How clean do you keep your bike? 🧽 👇

That little bird at 6:20 put a huge smile on my face. What a cute moment haha

Cheap shower hats work great for covering the brakes when cleaning

One of my favorite quote when I used to work in a bike shop, a customer came in complaining that his brakes didn't work. It was quite obvious he'd sprayed somethong oily on them so I asked if he'd used WD40 on them. He answered quite angrily "No! It was GT85!"

I've definitely done the accidental brake contamination. But I've also contaminated my brakes while spraying mosquito repellent on my legs while standing too close to the bike.

Too much bike washing does more damage then good. There is no way you are keeping out all that dirt no matter how much time you spend cleaning unless you take the whole thing apart and clean each piece in a parts cleaner bath. I owned a company that sold lubricants for large equipment. Lubricant is designed to keep dirt in suspension. The most important thing you can do is keep lube on your chain and gears and basically keep water away from the sealed areas. Granted it has its limits so knock off the big chunks of dirt and then make sure you have lots of lube. You can't really have too much lube either. I use an inexpensive chain oil/grease. What isn't being used will not get in the way and it will help keep out dirt. Each time you clean your bike chances are you just push more dirt into the moving joints. So don't be afraid to ride with a little dirt. Also, it saves you time. I have been biking for over 30 years. Wear from dirt is the least of the problems with my mountain bikes. Crashing and flying sticks is where the damage comes from 😆. Also, I wonder if these guys are trying to sell specific bike items that don't need to be specific to bikes. Also, the reason they make mountain bikes with a finish that is a different color than the underlying metal is so they can sell more bikes. Unless your rides are very boring mountain bikes are going to get scratched. So finish paint should match the undercoat and/or the metal it is made of. Bikes would look good much longer if they just had some kind of clear coat over the metal.

When 'lubing' your chain, you should always wipe it clean afterwards, otherwisw you'll just collect even more 'gunk' to the chain..

To clean disk brake rotors use isopropyl alcohol. You can also make your own chain degreaser cheaply, most specific bike cleaning stuff is very expensive and a bit of a con.

I only concentrate on drivetrain and suspension by now. No point in cleaning the frame after every ride just for it to get dirty with the next. I've got a ptotective layer of dirt now.

I've been mountain biking now for over 20 years and I've never done the water displacing spray on any of my bikes... I've owned each of my bikes for 5+ years and I'm probably the worst at lubing and cleaning them. Yet, I've never had any major issues as a result. All of my bikes looked amazing when I sold them and we're in excellent shape mechanically. I really don't like the idea of dousing the bike with a WD spray to attract more dirt and dust.

'Rinse you bike off so you don't ruin the paint' the very next scene you're then scrubbing the bike with the dirt still on it 😂😂😂

When I want to really clean my chain I take it off and have in a ultrasound bath filled with degreaser/cleaner. It's so zen to see the clouds of fine dirt appear out of each link.

3:20 Acetone and/or alcohol cleans rotors very well. Bed them in after to burn off the residue, and good as new usually.

Brake cleaners don't leave a preventive "barrier", they evaporate immediately leaving no residue, it's the whole point! At least the automotive ones I use.

One may has to replace the pads after a mistake with an oily substance, but NEVER the Rotors. Since they are solid (and not tempered, like the pads that soak up substances) it's possible to totally free them again from any friction-reducing substance.

This whole video is a muc off ad and anyone who thinks it isn’t is stupid. Doddy is a master at product pushing!

Seen Gee On his dream build series doing the whole spray the whole bike down with polish! Commented several times he still does it! gets right on my nerves he might have specific spray that doesn’t contaminate brakes but how many people must copy him and wreck brand new pads and rotors!

Thanks, going to try cleaning my bike for the first time. Glad I saw the part about destroying the breaks , cause I had no clue that was a thing!!!

