I spent a lot of time on my bike at Triathlon Camp, and as a result, it got very dirty.  It was covered in road dirt and sticky nutrition, that I accidentally spilt. 

I had a rest day today, so I chose to clean my bike.  The process I use to clean my bike is quite straightforward, and it’s now even easier with a waxed chain.

The first thing I do is spray the whole bike with Simple Green (diluted to 50%).  I let this sit for about five minutes and then rinse it gently with water. Next, I use warm soapy water and a gentle brush to make sure I get all the dirt off the frame and wheels. Before waxing my my chain, I would then use a degreaser to clean my whole drivetrain (today I skipped this step).  I then do another gentle rinse with water.

Having let the bike dry for a while, I finish up by wiping down the frame with a gentle cloth and then use a frame polish to add that final shine.  Again, before I waxed my chain, I would also have to re-lubricate the chain at this point.

Once the bike is cleaned, it is also a good time to check out a few things.  I inspect my tires for any damage, check the status of my brake pads and check out all the bolts, to make sure none have come loose.  All was good today.

The whole process took about an hour, and that includes some time to allow the bike to dry in the sun.  The bike looks great … just in time to take out on the road again!