Can i spray down a mountain bike with a hose to wash it or will it mess up the gears and chain?

Answer 1

I usually take my MTB to a do-it-yourself carwash after a sloppy ride. Select the low pressure rinse setting, and avoid spraying directly into the hub bearings. Do not use the soap, wax, or degreaser settings. BTW, I've been doing this for over ten years and had no problems. Someone else mentioned that you see this done at professional races. This is true, just remember that professionals get their bikes rebuilt after pretty much every race.

After you spray the bike down, degrease and relube the chain and cogs as soon as it's dry. Use a lubricant that dries like Pedros Dry, not something like WD-40. Wet lubricants retain dirt and you end up with a well lubricated abrasive which wears things down nicely.

Answer 2

I use a bucket of warm water a brush and a small sponge. I start at the top and work down, only using the brush for those stubborn areas you can't get at. Don't get too much water on suspension bearings or your BB. To clean the chain, rather than degrease the whole thing, use a cloth with degreaser on to clean the outside of the chain of excess lube and dirt. I will remove the chain and place it in the bucket while I wash the bike if the chain is really filthy. To re-lube effectively, put the chain in a sealable plastic bag, add lube and leave it to soak in. Remove chain and leave to dry off before re-fitting to bike. The odd hose down won't do any harm, provided you avoid the bearings and don't have your finger over the end of the hose, effectively jetwashing your bike (not good).

Answer 3

I'm going to have to disagree with some of the people here about this. You can certainly hose down a bike to clean the gears and chain. In fact, pro mechanics who service bikes at major races often use pressure hoses to do their service. MOst bears are sealed these days so unlike previous generations, it's hard to hurt bottom brackets and hub bearings. Now I wouldn't recommend pressure eashing yourself, but certainly a hose of running water over the bike will not do harm provided that you properly lube after.

After a messy ride I will hose down my bike immediately to remove any loose debris. Then spray the parts that you would like to clean with degreaser that you can buy in any bike store. Let the cleaner sit for a bit and then hose it off. Be sure to do this in the street or somewhere you don't mind greases running off. Finally, be sure to lubricate ALL cleaned parts well. Lube the chain, derailleur pullys, pivots, etc.

Short of a full overhaul where parts are removed from the bike for cleaning, this is your best best.

Answer 4

MTB should be washed gently and never sprayed directly or with force as it is easy to drive water into sensitive areas. The chain and gears are best cleaned with a gentle flow of water and a degreaser that will not ruin your paint or aggressively attack the lube inside parts. (don't soak derailleurs and chains in degreaser) make sure that the gear and chain are thoroughly drived and fresh clean lube applied.
I hand wash mine and dry completely every time.
I use a citrus type degreaser, a chain scrubber tool and t9 lube.
http://performancebike.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=chain+clean for cleaners and tools
and http://www.boeshield.com/ for the T9 lube.
These items would be available at your local bikeshop and I only linked to performance cuz it shows a range of products to help.

Answer 5

Absolutely not. It's bad enough getting water on your running gear on a ride. But its a sin to purposely water it down. Wipe your frame down with a little simple green and water mix. Dry it with an old cotton rag or cotton something or other. Then clean your chain and gears with some cleaner/solvent based. finish line, pedros,white lightning(my favorite). Only do the full detail when your bike really gets dirty. Usually a good wipe down and chain clean/ lube is plenty. Do not over lube your components. Becomes a dust collecter. With your chain two to three times. Lube, wipe. If possible let your chain dry 20 minutes before riding (usually the drive to your riding spot), Have a good ride!

Answer 6

It is a mountain bike you probably ride it in mud and through water.I use high pressure to wash my motorcycle have been for 20+ years . The key is dryng it. A leafblower makes a great blow dryer fro the bike. They also sell a blower that blows warm air to dry it. I

Answer 7

oh my this is getting rediculous. look man, dont be afraid, go get your lawn hose with the sprayer thing hooked up to it and water it down, then soap it up, i use either dish soap or car soap, wash it off good. dry it the best you can. just never use a pressure washer. thats all.

Answer 8

That's fine, but DO NOT aim high-pressure water at the hubs, headset or bottom bracket. Doing so can force grit inside the bearings past the seals and destroy them. Use a soft brush and dishwashing liquid if you need to.

Answer 9

What do yu intend to use to spray with.