By Jim Langley
We’ve talked before about washing bicycles after rainy rides. My advice was to remove the wheels to make the task of washing them easier. However, I didn’t provide complete instructions for cleaning wheels.
Two thoughts made me decide to go into more detail today. First is the fact that wheels have become so much more expensive. So, sort of like wanting to keep the expensive custom rims you might have on your vehicle shiny, you might feel the same way about your bike’s hoops. And, second, there’s actually a lot to cleaning bicycle wheels.
So, in this Tech Talk, let’s take a closer look and learn some tricks. Clean the wheels one part at a time as outlined here.
Have some cleaning tools on hand, such as a bucket with warm water and a grease-cutting dishwashing detergent like Dawn that makes lots of suds. A soft sponge is perfect for cleaning the non-grimy parts, and round up some rags for cleaning the cassette and drying the various parts.
I also like Park Tool’s GearClean Brush for cassette cleaning. If there are black marks on the sides of the rims from braking, a solvent like acetone will remove them quickly (protect your skin and eyes). Isopropyl alcohol works, too, but requires more scrubbing for those black marks. It can be used as a solvent to degrease parts, too.
Cassette
By cleaning the cassette first, you’ll avoid transferring any grease from it onto your just-cleaned rim, tire and spokes. To dislodge any buildup of grime between the cogs, I use the toothed end of Park’s GearClean brush.
Then, to clean the cassette cogs, I hold the wheel flat with the tire against me on one side and against the wall or workbench on the other. This puts the cassette facing up and allows me to hold the wheel with my body, leaving my hands free. Lean into the wheel to maintain constant pressure or you’ll drop it.
I then hold a rag with both hands and, using a shoe-shine motion, slip the edge of the rag between each two cogs and “floss,” going back and forth with the rag until every cog is clean.
If the cogs are more dirty, use a little solvent on the rag, like the alcohol. You can also use the brush on the Park tool (or an old toothbrush) to clean the cogs before wiping. Just try not to let the brush fling grease and grime all over the rest of the wheel, or it’ll make more of a mess to clean.
It takes a little practice using a brush and rags like this to clean the cassette, but you can get pretty quick at the technique, and it does a nice job.
An alternative is to remove the cassette so that you can work on the cassette broken down into individual and grouped cogs. That requires cassette removal tools and takes longer. But it makes it easy to clean the hub that’s otherwise hiding behind the largest cassette cog.
Hubs
Once the cassette’s shiny and clean again, focus on the hubs. Start by cleaning the ends of the axles, since that’s where you may find some grease and grime that will spread if you don’t clean it off. Wiping with a rag will usually take care of it quickly. Or, if it’s got some crud built up, go at it with the brush first to get in the tight spots and then wipe clean with the rag.
Then for the hubs, scrunch up the sponge to fit it in between the spokes to clean the centers of the hubs and around the spoke holes. Just move the sponge around the hub and push it so it gets next to the spoke bends and heads. Then use it to clean the outside of the hub and spoke holes there, too.
With disc brake bikes you’ll want to clean the rotor and behind it, too. And, once clean, be sure to inspect it for signs of wear. Your braking depends on rotors in good condition. If you see deep grooves or noticeable thinning, it may be time for a new rotor.
Spokes and Nipples
Quality wheels use stainless-steel spokes, which won’t rust. But they will still pick up dirt, dust and grime from the chain lube. Wipe them down with the sponge and soapy water. Note that spokes have more than one surface. Spokes usually cross other spokes, too. For these reasons, take your time to ensure you’ve cleaned all surfaces of each spoke.
Keep going up to the rim, and clean the spoke nipples, too. Dirt collects around the nipples and it doesn’t always clean off when washing the rims.
Tip: After cleaning the spokes, you can prevent future ticking sounds by placing a small drop of Tri-Flow at each spoke cross and then squeezing the spokes to allow the lube to get in-between the spokes. Wipe off any excess lube and be sure not to drip any lube on anything else.
