Riding in the wet and cleaning your bike

After a solid week of relentless rain, I was finally able to get out for a ride again the last couple of days. I completed Linden Ridge for the first time yesterday, and rode Winmalee this morning. My fitness is undoubtedly improving - and I have lost 6kg in the last month! I am extremely happy with my progress and fitness and healthy lifestyle improvements, and it motivates me to go further and faster!

This morning was the first time I have been able to finish the Winmalee loop non stop, including the steep pinch along Shaw's Ridge and the hill out at the end. To achieve this after backing up a 17.6km ride yesterday, and on a very wet track was a great achievement for me. I know this is a pretty easy track, but ease is a relative term.

For the first half of the track I actually felt my speed was limited more by the terrain and my skill and technique, rather than by my fitness. This is a great place to be getting to , as it allows me to focus more on my technique, and just enjoy the ride and environment.

One thing that the last couple of days has shown me is that riding on these wet sandy tracks is very hard on the bike, and harder on the rider too. On parts of Winmalee this morning I was pedalling with my feet under water, not to mention covering myself in sand and mud. By the end of Linden Ridge yesterday, the bike sounded like I was riding a pepper grinder.

If you are going to ride in the wet on the sandy tracks in the Blue Mountains - I believe it is essential to clean your bike after every ride. The wet sand that gathers in the disc brakes, around the cassette, rear derailleur and the idler pulley make the bike sound awful and harder to ride. I am sure riding with all that sand gunking everything up will cause components to wear much faster and run rougher.

So I called the friendly gents at BikeMinded, who are always very helpful with advice and did some google searching to work out what was the best and safest way to clean my bike without damaging anything.

Cleaning Technique:

1. All you will need is a basic plastic bristle brush, a bucket and some kitchen detergent.
2. Detergent with lemon seems to work well to cut through the gunk. Fill the bucket with warm water and detergent.
3. DO NOT use petrol, Degreaser, WD40 or any other type of solvent you may usually use for other mechanical cleaning purposes. This is not good for the chain, gears and bearings.
4. I find it easier to take the front wheel and seat off the bike before cleaning. If your seat is quick release you may want to remove the clamp as well to clean it - as this tends to get quite gunked up.
5. I also find it easiest to sit the bike upside down on a flat surface, so you can pedal the rear wheel with your hand.
6. Wet the bike down first. DO NOT use a high pressure hose to blast all of the sand and grit away. This could force water into bearings and other places you don't want it. A gentle mist or shower is best.
7. Once the bike is wet, scrub away all the grit with the brush and detergent. Don't be too rough, I find it best to scrub in one direction so you are flicking all the sand out.
8. You can pedal the rear wheel a bit as you clean the cassette and rear disc brake, but don't go overboard. Just enough to get around all of the cogs and idler pulley until everything is running smooth again.
9. Use the same process on the front wheel and seat.
10. Hose the bike off with a mist or gentle shower to remove all of the detergent.
11. leave to dry - all done!