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Bike cleaning
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Just wondering what you guys use to clean your bikes with? I'm using Truck Wash which does get the bike clean but am having trouble with my disk brakes not working as well and squealing a bit (new model XTs, not Avid btw) and wonder if the wash is leaving a residue on the disks. Once you get a bit of heat in the rotors they're fine again but do wonder if washing is the culprit.
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This one will be a bone of contention
Try motorbike wash - does not seem to affect brakes
Cheers
You can always try sanding the rotors back with something like 400-600 grit sand paper? Or not wash your rotors
Truck wash and any car degreesers do leave a residue on yor brack pads and disc, you can use a brake cleaner to spray on your disc and brakepads just spray on and let air dry.
Best to avoid any potential contamination with residues or corrosion with salts I reckon.
I just rinse with a hose, rub with a cloth to loosen any debris, quick rinse again, bounce on the rear wheel to get most of the water off, then wipe dry with a clean towel.
There's nothing like the cleaning required here compared to the UK where it's best to let the mud dry and brush it off.
Add in there a chain degrease and re-lube and your as good as new
I have used truck wash for years with no ill effects on the brakes. Brake rotors can often become glazed through regular use and as the OP have suggested a light sanding should sort it.
I find muc-off works pretty well on anything caked on, otherwise just rinse with the hose and wipe off.
If I'm doing it quickly:
Light hose off, paint brush with kero on it over the frame etc (again, leaving the brakes and rotors alone), very diluted truck wash spray on (the heavy duty blue stuff from Super Cheap auto) ... leave it for a few minutes ... final light hose off and wipe down. WD40 the chain, dry it off and then lube it.
Brakes normally lose power when wet but once dried out again are good as gold. I'm using XT M785. If in doubt about your rotors (once they're dry) hit them with a bit of Isocol rubbing alcohol (available from most chemist shops) before taking more drastic action.
More fully:
Can degrease chain / cassette / chain rings / re-lube as part of this process. Doesn't really take that much longer. Again, it's kero / paint brush.
I was always under the impression kero can be used for paint stripping.. Not something I would generally want to splash all over what little clear coat the mountain bike has.
You should probably stop drinking it then.
Kero is fine so long as you don't do a Madge and leave painted stuff soaking in it.
Thanks Hawkeye ... it's basically used (by me) as a degreaser. Brush on, hose off. Simple as that. Recommended to me by the mechanic I've been using - as was the truck wash. Apparently the kero doesn't leave a residual film - and neither does the particular brand of truck wash (diluted) that I've mentioned above.
when cars were painted with nitro-cellulose paint, kerosine, added to the wash bucket, was the secret ingredient to a bug free, tar spot free (remember when the roads used to melt in the summer heat) shiny vehicle.
Ahh memories of indian summers, sharpie lemonade and terrorising the neighborhood