Bonus cleaning tip... If you have a chance, wipe your dropper post before dropping it (Obviously during a major run you may not have a chance, but if your just enjoying yourself and have a sec (I can get away with a wipe with my glove while still riding) it will help keep dust/muck from getting inside that dropper. As for general cleaning... I found truck wash (CT18 personally) at about 30-1 mix BEFORE you ride, then wash of, and re-apply at the bottom of a particularly muddy park, then wash at home... and my bike looks like it's been cleaned with a brush even tho nothing but water has yet touched it. (The pre application sits UNDER the mud and makes removal easy). I have not had any issues with truck wash on any parts and I have used it for years on my motorbikes with alloy radiators etc... Hint.. Anything involving trucks HAS to be good... would YOU want to anger truck drivers... Bonus hint.. want value for $ meals... Try Truck stops... Same reason... (ok real food, not painted plate food... Dad always hated food where it looked like the chef just signed his name in sauce on an empty plate) You can use a power washer (Water Blaster) on a bike. Just keep clear of the pivot points, steering head and crank... I power wash my chain, but I make sure I let it dry and re-lube the joints well... (Actually the best way is remove, complete clean, then soak in hot chain lube to dispel all air/moisture, then clean off all lube from the exterior of the chain as only lube inside the joints/rollers and between the outer and inner plates .. but who's got time for that Best chain lube is dry wax type if you can apply it correctly, as it tends not to pick up dirt/dust like wet lube does. (Having said that I have free HSS2000 so meh..) Brake pads and oil is NOT game over... but you have to do a PROPER job of cleaning. Remove the pads, Brake clean the caliper and disk. Brake clean the pads, dry with paper towel, rinse/repeat... Put the pads in a tiny jar with meths, shake, Brake clean again etc... Once the pads are back to the powdery clean colour they were when new, away you go... I started my channel when I got a 2nd hand bike with soaked pads (They were black and oily to the touch, and squealed like a supporting role in Deliverance (fitting as that's the name of the track I run it on in one of the 1st videos... )) I cleaned them as above, and near 3 years later, still 1 finger breaking on the same 2nd hand pads (replaced the rotor once with... a 2nd hand one... :-) (Note, I have been cleaning brake pads on my motor Trail bikes (YZ250 etc) for near 30 years... It's what its made for... and SOOOOOO MUCH MORE... Better than degreaser etc.! (I'm also a maintenance engineer). Uhhh disk brake cleaner does NOT leave a barrier... it removes EVERYTHING including itself (a bit like Isopropyl... which is hygroscopic so be careful to dry brake internals if cleaning them in a service... as Isopropyl attracts water as it evaporates) At least throw a rag over your disk/caliper while spray lubing nearby. Clean your rotor/caliper on the bike after any chain/derailleur lubing and you'll b good. I give my disks a brake clean spray after any wash just for the hellovit.

So much respect for your honesty and knowledge

just bought my first mountain bike today thanks for the tips

I lightly hose it down (light so mechanism and brakes don't get screwed up) and then I use dish soap and a sponge to scrub bike, then I hose down again and grab a cloth, run chain through it.

In my experience you don't have to throw things out if you get oil in the disc pads. You just burn it out. Do an easy route with constant gentle brake pressure. The friction will soon get rid of the oil that may have gotten in the pads. A 30 minute loop usually does the trick.

Excellent information. I had no idea the value of WD for cleaning the drive components. I will use this tip the next time I clean my bike. Especially the chain to get the gunk out before drying and relubricating. Thanks,

Helpful, always learning new things on this topic!

3:03 just remove the disk and soak it in alcohol and scrub it without removing it a day later, flip it and a couple hours later scrub it again without it coming out of the alcohol even once!! [outside of flipping it] You will be down to bear metal and they will work like new (sealed container) But new pads needed

Most important: Keep your bike helmet on while cleaning your bike. Safety first! 😂

Bonus tip. If you work on your own bike repack your bearings with marine grease like what you use on wheel bearings on a boat trailer then you don't have to worry about washing your grease out of your bearings when cleaning your bike.

Be careful using power washers or car washers on the bike, especially around bearings. They can remove grease and contaminate them with injected dirt.

Just use rubbing alchohol to clean your brake rotors works for me everytime

Dash of Fairly liquid and a soft sponge with garden hose. Been using that for years never scratched and bike, ruined brakes rim or disc...infact no issues at all. No need tor muc off products as promoted in this video....again ...

