![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() He has a particular focus on mountain bikes, but spends plenty of time on gravel bikes, too. Tom Marvin is a technical editor at and MBUK magazine. You can also get a finishing spray for suspension forks and shocks, which help lubricate and ward off dirt on the moving surfaces. In this case, it’s likely you’ll need to strip and clean your brakes. If any polish, oil or substance designed to reduce friction gets on to your brake pads, discs or brake track, it’ll contaminate your brake system.Ĭontaminated brakes will severely reduce your ability to slow down, making your bike unsafe. We recommend removing wheels before applying a spray polish, also take care not to get spray on any of the braking components or braking surfaces. The advantage of using a product such as this is that dirt finds it harder to stick to the PTFE, making your bike easier to clean next time around. The dispersant expels water from the bike, protecting it against corrosion, while the PTFE creates a shiny finish where applied. Sprays that contain a moisture dispersant and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, which is what Teflon is) are good choices. Once your bike is free from dirt, the last job is to add a protective polish to the frame and components. There are also lots of drivetrain-specific brushes available for cleaning chainrings, cassettes and chains. It’s possible to get really vicious with removing every molecule of muck from a chain by dunking it in petrol, although that risks removing all the lubrication from inside the rollers and pins.Ī chain cleaning sponge (essentially a sponge with a groove cut into the top) makes cleaning a chain easy - just grab the chain in the sponge’s groove and turn the cranks. If ignored, dirt will speed up wear throughout the transmission, impact on shifting performance and reduce efficiency. Some products combine cleaning and degreasing in one.ĭegreaser is used to clean your chain and other moving parts. There are eco-friendly options available too, such as the biodegradable can from Muc-Off shown above. ![]() Muc-Offĭegreasers break down grease and grime without brute force, and are ideal for getting the built up greasy crud off your drivetrain and cassette. DegreaserĪ degreaser will prevent you from having to use brute force. Scroll down for a list of our favourite bike cleaning sprays, as rated by our expert testers. They’re useful for lifting any dirt that refuses to let go, and are an effective way of washing your bike if there’s not enough time available for a more comprehensive clean. There are lots of cleaning sprays available, and they should speed up the purging process by eating into whatever grime is on your bike. Most mud and grime should lift off with a good cleaning spray, and brushes can be used to tackle the worst areas. You can use it instead of or as well as a cleaning solution.Īfter being applied, a cleaning spray can be left to work for a few minutes, before being rinsed or wiped off. Bike cleaning sprayīike cleaning spray is a good choice if your bike is really dirty or has dried on mud and crud. But a dedicated cleaning solution is more effective than Fairy Liquid at removing the worst of the nasty stuff. A tried-and-tested starting point to a thorough clean is often a bucket of water and washing up liquid. Many are concentrated, so need to be diluted before use. Make sure the cleaner you choose is safe for use on both metal and carbon. Jonny Ashelford / BikeRadarīike cleaning solutions are designed to help loosen and remove dirt without damaging the paintwork or material your bike is constructed from. Concentrated bike cleaning solutions will need to be diluted. ![]()
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