More Spring Cleaning

It is always nice to jump in the bathtub and get clean after a long ride.  Washing away the grossness of sustained exercise can always be a fantastic way to remember why we are humans.  (This is the part where we start the penetrating music like on a Frank Azar commercial, and the camera focuses in so I can accuse you of neglect.)  Well when was the last time your bike got a babble bath.  Before jumping into the tub and cleaning your bike I will give you a list of the don'ts. 

• Don't go to the car wash or use any type of high pressure wand. 
• Seriously, don't use high pressure wands. 

Wands will do more damage then they prevent, which is what we are trying to do by cleaning our bikes, prevent the dirt from working its way into our bike parts and causing damage.  Instead, use a bucket, a couple of brushes, some warm water, and a little bit of dish soap.  Gently scrub your parts, and rinse them off.  Dry your bike off, and lube. 

Also, if you want to really get crazy, you can clean your grips and saddle.  Both of them will have significant improvement with a little whitening toothpaste and an old brush, and without spending anything but quality time with a bicycle you love, you can give it that fresh breath feeling.  (The toothpaste isn't a joke, it works really well, and it is mild enough that it doesn't damage either your grips, or your saddle.)