Author Topic: Pressure washing your bike (Read 8773 times)

Charlotte · « **on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:20:46 pm »

I know that all the manuals say you shouldn't do it. Water can get in the bearings and force the grease out and that's bad.

But I'm a horrendous bike tart and I like to keep my bikes clean. I keep seeing things like this and wondering how much easier it would make my cleaning routine if I could get to those greasy little nooks and crannies if I had a pressure washer. It would be great for cleaning Bertha the Beemer as well.

If I kept the jet well away from the wheel bearings, head bearing and the BB and I was really careful - could it be done?

More to the point, do you pressure wash your bikes? Any tales of woe?

tiermat · « **Reply #1 on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:23:24 pm »

I have done it before without ill effects, barring the blowing a QR skewer down the drain at the garage.

For best results I'd use one of the cheap and nasty B&Q jobbie that cost £20 or so and are a lot lower pressure than such as the Karcher or such.

Greenbank · « **Reply #2 on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:24:46 pm »

A friend (no, not me!) snapped off their Cateye Cheese-Metal^(TM) light brackets with a jet from a pressure washer.

I don't do it because I don't have a pressure washer, and I'm lazy and rarely clean my bikes anyway.

RogerT · « **Reply #3 on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:28:57 pm »

Charlotte

Be carefull with Bertha, I knocked a considerable amount of paint of my RS Beemer using a presure washer.

delthebike · « **Reply #4 on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:30:59 pm »

Why not a couple of these, CLICKY? One for the degreaser/cleaner of choice and the other to rinse. Cheaper to buy, adjustable nozzle for spray through to jet and green.
Of course you should get a Karcher for the BMW!

handcyclist · « **Reply #5 on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:33:57 pm »

Dunno 'bout pushbikes, never tried, but for a m/c? Don't is my advice.

I had a go a coupla times. Really, you can do better with a hose and a washing up brush. Pressure washers are all brute force and no control - the only bits you can safely use them on are the bits that are easy to clean anyway. Using them anywhere near the drivetrain, exhaust, air intake, hydraulics, electrics or any bearings is a no-no, and any time you point the jet at a complex surface, dirty water gets reflected everywhere.

Elbow grease. Boring but highly effective!

Biggsy · « **Reply #6 on:** 01 April, 2008, 03:46:01 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 01 April, 2008, 03:20:46 pm

If I kept the jet well away from the wheel bearings, head bearing and the BB and I was really careful - could it be done?

Should be fine if all the spray really is away from the bearings.

It is surprising how easily water can get in to some, though - like old-style Campag hubs. I nearly wrecked mine with a low pressure dribble from a garden hose.

Damp cloth and elbow grease is the safe (but boring) bet.

JohnP · « **Reply #7 on:** 01 April, 2008, 04:00:22 pm »

Charlotte, I would not use a Karcher on my motorbike and definitely not on any bicycle. Large bucket of warm water and a huge sponge - or a spaghetti type synthetic wash glove. It takes longer to get a Karcher set up than it does to wash a cycle (IMO). Spray cleaner (Mucoff type) first then the warm rinse.

I used to keep a garden type pump spray by one 'bike in winter just to rinse brake calipers when I got home from a 25 mile commute.

FatBloke · « **Reply #8 on:** 01 April, 2008, 04:39:28 pm »

Quote from: JohnP on 01 April, 2008, 04:00:22 pm

Charlotte, I would not use a Karcher on my motorbike and definitely not on any bicycle. Large bucket of warm water and a huge sponge - or a spaghetti type synthetic wash glove. It takes longer to get a Karcher set up than it does to wash a cycle (IMO). Spray cleaner (Mucoff type) first then the warm rinse.

I used to keep a garden type pump spray by one 'bike in winter just to rinse brake calipers when I got home from a 25 mile commute.

Whathesaid!

I find pressure washers still seem to leave some dirt on the painted surfaces that still needs to be removed with a brush or cloth anyway.

clarion · « **Reply #9 on:** 01 April, 2008, 04:50:23 pm »

I use baby wipes

Gus · « **Reply #10 on:** 01 April, 2008, 04:51:56 pm »

I use my shower

Polar Bear · « **Reply #11 on:** 01 April, 2008, 04:59:11 pm »

I use muckoff followed by a rinse using a watering can or two.

