Let's get dirty! Simple checklist for cleaning your bike

Though I regard my bike fondly (I nickname it my 'boyfriend'), taking care of my bike is a whole different matter. I used to treat my bike like my yoga mat, use it and then roll it away until the next time. My idea of bike maintenance was lubing the chain and doing a quick tire pressure check before each ride.

When I upgraded my hard tail to my current Epic; and although I had big aspriations of caring for my bike, little changed. It took some rough ridicule by my favorite riding buddies for me to really change my ways. I was stepping up my racing and I needed to get serious about my gear.

Having a clean bike goes deeper than the way it looks - a clean bike functions better and the parts will last longer. Rust and dirt are a drive train's worst enemy. And though I understand this, making it a habit was more difficult than I thought. I asked some more experienced riders how they cleaned their bike. The Goal: to create a simple checklist that I would abide by that would be quick, easy, and thorough. Being a girl, having kids, and having a busy life were no longer acceptable excuses - and if I had a simple list, I knew I was more likely to take care of my bike.

Checklist for a clean bike - to be done immediately upon returning from a ride no matter what time of the day or how I tired I am.

1. PRE-WASH -(especially after a wet, muddy ride)

- squirt down your bike with a hose at high pressure.
- some people swear not to do this and some say it works well. I think it works well especially when it is taken thru mud.

2. WASH, RINSE, DRY - get a bucket with soap/water and brush and scrub your entire bike; even clean the chain and derailleur. Rinse with water & dry off with a rag. Be sure to dry the entire bike including the shocks. I like to use a rag and with my nail, get any gunk from the bottom of the shock. One bike expert, Scott from Santa Cruz bikes, recommended Dawn because that is what they used for the penguins during the oil spill.

** some riders prefer to skip steps 1 & 2 and instead opt to use Simple Green and wipe their bike down. **

3. LUBE - Adventure racer and endurance rider, Paul Romero, uses Prolink for its cleaning and lubing properties. Squirt it slowly over the chain as you roll the pedals until the dirt starts to come away from the chain. Then give a small squirt to all the joints and give them a little movement. Wipe the excess lube.

That's it! Total process takes about 5 minutes and the bike looks & rides smooth.

For those of you who have your own variation of bike cleaning, please share your suggestions/favorite tools.

My yoga mat still gets rolled up in my car ready for my next session and my bike is nice and clean waiting for the next ride.

Train hard, train smart
Chi