Remove coarse dirt
For a thorough bike cleaning, you should first hose down your bike with a garden hose. It is better to avoid using a high-pressure cleaner, as the high pressure can press dirt and water into bearings and seals and damage the paintwork and any stickers. If you don’t have a garden hose, you can start cleaning your bike straight away with a bucket of warm water and washing-up liquid. If you have a bike cleaner, you can simply spray it on afterwards and let it soak a little, if not, a bucket of water with washing-up liquid will suffice. You can use it to foam and clean your bike as well. Wipe after cleaning. Dry your bike well with a rag.
Clean the bike drive
Bike cleaning also includes cleaning individual components. You should clean the derailleur, cassette and bike chain. You can clean the rear derailleur with a small brush or with an old toothbrush and some water and detergent. You can also clean the jockey wheels – there is often a lot of dirt and grass inside. You can clean the cassette (sprocket) with a cleaning agent or washing-up liquid and a brush. Tip: You can also remove the rear wheel for this. Make sure that no cleaning agent gets on the brake disc.
Clean and oil bicycle chain
Before you oil the bike chain, be sure to remove old oil residue, dirt, and grime. A rag, a chain cleaner and a small cleaning brush or old toothbrush are best. Turn the pedals backwards by hand and drip the oil onto the individual chain links. Meanwhile, slowly move the chain backwards. Turn the chain with the pedals a little further so that the oil is evenly distributed. If you have put too much oil on the chain, then you should run the chain lightly through a dry cloth. Excess oil attracts new dirt and dust. When oiling, also make sure that no oil gets on the brakes or brake discs, as this greatly reduces the braking effect. For full functionality, these must remain dry.
Tips for cleaning an e-bike
When cleaning your e-bike, you should never remove the e-bike battery. Also pay particular attention to the contacts: Do not spray directly onto the contacts on the display or battery pod. Simply aim the jet at the frame parts and give everything a thorough treatment with a brush and sponge. When everything is clean, you should dry everything properly, because water and electricity don’t like each other very much! When everything is dry, it is best to do a little lap to distribute the oil evenly and to make sure that the e-bike and the motor are running. Finally, you can check your bike for road safety. You should check your lights, reflectors and bell. Also check if the fenders are bent or cracked.
Rule of thumb when cleaning your bike: If you work from the top down, the dirt that flows down and the cleaning agents will be removed directly in the next step!
