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Help Where can one wash thyne bicycle?

Scott

Fat, slow, enoying life at this pace
Oct 21, 2016
11
4
Ok stupid f#xing question, but after 1000 km in tokyo...fat pigs bike stored in train station parking, and it's getting a little manky... not that I mind manky.... love me some mank. I live on the sixth floor of... well, the sixth floor....

What are my options? I've viewed them there wipes for bikes? Do they cut the... shite? Quiet park, a few minutes of rubbing furiously?

I have lubed the chain as I've been riding but I would like to give my bike a once over. To make it, well, not disintegrate too early

S
 
@Scott There could only be one simple answer to that...get yourself some wet wipes from a convenience store/hardware store/pharmacy (cheap as chips), and wipe the whole system down with them, running gear and all.
Lube your running gear up, clean your hands with the same cloths, then kick back for the following day's riding adventure.
 
You could also bike on the rain, and get back and finish the cleaning! Did it last week, bikes looks gorgeous!
 
On YouTube are various videos about how to wash your bike without a hose. There's even one by @saibot but I can't find it right now. [Edit: found it]

I don't use a hose. Bucket of hot, soapy water; small rags/towels; degreaser. Toothbrush is great for getting into all the nooks and crannies. Works well enough for me.

Some folks take their bike into the shower.
 
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I wash mine on the veranda by hand with a bucket and also a spray bottle.

But I was thinking of getting this little contraption for both the bike and to power wash the veranda. I believe you can run a hose to a separate container that holds the water rather than just connect to a faucet, which I cannot do.

Amazon product ASIN B00UBJT13W
 
@Scott ...clean your hands with the same cloths...

Or, use some latex gloves while doing the dirty.

Citrus degreaser is better than parts/brake cleaner because it keeps the greasy crud dissolved and mobile--and you can continue to rinse it off your balcony, or out of your shower. Brake cleaner evaporates too quickly, and leaves crud on the balcony, or on your shower floor, which you then have to attack again.





A note on the Karcher power washer: I have one, or, I have a second/repaired one. The first one I was using to clean up outside our house, and neglected the part in the directions which said to use it only for 30min or an hour, and then let it cool down. So I fried the first unit I had. Luckily, the home center (or Karcher) decided to repair its innards for the cost of shipping.

(And don't ever point the thing towards a bike.)
 
@TokyoLiving I find a karcher works well on dirty chains. But I wouldn't use it on any other parts of the bike unless you want to remove all the grease from your expensive bearings.
 
Can I come use your balconies..... my building manager is a right biiiatch (say that like Cartman)... damn, I am failing to keep up basic maintenance on a new bike and I feel so bad... Its been 1500km and im struggling..... Bike is in the local train station bike parking (which is f*cking awesome)
 
Sorry to bring up an old post (searched for it instead of making a new thread).

Have you guys tried those diy car washing spots? I'm thinking of asking if I can wash my bike along with my car.
 
I expect you can, but I don't know that you should. If high-pressure water gets blasted into your bearings, they probably won't last long.

Oh, I just meant as a place to clean. Of course I'd bring my own buckets and stuff.

Edit: Apparently, one guy on a forum suggested doing it as well, saying to just go early and wash it along your car.
近くに24時間営業のコイン洗車場があればそちらで洗ってはどうでしょう?
洗車機とは別にマットとかを洗う洗い場を使って、朝早い時間だったら空いていてあまり人目にもつきませんし、何より車を洗う場所ですから自転車洗っていても不自然では無いとおもうのですが。
 
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