So important to protect your paint like that, well done! A loved bike always loves you back! 😃😃😃

perfectly timed birdy visitor to GMBN!

I once contaminated my brakes with silicone shine and i was told that i needed a whole new set of pads and rotors but i eventually just burnt it out and there fine now.

Fairy sprayed on in a dilution with a combo of soft brush and rag for general washing with a light spray of water by hose to rinse followed by a combination of WD40 on some bits with paper toweling to dry those bits off and a old towel to dry the rest. Brake cleaner after wards and lube for drive train. Mr Sheen sprayed onto a lint free cloth for frame polishing. Usually a quick rinse sees me through with a wash every week or if it is really caked but I don't live in dry sunny England so my bike doesn't get quite as messy as yours.

I have success getting disc pads clean by using a little dish soap in warm water in my hypersonic cleaner. I have tried everything before from sanding, to alcohol to other cleaners which never worked and ultimately had to get new pads. Supply chain shortages caused me to improvise and find this method. Now I’m glad I couldn’t find replacement pads!

Thanks doddy, brilliant 🇬🇧💪😁👊❤️

lol that bird.

I was told by Halford's not to use a power hose to clean my bike as the force of the water is to strong and can get into the berrings.

You get a like for the can flip and catch alone 👏

I don't clean my bike with proper cleaner, just do the Houdini an lube the next day. My bike is just a bike (4 years now, no major issues) and I like to keep the environment washing tensid free...

Car shampoo with a shoe brush are my staple diet for cleaning. Maybe the added wax in the shampoo isn't the best for disc brakes but 14 years on using this formular does it for me 😁

Even the bird likes GMBN 😍 Nice Video 👌

Thanx

Haha, Donnie was spot looking at the camera “I know you have contaminated your brakes before” 😂

I love how detailed this video is! What instructions would you recommend for those of us who ride in very dry dusty desert conditions? I ride in areas that are rocky but also leave thick layers of very fine, chalky dust all over everything on the bike. I'm sure it works its way past the seals on the fork & rear shock over time as well.

I got the older type MTB frame and I converted the braking system from disc brakes to rim brakes. Rim brakes are amazing.

If you want to keep your paint nice - don't use a brush. Do a two bucket method like you do with a car. Snowfoam works well too before rinsing.

And: Do not use a pressure cleaner to close to bearings and sealings! Especial your suspentson sealings do not like it to get shoot with high pressure water. :)

Oh crap man I just covered my brand new Boardman's disc brakes and the calliper with WD-40 and lube...

simple green (soap brand) and a toilet brush. Terry cloth towel for the chain. I don't have access to water all the time, so its ginger wipe with a brush and towel - I don't ride in mud. I am a commuter.

I just love when the little bird landed on your handle bars 🐦

Love you video ☺️

Very nice

Advice that stands up in so many parts of life - make sure yi get it wet before yi start

I’ve used furniture polish to de grease motorbikes back wheels for years, works amazingly 👍

6:21 Tech Birdy!)

This was cool 😎

best thing I've done fairly recently is lubing my chain with a wax chain lube...it attracts virtually no dirt/dust and lasts a long time between reapplications. Not only is my chain cleaner, but same with the cassette, rear D pulleys and main chain ring. I expect it will extend the life of drive train in general as well.

Everything you have just mentions not to do in this video I have masterfully already done!.. Homer from the Simpsons crystallized how I feel right now with his wise words passed down through the ages.. Doh!!

Can't left that little stones and dirt in the chain. It's like sandpaper. I use a chain-cleaner mechanism (box with wheels and brushes) from time to time, to pull all the dirt out. Plenty lubrication after I almost dried the chain (towel + time), is an usual procedure after. BTW: How many times did you try the spray-can trick? 😬

I experience on the mtb brake contamination on my first mtb

I’ve Invis protected my bikes from new, once cleaned use Koch Chemie protector wax in a foam pump sprayer everywhere except brakes, lube chainset as normal. Cheap easy maintenance.

