How to Clean a Race Bike

After you have got the chain clean, you need to remove the wheels to facilitate getting to the derailleurs, drivetrain, brakes and all parts of the frame. It’s worth cleaning the derailleurs and chainrings at this point, and you may wish to clean the brakes now as well if they are really dirty.

Make sure you have a number of cloths or sponges to hand, and cycle through them so that you can use older ones for the dirty parts such as the drivetrain, before disposing of them as they become torn or too blackened to continue using. Reserve the newest ones for frame cleaning.

Remove wheels to access all of the frame

Removing the wheel can give you access to the hardest to reach recesses of your mucky frame

We recommend cleaning the frame from the top down, starting with your saddle and bars, otherwise the water you drip will dirty the areas of the frame you have already cleaned.

Start at the top of the frame and clean downwards

When tackling really tough to move dirt you may need to employ a cleaning solution to help out. We have been using Fenwicks FS-10 Bike Cleaner over the summer. It is the same as FS-1 but pre-diluted (10 parts water to 1 part concentrate, hence the FS-10) and comes in a handy spray. It really does help to loosen seemingly solidified dirt.

Now we are into Autumn and have some really foul conditions out on the trails, this product has really shown its worth. A quick spray onto a stubborn area, leave it for a while to soak in and wipe away with water. It has gotten the job done consistently so far. Note that this has a potent smell to it but we are assured that it is people and environment friendly, an important consideration if like me you have kids joining in every time you get the bucket and sponges out.

Fenwicks FS-10 Bike Cleaner helps shift tough muck