One problem faced by mountain bikers everywhere is winter, wet mud and grit can build up on your frame and components which if left untreated will destroy your bike before summer comes. Fear not help is at hand with our helpful cleaning guide.
The best way to avoid letting winter mud build up is to give the bike a hose down and gie the drivetrain a new application of lube straight after will keep your bike running smoothly.
Sometimes you can forget to hose down your mountain bike and the mud starts to build up, this is when the big guns need to come out to bring your bike back to it's former glory.
Tools needed to tackle the grime:
- Bucket
- Warm water
- Brushes and sponges
- Degreaser
- Polish
- Grease
- Chain lube
- Rags (like an old t-shirt or bed sheet)
Step 1 – Cleaning the chain
The chain is one of the most important parts of your bike, keeping this sparkling clean can help save money and boost performance. To clean the chain, scrub away using one of brushes combine with hot water, for more effective cleaning a squirt of washing up liquid can be used to remove stubborn dirt, cleaning the chain with the bike in the highest gear makes it easier to reach all sides of the bike chain.
After the chain has been cleaned of stubborn mud and grime use the your degreaser on the chain and allow it to soak in for a few minutes, this will completely remove all the dirt from your chain, to help boost cleaning rotate the cranks backwards to allow the degreaser to reach deep down into the links. Allow to dry.
When the degreaser is dry wipe the chain with a smooth rag, massaging the links as you go to completely clean the chain. When the chain appears totally clean apply a new coat of chain lube, making sure to coat every part of the chain while spinning the cranks to ensure the inner links are perfectly lubed.
Step 2 – Cleaning the front mech
The front mech is probably one of the hardest parts of any mountain bikes to clean, due to them being hard to access and often jammed full of dirt. The first stage of washing the front mech is to whip out your brush and warm water, an old toothbrush can help reaching the hardest parts.
After a good scrub wipe the front mech with your rag taking care to ensure both the inside and outside of the cage gets a good scrub.
Step 3 – Cleaning the rear mech
There is no point having a sparkling clean chain if the rear mech is covered in dirt. The first step to finishing off your smooth running drivetrain is to use a small flat screwdriver to hook out all the grime in the jockey wheels, with the serious grim out of the way it's time to apply a good layer of degreaser combined with a small brush t scrub out ever bit of dirt from inside the mech. After the rear mech is completely clean, lightly lube both the front and rear mechs and wipe away any excess with a clean rag.
Step 4 – Cleaning the cassette
You'd be surprised how much dirt and grime can be lurking between your seemingly clean cassette, hampering your performance and slowing shifts. The first stage to cleaning the cassette is to use a small flat screwdriver to take the majority of large grime from out of the cogs.
After the majority of grime has been scrapped out, you guessed it, it's time to get out the trusty brush and water and start scrubbing. Exceptionally stubborn dirt can be removed with a squirt of degreaser and a 2nd round of scrubbing. Reaching the backs of the sprockets can be tricky but the cleaner the sprockets the harder it is for new dirt to build up.
When all the dirt has been removed, use a clean rag and “floss” between the sprockets and buff away any outstanding marks. The cleaner the sprockets, the faster they shift and the longer they'll last so make sure to reach every nook and cranny possible.
Step 5 – Optional cleaning
You can get away with cleaning the major drivetrain components but nothing else will impress other mountain bikers than rolling up with a showroom clean bike. We recommend using the Muc-Off Bike Cleaner to achieve the perfect finish.
