How long does Sorry for all the replies…I’m on holiday so no work to stop me pondering!

So much pondering I managed a double post!

I like my bikes spotlessly showroom clean as often as possible. I think it goes back to when I was a student and spent every penny I had in my bikes so wanted to make them last as well as possible. Also, weapons – feet – wash – eat (for those who know it).

However long it takes, double it, I have the wife’s bike to clean as well.

I sometimes go with “functionally clean” which is removing big lumps, make sure rotors are clear enough of detritus to run drag free, clean and lube sliding components and then clean the drivetrain.

It sounds like I take a lot longer over that than most do on their normal clean.

It’s all relative.

I’m putting in about 150+ off road miles a week currently plus the GFs bike. That’s a lot of hours of riding. All off-road, all through winter.

Etc.

Sounds like Onza and I are in exactly the same situation, with similar thought processes over purchases and looking after them.

It is what it is.

I’m very happy to hear from others’ experiences of cleaning the bike, less bothered about people arguing the toss over the theories of subjective cleaning standards.

Although for record, mine are always spotlessly clean but if it’s just dusty then I often don’t bother as much in the summer. But that’s not very often.

I just think of it as less time lounging around the house.

Others would have the similar stw concerns over my tidy house. 🙂

It’s no V Steam that’s for sure.

Sorry for the hijack here but what is the STW recommended cleaning agent to put in with your water. I thought some products, like Mac Off, could cause bearing damage and tarnish anodised surfaces. Or is this complete foobar?

Fenwicks seems okay to me. But then liquid detergent seems to work too, maybe not so good for brake discs.

I thought some products, like Mac Off, could cause bearing damage and tarnish anodised surfaces.

When Muc Off came out, it was very alkaline to shift grease, and this made it damaging to aluminium – it came with a warning not to let it sit on your bike. But they changed it.

Personally I like Muc Off but Halfords bike cleaner (orange) is a bit cheaper and probably better. If you follow the instructions to douse your whole bike in it you get about four washes from a bottle. If you spray 6 squirts onto a sponge and then wipe the bike with that, it lasts ages.

I like using somethign like this instead of a sponge, much better :

yellow not such a good colour though, maybe grey ?

Like muc off, but about a quid. As Molly says, put some on a sponge/cloth and fire away.

Just Fairy Liquid for me. The salt/corrosion thing seems to have been pretty comprehensively dismissed.

I hate washing bikes, mainly cos it shows up all the dinks & scratches that appear on them each week……….

those Hozelock Wheel wash brushes are IMO ideal for bike washing. I use Muc off, spray it on, then use the brush on a lowish setting, rinse, job done.

Quick hose to make sure whole bike is wet, spray muc-off all over bike and leave for 1 minute. Hose off and job is done…I then spray a hard brush with muc-off and run it over drive-in if that needs doing, then rinse off..again 1 minute and that is done.
Very much depends on how clean you want your bike..mine is clean and shiny but isn’t spotless…I use wax on my chain so a hose with muc-off tends to bring it clean again with ease.
I’m all for minimal effort and time for best result (best being clean but not spotless – no real benefit to spotless unless it isn’t going to be used again).

Got my Hydroshot, leaf blower, two batteries and rapid charger now.

Great set-up though two batteries is essential if you want to do a couple of bikes very thoroughly. The leaf blower is okay but not massively powerful and nowhere near as effective as my cleanbyair.

It’s only fair to say the cleanbyair guy has contacted me and was away at the time , so it’s being dropped in for repair.

Has anyone had issues with the battery indicator not going off? Washed the bikes in the rain today and the battery level light is still on hours later. Looking at it there are holes on the top and bottom of the battery, not ideal for on a pressure washer and it looks like water has got in.

Currently sat in a tub with silica gel hoping it dries out and turns off.