Dry brushing

[wooglin-at-home]

So. Its been kinda muddy the last couple of rides. And I'm a lazy SOB, so by the time I get around to cleaning up the bike its dark out. I've taken to bringing it into the kitchen, letting it dry, and then taking a brush to it. Amazingly, it works pretty darn good. Even the drive train gets clean since I use a dry lube. Really. I'm amazed. You should try this if you don't already. I'm not sure it should replace a good old fashioned hose, but there's a time and a place for everything. And hoses don't belong in the kitchen. Or so I'm told....

[riderx]

I "dry clean" my bike 90+% of the time. Water is bad for bearings. Knock the dirt off the moving parts, lube the chain, wipe down the rims so you can stop next ride and be done. Dirt doesn't hurt paint. I'd rather ride than polish my bike. I've been doing this for many years and it works. AND, it's usually pretty muddy where I ride (drought this year). Of course, my main ride is a single speed and my gearie has a set of thumb shifters in friction mode, so I don't have to worry about micro-adjusting my drivetrain all the time. K.I.S.S.

[SeaWolf]

The only drawback to dry wash is scratching... You only have to be concerned if you like your bike pretty :D

[Shiva]

My bike was ugly the day I bought it, so makes no difference to me, lol.

[mbrider1974]

I have a friend who hoses his down all the time, he doesnt like getting mud on it at all, my bike looks like a complete wreck, with the paint pretty obscured by mud and god knows what kinda muck as I ride thru alot off places with livestock around.

The only bits I clean are any moving parts, brakes, shock etc, a good stiff brush does this quite well, I havent tried a dry lube yet and may wait till I buy a new chain as I've heard it has too be degreased.

No point having a pretty and shiny bike, I much prefer the used and abused look, its what there designed for.

[Andy in Wi]

My cleaning techniques depend on the time. Most of the time, I wipe off the critical moving parts (the chain, rings, and cassette) and just let the mud fall off as I continue riding. Other times (eg after Fat Tire in Chema...something I won't even try spelling), I ritually pull my bike apart and rebuild the thing. Beer is usually involved during such an act.

Besides, the mud makes me look like a mtn biker to all the purty ladys 'round here, but they ignore me anyway....

[roaddog]

figures that they would ignore you, what with all that hunt'n 'n fish'n stuff to do. What kind of pick up truck do you own? maybe that's it.

[Andy in Wi]

I dun own me none of a pick-up truck, but I'd buy me a chevy big 'n blue...

Funny stuff:
My bicycling club did a bike-tune-up-for-5-bucks yesterday on campus. Basically, we stood on a corner on the sidewalk with a workstand and froze our assets off. Around 3, the quintessential redneck jacked-up pickup drove around the corner. Loud 'n fast went Jethro and Earl, revving up to show how cool they are by taking out pedestrians (nearly). They did this a couple times. Well, it only is so funny for awhile. On the 4th, 5th or 11th run (I lost count), two smiling faces look over my direction as I'm working on a bike. I smile back and flash the "I'm #1" hand signal I used so much in the city. Jethro starts running the engine up, preparing for one of those manuevers where the driver conjours smoke and premature wear from his tires. Well, he drops the vehicle into gear, which in turn, makes a sudden leap forward, approaches stalling, and then continues onward at an actual reasonable speed.

But back to the topic, I think he said something about drybrushing bikes. Or 'at least it ain't a ford.' something along those lines.

[SeaWolf]

Chevy trucks suck. Does anybody else agree?