Rims and Tires
Using the sponge and soapy water, thoroughly clean the bottom and sides of the rims and the tires, too. I clean the rims working from the side of the wheel, pushing the sponge in between the spokes and cleaning each section all around the wheel. Then I go back and hold the wheel while running the sponge around the rim on both sides. This cleans all surfaces of the rim.
Clean the tires with the sponge by pulling it around the wheel a few times making sure to get the top (tread) and sides (sidewalls).
Tip: One of the best reasons to clean the rims and tires is that it makes it easier to see if anything’s wearing out. Take time to look at every spoke nipple where it meets the rim for any evidence of rim cracking, a sign that it’s time for a new rim.
Also, if you have rim brakes, check the sides of the rims for wear. If the rim has a deep groove in the braking track, it’s probably time to replace the rim. And look at the tire tread and sidewalls for signs of baldness, casing showing through or sidewall failures like stone damage — and replace them if needed, too.
Now, enjoy looking down at those beautiful wheels on your next ride. And keep in mind that now that you know how, you can clean your wheels again in a jiffy anytime you want, even if you’re not washing the rest of your bike.
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Rather than soap and water (which I tend to try to keep away from my bike/wheels), I spray something like Simple Green on a rag or paper towel so there is less chance of getting water where I do not want it. Also use car tire cleaner/dressing for my bike tires.
I also have concerns about soap and water on components generally. I know this is standard practice for pro mechanics, but for those of us who keep our bikes for many year, things that remove lubricants from every surface can result in corrosion (rust on steel, oxides on aluminum alloys). Regularly soaping the spoke nipples can eventually remove the lube on the spoke threads and cause them to seize on the spokes. Other examples abound. I have been using a “dry cleaning” approach (wipe with rags and occasionally a little solvent) for many decades with minimal corrosion damage. At one point I tried the soap and water methods and experienced corrosion after 3-4 years. It’s hard enough on your bike getting caught in the rain. Adding soap to the mix makes it harder to resist corrosion.
Excellent comment on cleaning without soap and water. I too have abandoned this recent trend of soaping the whole bike followed by showering off with water, in favour of “dry” cleaning, for exactly the same reasons you cite.
I also use Simple Green – you can use it full strength or dilute it down. It cuts through the muck and grime. Not sure if i would put an auto tire care product on my bicycle tires, even though it makes the tires look nice, its also very slippery.
Any difference in cleaning aluminum rims vs carbon?
Not so fast with disk brake rotors. Best braking occurs when rotors have acquired thin coating of pad material. If scrubbed off, the rotor will take a little breaking in, as it did when new.
Sorry, I did not mean to imply that you are scrubbing off material on your rotors, but only to say to clean it of grime and dirt.
Sometimes you use a scrubbie to remove deposits on aluminum rims or to scuff them to stop brake squeaking. Although carbon is super strong, I wouldn’t scrub it with abrasives like that. I would stick with soap and water.
Be careful with Simple Green because it may attack aluminum components. You can google this and read up on it to learn more.
Please see my comment about Simple Green above and also Bike Fitness Coaching’s comment about car tire cleaners/dressings being potentially slippery.
Sorry, should have been more explicit…car care products on the sidewalls only – same as on auto. Do not use where rubber meets road.
Have never had an issue with Simple Green and aluminum.
Some wheels use a clear coat and Simple Green is ok, but [u]do not use it[/u] on raw (uncoated carbon)- check with your wheel manufacturer if in doubt.
Jim, I should have been a little clearer. True statement if left on – but I always scrub then rinse off immediately. Also, I use SG only for the toughest of cleaning jobs like a cassette / chain.
I use pipe cleaners-with wire bristles-to floss between cogs. I change my chain at 2500 miles, I have my crack chain rings and cassette cleaned also then.
Be careful with acetone. It will totally dissolve decals if it gets on them. I had that happen & have since gone back to using only rubbing alcohol on rims, spokes, & on cassette with a rag (or Park’s citrus for cogs) as Jim describes.