Simple Green has been my go to for decades. A Sparkling bike is..ok but a well loved riden bike has some dirt. But a Clean driveline is a Happy driveline. Bikes are most happy with Terra from last Memorable ride.. Bike Whisperer..💪

0:43 drills home the importance of not scrubbing while muddy 1:00 proceeds to scrub the crap out of it while muddy

That's instrumental at 4.04 minutes though 🔥🔥

I found that diskbrake cleaner does the job for my rims too. :D Looks shiny :D

I dunno about this water displacer idea… better without I think. Dry is better than greasy.

At 02:16 you properly contaminated rear brake and just after that you talk about how we shouldn't contaminate our brakes! 🤯 Priceless! 😂

0:42 seconds in you're saying "don't agitate the mud, rinse your bike down before scrubbing", 1:01 you're using a scrubber directly on the mud, wtf?

I have a suspicion that the contaminat your brakes part deux is in response to another bike maintenence channel, who shall remain nameless, that always seem to spray silicon detailing spray over bikes including braking surfaces.

Do NOT use pressure washers you find at a car wash for cleaning bikes (or motorcycles). Pressure washers WILL push water through seals and into bearings, hubs, chain links, etc... . After "correct" washing methods shown here, any mechanic will curse and start disassemblying a bike. If you use water, it should preferrably be free flowing, like from a hose with no dispersion head. If a pressure is too strong for you to take a comfortable shower under, it means you risk contaminating all sealed parts.

3:15 don't replace your disc rotors if you get oil on them! It's such a waste otherwise. In contrast to the pads, they don't get soaked, you can just clean them.

This man explaining why my bike is so messed up rn

I use mineral spirits on the drive train. The rest I use diluted grease lightning, I use a plastic hair net cover over the brake disc and caliper..I clean the rotors with Everclear.

simple green to clean. compressed air to blow out the chain after cleaning

Any cleaning tips for super dry desert climates? My bike is always covered in dust.

~Blessed~ as we are 😉 in mountainous Pennsylvania with six months of rain and another six of snowmelt (= 12 months of mud 😝), it feels that I spend more time cleaning my bikes than riding them. 😆Perversely enough, I actually enjoy it.

Hi, can you share what is the best way to wash and protect a matte/satin finish mtb?

love for the curious robin

What brush is recommended to use for cleaning your chain when necessary?

Well i degreased my rotors and pads with hot water, so far it works perfectly fine and i could see the oil coming out from my brakes.

This is all great stuff...but I'm sorry, I couldn't stop laughing at "Ah, he puffed himself out"

Anyone notice 2:17 directly contradicts the contamination of the rotor segment. I'd say spraying the WD at that close proximity to the rotor with no guard = new brake pads.

Where I ride even if you use proper cleaning the trails contaminate the brakes I use water nothing else and drip lube

Sorry did they just recommended “water displacement” on a chain? As in WD-40?!!!

06:21 bird

Top tip:- get some disc brake cleaning and spray down the drive train and brakes before and after you wash, it’s basically the same thing as a water displaced but it doesn’t contaminate your brake discs and pads

After a wash, I use a car wax and dry on the frame, cheaper than bike specific polish. Makes washing the dirt off next ride easier with light water spray.

i do the whodini wash. i know the results but loose big mud chunks is off atleast then proper clean

When you say water displacement spray do you mean like air spray you would use on computer parts?

What a place to set the GPS, have never seen before

I’ve heated and lightly sanded contaminated pads before to make them good again. Need a torch and to get them pretty hot.

Great Video but Im buying an E Bike. I tend to just have light dirt/dust from road and sidewalks not a real dirt path/off roader.... yet

I love this I look after my giant xtc 4 very well every ride I come back and it’s in that bath with the shower and after it gets dried with the Mrs hair dryer then re lube and grease 😂

Take your wheels off. Take the disc off and use elbow grease from lidl. A lot cheaper and better than muck off. You are wellcome

The thumbnail got me, I started cracking up just scrolling by and had to click on it.

Another tip Get Invis/ridewrap, best way to protect your bikes paint from scratches by far

Some cleaning sprays have lubricant, careful now, read the label

What type of water displacer do you recommend? After the wash, you spray WD on the chain and cassette and any other moving metal parts (minus brakes)?