rwh63

wondering what products (techniques as well) that you use to keep your whole bike clean and ready for play or show.

wolfchild

I don't perform any cosmetic beauty treatments on my bikes.

jaxgtr

I just sort of wipe it down when needed but don't use any special products.

Fahrenheit531 

Dawn dish soap & water.

genejockey 

Simple Green on the drivetrain - don't soak, just spray on, use brushes to help dislodge the dirt, then wash off with copious water. Water with Dawn dish soap on the frame and wheels. You can use a Detailing spray on it, but DON'T let it get on your brake pads or braking surfaces! On raw Titanium, spray a little WD40 on a cloth and wipe the clean frame with it.

Wolfchild's Helpful Hints.

SurferRosa

Don't ride in the rain.

cyccommute 

I avoid using oil based lubricants on the drivetrain which significantly reduces the need to clean at all. I have to clean enough really dirty bikes at the co-op to get my cleaning fix. I reasonably certain that this person just uncapped a quart of 10W-40 and poured it over the bike on a weekly basis.




Simple Green is fairly ineffective in my experience. I found Armor All Extreme Wheel and Tire Cleaner works much better. Let it sit for a few minutes and even this bike came out much, much cleaner.

Garthr

While I only wipe my frames clean locally, as in certain places at a time as called for and generally with water, a rag and/or mild window cleaner. I occasionally use some Blue Magic metal polish on some of my raw finish Specialized hubs from the 80's.

I've also found that WD-40(from the gallon cans) also makes for one all-in-one cleaner/polisher. After lubing my chain with it I'll occasionally wipe the stays and/or other tubes with it on a rag, Cleans polishes and lubes in one shot. Ahahahahahaaa ... very nice !

I use diesel or mineral spirits as a degreaser, which isn't very often and only for bearings.

GhostRider62

I did 75 miles in off and on drizzle yesterday and the bike and my legs were coated in debris like leaves, mud, worms.

I took the chain off and put it into mineral spirits, turned the crockpot of wax on, and washed the bike with hot water and Dawn detergent. I dried it. Then I took a shower and ate. At that point, I took the chain out, wiped the excess wax off, and reinstalled it. It is rare that I wax any of my bikes but I use the same automotive wax that I use on my cars. (I do not use a degreaser on my bikes because there is no grease to remove, ever)

Troul 

For a detailed look, graphene with a matte finish.

so far, the carbon stuff hasn't exploded.

trucklet

Pedro's Bike Lust is my favorite bike polish, Muc-Off Matte Finish Detailer works great and smells amazing, Finish Line or Muc-Off bike wash for general cleaning, and Finish Line Gear Floss is great for cassettes and freewheels if you're not taking off the drivetrain to soak or put in a parts cleaner. Mother's mag polish for shiny bits.

smd4

I wipe off road dust with a cotton rag and any household spray cleaner. I run the chain through the rag to keep it clean. Use the rag like floss to clean between the sprockets. I also will blow heavier debris away with my air compressor. I use Armorall on the hoods. Then I use a ceramic car wax on all surfaces, including the frame, chrome stay and lugs, and components—probably any quality wax would work, but I’m currently using Hydro Slick from Chemical Guys.

beng1

When I am cleaning old grease of drivetrain parts I use kerosene. If my chain gets noisy I put a bit of motor-oil on it. Sometimes I will wipe a few parts of a bike down with an cotton rag. I have an old can of chrome polish marked "Mopar" that is probably from around WWII, it still works to polish something if I am so inclined, but it is almost completely empty.

Inusuit

Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax. Protects the finish and I'm guilty of liking a clean shiny bike. I've used Ballistol to clean chains because I have a lot of it on hand. Brush to clean between links and re-lube with Dumonde Tech Classic Lite.

pdlamb

Squirt some Dawn in a bucket, add hot water, wash. Done. Good enough.

t2p

for dust and similar - try a Swiffer dust cloth (instead of rags or paper towels etc)

Swiffer dust cloths are amazing for cleaning dust and loose dirt from bikes (frame, components, rims, etc) - and can also work well on lubricated drivetrain parts (chains, cogs, rings, RD pulley wheels, etc)

Swiffer cloths will also continue to work when they are fairly well used - so you can get multiple uses from one cloth

we ride on a fair amount of crushed limestone, gravel, and dirt trails and roads - so the bikes are often covered with a blanket or layer of the stuff ... Swiffer cloth is great for quickly removing that stuff

if you use a chain lube that does not attract or sheds dirt / dust fairly well - Swiffer cloth will remove whatever dust / dirt that did cling to the chain, cogs, and rings

big john

I use Pledge on my road bikes, I never wash them unless they get muddy/gritty. I let the mountain bike get pretty nasty before I wash it. I haven't washed it this year.
Don't think I washed my car this year, either.

Eric F 

For regular between-ride cleaning, I hose my bike off and wipe it down with an old t-shirt. Anything too sticky to come off with just water, I use Simple Green. For deeper cleaning of drivetrain parts, I like Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner.

mattcalifornia

I've been using Muc-Off bike cleaner the last few years. Seems to work well. Pedros Bike Lust is incredible for shining up your bike, but I almost never do that. I use Pedros biodegradable solvent-free degreaser to clean my drivetrain. Finish it off with some Muc-Off dry lube. One of these days I'll try immersion wax. Maybe.

Eric F 

I've been using Silca Super Secret drip wax for a little while now. I like it as a lube. I like it even better for not being messy when I'm working on my bikes.

Paul Barnard

For chain degreasing, I use whatever kind of commercial degreaser the store has when I go buy it. That is Zep right now.

I put it in one of those bicycle specific chain scrubber thingies and pedal backwards for about a minute.

I rinse, let it dry, then apply Finish Line dry chain lube.

For washing, I use commercial car wash. The same stuff I use on my truck. I rinse, then apply Lucas Slick Mist Marine Speed Wax. It is sprayed on a wet surface, followed by a quick towel dry.

The Lucas Speed Wax is one of the best products I have ever used. I'll never paste wax again. It only lasts about half as long as paste wax, but it takes about 1/10 the time to apply.