What happens if you wash your bike with water?
Washing your bike with a high-pressure hose can cause damage to sensitive bearing systems throughout your bike. So, when washing with water, do so carefully. Cleaning your bike consists of four main steps: Wash your bike frame; Clean and lubricate your chain; Lubricate your brake and derailleur levers
Is it OK to pressure wash a bike chain?
Just like when you cut food with a knife, you keep the knife away from your fingers. Pressure washing can get grit out of a bike chain and clean parts of the bike that are far away from any bearing, so if you have access to this tool, why not use it.
What happens to your bearings when you wash your bike?
As a point to ponder, water does not destroy your bearings, its the dust and dirt that does the thing. But pressurized water may force through the sealed bearings and push away all your grease out of it, making it dry all round. As long as there is grease, then your bearings will last.
When is the best time to wash a bike?
With a little practice, you can clean a bike after rainy/snowy rides in about 15 minutes. This assumes it’s a relatively clean, well-maintained bike in the first place. And it does not include replacing any worn out parts. If it’s a grimy mess, a more thorough degreasing and cleaning will be required before a basic bike wash will be enough.
Is it bad to clean a bike with high pressure water?
Cleaning a bike with high pressure water is relatively tame and only mildly morally wrong if you really do not know what you are doing. A lot more fun can be had with a diesel powered steam cleaner where the water-cleaning-solution-mix comes out at a toasty 150 degrees centigrade and the ‘wand’ has to be held with both hands due to the ‘recoil’.
With a little practice, you can clean a bike after rainy/snowy rides in about 15 minutes. This assumes it’s a relatively clean, well-maintained bike in the first place. And it does not include replacing any worn out parts. If it’s a grimy mess, a more thorough degreasing and cleaning will be required before a basic bike wash will be enough.
As a point to ponder, water does not destroy your bearings, its the dust and dirt that does the thing. But pressurized water may force through the sealed bearings and push away all your grease out of it, making it dry all round. As long as there is grease, then your bearings will last.
Do you have to hold your bike on the ground to wash it?
You don’t want that. Whether you use a bike repair stand or something homemade to hold your bike off the ground, it will make bike washing easier and faster. Having the bike high keeps it closer to your eyes for better inspection and it saves you from having to bend over.