Yeah, and then, about 45 seconds into your next ride, they look just as filthy as before you cleaned them! (SIGH)
For tan tire sidewalks, Jan Heine recommends Purple Power cleaner/degreaser. It works great on my Rene Herse tires and does not seem to harm them. I apply it to a clean rag to avoid excess on rims and the black rubber. I then wipe it off after moistening another part of the clean rag with water.
The bottle says it contains a type of ether and surfactants. It also warns against use on exterior car surfaces or wheels.
I purchased a ball of large diameter “blanket yarn” in our WalMart crafts department to clean between the cassette cogs. Cut off about one foot and “see-saw” it between the cogs. A light-colored yarn will let you know when the area is clean.
Here is a link to the WalMart “blanket yarn”:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bernat-Blanket-Big-Ball-Yarn/37685602?selected=true
Good suggestion. Have used Finish Line’s Gear Floss with success for several years.
I started out with the Finish Line Gear Floss but found that the WalMart Blanket Yarn is much, much lower priced.
Happy New Year, Jim!
A couple of comments. Isopropyl alcohol is a relatively “polar” solvent (as is water), so it’s not really that effective on grease and oil, which are much more susceptible to “non-polar” solvents like mineral spirits, kerosene, orange solvent, etc.
But the thing I *really* want to take you to task for is your reference to “flossing motion” for cleaning between the cogs on the cassette. This is **NOT** how floss is to be used! Now, that motion (which I would describe as a “Turkish towel motion”) is fine for cleaning gears, but if you floss your teeth that way, the flossing is ineffective at its intended purpose: removing plaque from tooth surfaces. What’s worse, it is possible to actually cut grooves in the teeth, which renders them even harder to clean.
Sorry to be so critical, but as a dentist I can’t stand by and let folks treat their teeth like bike gears!
Best,
Steve (DDS; LoL!)
I have some environmental concerns about the way this article is promoted. I would rather see it sold as an “annual cleaning regimen” or something less frequent. I imagine that in Britain or Oregon people probably take rain rides TWICE a week in the rain and I have concerns for all the soap and harsh chemicals going into streams from unnecessary cleaning of the non-mechanical parts of the bike. Please be cognizant of the environmental pollutants you flush down your drains!
Things like dishwashing soap are biodegradable, just like laundry detergent. . Not sure what harsh chemicals you’re referring to.
I started out with the Finish Line Gear Floss but found that the WalMart Blanket Yarn is much, much lower priced.
I have found denatured (wood) alcohol seems to work almost as well as acetone without the sometimes destructive properties of acetone. acetone can also do a number on certain types of plastic too!
ProGold Bike Wash is awesome. From the Amazon website –
“Cleans all types of frames, spokes and components
Contains no lye, phosphates, bleach, dyes, brighteners, or perfume
Bike Wash can be used on washable fabrics and finishes”
It is friendly to carbon frames and parts too.
I’ve used it successfully for over 5 years at a minimum.
For serious cleaning, I remove my cassette, immerse it in Simple Green, and add HOT WATER. After 15 minutes or so, all the gunk can easily be removed with a toothbrush. Then I thoroughly rise all the Simple Green away which is a critical step.
I wash my wheels every time I change tires. Because I run Schwalbe Marathon Plus, that isn’t very often. Other than that, I’ve got better things to do with my time . . . for instance, riding my bike! ~0le
I don’t like the soap & water method either. I also use the Park brush for the cogs, then spray them liberally with full strength Simple Green being careful not to get any on the backside of the largest cog where it might drip down & work it way into bearings. I lay the wheel, cogs up, on a large plastic garbage can & floss them using an old T shirt. For the rest of the wheel I use Pledge, which is a cleaner wax. I start at the hub & work towards the rim. I clean my bike quite often & have never had a problem removing any grease or dirt with the Pledge. I do the hubs, then each spoke, then the rims. If you have rim brakes be careful using Pledge because it’s slippery & if it gets on the braking surface you’ll have impaired stops for the 1st couple of times. I have disc brakes & I’m careful not to get any pledge on the discs I’ve been using this method for many years. & really shines up the wheels. If I had carbon rims I’d feel safe using the same method. For the tires & use a damp Scotch Brite pad.