Wipe over and lube afterwards.

gonzo · « **Reply #12 on:** 01 April, 2008, 04:59:29 pm »

Use a hose with a nozzle to make it into a jet. This lets you adjust the power.

But then again, I had just spent an hour doing cycloscorss style riding offroad thus the bike was quite muddy. Normally, I use bucket & sponge.

I note that all the pro-teams use pressure washers to clean their bikes.

Polar Bear · « **Reply #13 on:** 01 April, 2008, 05:04:25 pm »

Quote from: gonzo on 01 April, 2008, 04:59:29 pm

I note that all the pro-teams use pressure washers to clean their bikes.

Do they pay for their own bearings though?

Ian H · « **Reply #14 on:** 01 April, 2008, 05:10:05 pm »

You've reminded me I need to take some more printers' rags home for bike cleaning.

I use a bucket of warm water with cheapest car wash.

And printers' rags.

vorsprung · « **Reply #15 on:** 01 April, 2008, 05:11:48 pm »

another vote here for the hose pipe with the jet gadget

jellied · « **Reply #16 on:** 01 April, 2008, 05:15:38 pm »

I've used it on my MTB but not at very close range. Even mine could probably cut your toes off.

If you want to borrow mine to give it a go send me a PM.

Great for patios too.

scott · « **Reply #17 on:** 01 April, 2008, 05:15:57 pm »

Quote from: Greenbank on 01 April, 2008, 03:24:46 pm

Cateye Cheese-Metal^(TM) light brackets

So, it's not so much forged as cultured.

nuttycyclist · « **Reply #18 on:** 01 April, 2008, 05:17:34 pm »

Cleaning bikes?

Does not compute.

Gandalf · « **Reply #19 on:** 01 April, 2008, 06:15:39 pm »

My git of a son used a pressure washer on my old dawes Super Galaxy. The paint came away and you can now clearly see the brazing at the top of the seat stays.

simonali · « **Reply #20 on:** 01 April, 2008, 06:29:46 pm »

I use one, but it has a vario-lance on it so you can turn the pressure down quite low.

I pressure washed the front steps to my house on Sunday after cleaning the car. Then I turned around and saw that the car was plastered in the crap I'd been removing from the steps! Had to wash it again.

A snow foam gun attachment is a really good idea. The foam soaks into the dirt on the car/bike and then runs off leaving it all clean.

http://forum.astraownersnetwork.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32693

rae · « **Reply #21 on:** 01 April, 2008, 06:32:37 pm »

If all you have is a pressure washer, turn it down low so that it is like a hose pipe. Mine is petrol driven (of course) and makes big holes in things if you turn it up. Of couse, if you turn the washer down, you might as well just use a hose. I find a B&Q brass spray attachment (about £3.50) works the best.

Jurek · « **Reply #22 on:** 01 April, 2008, 06:43:49 pm »

Charlotte, I use one of these connected to the garden hose, and running (I'm embarrassed to say ) hot water through it for my two wheeled babies.
It gets into all the crevices and the pushbikes are sparkly in next to no time.
I also have acquired one of these for the Honda, although I've yet to use it.

Most Karcher type devices I have used have sufficient grunt to remove paint as well as bearing grease.
Not my weapon of choice for cleaning.
Both the brushes came from Halfrauds and I would strongly recommend the wheel one for pushbike applications.

scott · « **Reply #23 on:** 01 April, 2008, 07:23:19 pm »

Quote from: simonali on 01 April, 2008, 06:29:46 pm

I use one, but it has a vario-lance on it

I'm getting one of those to attach to my crankset for hills and higher overall speed.

JohnP · « **Reply #24 on:** 01 April, 2008, 08:06:52 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 01 April, 2008, 04:50:23 pm

I use baby wipes

Charlotte wanted to clean her BIKE

Author Topic: Pressure washing your bike (Read 8773 times)

gonzo

simonali

rae