I fully admit to being a bit @nal about cleaning my bikes - and will spend a couple of hours on Sunday night washing whichever bike was used over the weekend before putting it away for the rest of the week (not a pressure washer mind, just soapy suds & a bit of degreaser on the drive chain).
Today I was in my LBS for a few bits and pieces and chatting to the staff, and was regailed with the story of a customer who sounds similarly afflicted as me, and brought in a two year old bike that was spotlessly clean, but had seized bottom bracket, rusty pivot bearings, corroded spoke nipples, water sloshing around in the fork lowers...etc.... you get the drift... and all (apparrently) because he washed the bike too often!
The bike shop mechanic's position is that MTB's are built to be dirty, but not to be continually immersed in water - so unless I re-lubed and greased every bearing on the thing each time I washed it, I was better off just leaving it dirty.
Group therapy needed....
)!
