Often overlooked, but probably the most important piece of advice a bicycle mechanic can give, is to clean your bike properly and as regularly as possible. This is without doubt the easiest piece of maintenance any cyclist can do – requiring no technical knowledge whatsoever. A bike which is kept clean will be substantially cheaper to maintain than a neglected bike, with benefits such as vastly improved drivetrain life, smoother gear shifting more life out of brake pads and cables, increased service intervals on drivetrain components and less of those funny noises.
Begin with rinsing the bike down with the garden hose or, if you don’t have access to one of those, a bucket of water. A pump action spray, like the type used for spraying weed killer, also does the job nicely. It’s worth mentioning at this point that pressure washers should be avoided if possible! These are far too powerful for use on bikes and cause terrible damage to any areas of the bikes with seals (think hubs, headsets, pedals, bottom brackets, suspension forks, frame pivots, hydraulic brakes). If you must use a pressure washer, be sure to use it from a good distance away and don’t direct the spray towards any of the areas mentioned above.
Once the bike has been rinsed, the dirt will be beginning to loosen off already – this is where you apply FS10, a spray on cleaning product. The FS10 will work away at the stubborn dirt. Avoid household detergents like Fairy Liquid, as the active ingredient is salt (which is corrosive). Most cleaning products are now marked as Disc Brake Safe, making it even easier to maintain your bike.
Leave the detergent for about thirty seconds (or even use the time to follow Fraser’s chain cleaning instructions below) then rinse off with the garden hose. If there are any stubborn patches, use a sponge to break up the dirt before rinsing off again. Also, if you are using rim brakes, use a light brillo pad around the rims to improve the lifespan and quality of your brakes.
Now the bike should, be sparkling – but you’re not done yet! It is very important to allow the bike to dry properly before putting it away until the next ride. The best way is to just let the air get around the bike. Sunlight and a breeze work best in an ideal world. Alternatively, riding the bike for a couple of minutes then bringing it into the house and sitting upside-down next to a radiator works well (don’t forget to put down some newspaper!). Allowing the bike to sit in this upside-down position for a short while is especially great for suspension forks, as it lets the oil dribble down to lubricate the wiper seals.
Once the bike is dry, be sure to lube everything as required – chain, forks seals and quick release seat clamps. Remember to wipe off any excess to keep your bike looking shiny! It’s also worth using [Fenwick’s Disc Brake Cleaner][] to keep your bike stopping when you tell it to.
And that’s it! It sounds like a lot to do, but as it becomes a habit, it gets easier to do. Just don’t let your mates con you into cleaning their bikes too!