Ride

After a fun ride on gravel/dirt trail close to home, 10% of that through wet gravel/dirt, I came home and decided I wasn’t going to clean the bike.  I just wiped down the chain, passed a rag over the cassette and derailleurs and called it a day.

Does it really matter if you leave a fair amount of dirt on the bike (Carbon frame/fork)?  I figured it doesn’t matter if I clean the bike right after or the next day.

Maybe someone will develop a bicycle Roomba.  Or dirt eating microbes.  As long as I don't have to do it.

stu wrote:Maybe someone will develop a bicycle Roomba.  Or dirt eating microbes.  As long as I don't have to do it.

Would you settle for a roomba bicycle?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puEF9owq5qU

Noonievut wrote:After a fun ride on gravel/dirt trail close to home, 10% of that through wet gravel/dirt, I came home and decided I wasn’t going to clean the bike.  I just wiped down the chain, passed a rag over the cassette and derailleurs and called it a day.

Does it really matter if you leave a fair amount of dirt on the bike (Carbon frame/fork)?  I figured it doesn’t matter if I clean the bike right after or the next day.

I have bikes, that except for the drivetrain, haven’t been cleaned in years. No problems. 

Cleaning does give you the chance to inspect for damage. 

Jumbo wrote:Would you settle for a roomba bicycle?

Good question for the e-bike thread.

Mine gets washed when I do maintenance.

@Mark_S that’s pretty much what mine looked like.  The idea makes me shudder but I’m trying to forget about it lol

I went for a ride this morning and the drivetrain was again very smooth and quiet.  Yesterday during the ride it was the opposite.  I guess so long as the drivetrain is well cared for all good

Here’s my simple post-ride cleaning kit. Weed sprayer full of hot water, any type of bike wash soap, Park brushes and chain cleaner. Followed by blowing the drivetrain dry with an air compressor. Works well for me year-round.

JTW wrote:Here’s my simple post-ride cleaning kit. Weed sprayer full of hot water, any type of bike wash soap, Park brushes and chain cleaner. Followed by blowing the drivetrain dry with an air compressor. Works well for me year-round.

I have the same set up, all sitting in a couple buckets ready to go.  But it has been taking too of my time (hence the question)

I keep the drivetrain very clean-- wiping it down and using a tire brush on the cog set-- and don't really sweat the rest of the bike.  I probably detail each bike 4 times a year to inspect for damage, but I don't really stress the dirt patina. I even kinda like it.

Keep in mind that carbon rims - especially deep carbon rims - resonate the sound of the freehub, making it much louder.

I came up with a good 'hybrid' cleaning process after today's ride.  The trails I was on were 99% dry, and I flew through the 1% and thought the icy mud/grass off the side was a safe bet.  Wrong, the bike and I were covered head to toe in a thin layer of mud.

After I got home I took a soapy bucket of warm water, a rag, tire brush and quickly wiped the bike down, avoiding a soaking of the drive train.  I had just lubed the chain after last ride and I thought by hosing down the bike or getting a lot of water on the chain etc. I would have to lube it again.  Seems like a waste.  Anyway, bike is 90% clean and after I wiped the drivetrain down (which I would do in most cases) everything good and no need to re-lube.

After a ride like that, I'll take the extra few minutes to put some fresh lube on the chain. It's not worth the risk of having it rust due to water inside where you can't see or get to it.

Clean chain/greasy parts with degreaser, spray bike with a cleaner, rinse down with hot water and this:  
Wipe down, lube chain, and take inside to dry (I have an understanding wife). 15 minutes makes for a happy bike next ride. Getting the bike dry saves me from finding moldy spare parts in the repair kit when I need them, and keeps corrosion at bay under the bar tape and shifter internals. And, over time, I have found some surprises that needed fixing. I like fixing things at home and not on the road.

wanderer wrote:Clean chain/greasy parts with degreaser, spray bike with a cleaner, rinse down with hot water and this:  
Wipe down, lube chain, and take inside to dry (I have an understanding wife). 15 minutes makes for a happy bike next ride. Getting the bike dry saves me from finding moldy spare parts in the repair kit when I need them, and keeps corrosion at bay under the bar tape and shifter internals. And, over time, I have found some surprises that needed fixing. I like fixing things at home and not on the road.

I spend the time as warranted.  A wet and muddy right from start to end and the bike gets a 10 star cleaning.  A dry ride still gets a wipe down of the chain, cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings.  Today I tried to find the 5* and the bike looks new, actually.

I was wondering about this out on the trail though (thought pattern went something like this)...say my ride is 2 hours and the weather is nice and sunny.  In the first 5 minutes I ride through a puddle or some mud and the bike gets a light coating of dirt/mud.  I ride for nearly another 2 hours.  Anything that was on the bike is now completely dry and the specs on my frame can be flicked off.  I've just ridden for close to 2 hours with a spray of dirt/mud, including on the drivetrain.  When I go home do I even go inside, or just clean the bike :-)?  Like, does it matter?!  The bike looks better right after the ride than after 10 minutes into the ride, but I didn't do anything during the ride, so why does it matter so much afterwards (I'm saying this trying to convince myself to not be so anal about cleaning, no offence to others like me lol).  I "always" wipe the drivetrain down after any ride because it takes two minutes and is part of my routine after I'm putting the bike away (always in the unfinished basement).  And after years and years of riding my drivetrains last (knocking on wood).  I may get a 32oz bottle of the lube I use and add a quick application and wipe down on any ride like this morning's, as that's another 2 minutes.  Here is the thing, if I know the trails are a little dirty, and I say to myself "do I really want to ride and then have to come home and spend 15 minutes or more cleaning the bike", and if I convince myself to reach for the road bike instead, or god forbid use the trainer, than my anal-ness has robbed me of some enjoyment.  Does this make any sense lol?

Not only do I not typically wash the bike, but I don't wipe down the drivetrain either.  Surface dirt is of no consequence and wiping a chain down wouldn't get at the dirt where it counts.  I don't tend to spend a lot on wear parts - I've just had a look and estimate a year's worth (~2k miles) of cassette, chain and chainring wear at around $100 - getting another 10% out of it all would not be life changing. When the chain needs to be serviced it reminds me, and a couple of rides later I get the ambition to do something about it.  Then I pop it off and bath it in cleaner, and wash it up in the deep sink.  I lube it off the bike because it's less messy that way.  I don't bother to service it on the bike at all - no need to because I'm not washing the lube out of the chain after each ride... ;-)