Monday 9 March 2009

First bike wash.

Probably, what I'm about to write will be completely abhorrent to real bicycle aficionados, but today was the first time I've actually washed one of my bicycles. It was my day off, I'm nights tomorrow, and I've noticed, for quite some time now, that my commuter, the Carrera Subway 1 was looking really dirty and grimy. So as the sun was out I decided to give it a clean.

It didn't take that long, and I suppose I won't win any prizes for the result, but the Subway looked 100% better, even though I cut a few corners.

I should have taken the "before shot", but forgot in a haze of enthusiasm for the job at hand. Above is a view of the Subway half-washed plus all my bike washing gear, which was christened today, having been stored in the shed for at least the last 2 years.

The sight was so surprising to my son, Keiron jnr., that he grabbed the camera and took this picture, me hard at work, with Elizabeth in the background, hanging out some washing.
Since the Subway 1 replaced the Subway 8, as my commuter, it has seen alot of service and miles. Sadly, I'm very remiss at keeping my mileage figures up to date, but a conservative estimate of say 150 miles a week, since September last year, and taking out roughly 3 weeks of no cycling, because of icey conditions and my incapacity after my fall, and I come up with a guestimate of 3300 miles. That's quite a way without a wash.
Of course it's been into Halfords for a couple of services in that time, but they never wash the bike, something I'd very much appreciate. I've always lubricated the chain, and even wiped it free of grime on several occasions, as well as the bottom bracket and hubs, but otherwise I've done no maintenance whatsoever. Just goes to show what a fantastic low maintenance mode of transport a bike is. ( Says he who relies on Halford for taking care of virtually everything ).


5 comments:

Nick said...

You wouldn't care to take a quick trip over here and clean mine as well, would you? It really needs it and I STILL haven't got round to it.

Anonymous said...

It's tough being a cyclist, so much to do, and we all ( you and me ), expect our bikes to look after themselves. How long have you been cycling without wasing, the bike that is?

Nick said...

Almost as long as I've had a bike, Keiro - though I have to confess to washing it once recently after I cycled through a trickle of waste water from a local building site that seemed to consist largely of cement in suspension. It dried on the bike and was a real pain to wash off.

Doug said...

I'm terrible at the general upkeep of my bicycles as well. The problem with having 5 bicycles is I have 5 times as many bicycles to clean. They all need some attention right now.

amidnightrider said...

I just the back wheels off two of my bikes and gave the sprockets a real good cleaning. Lubed everything, rode up the street and back home again to repair the flat. sheesh.

I always wonder if I put everything back together properly when I disassemble something.