help pls for a newbie - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-02-2004, 03:40 PM

helo. i need some advice. juist inherited a bicycle about 3 yrs old. its got
lots of little gears and stuff, and looks more than just a normal bicycle. i
can ride, but i don't know anything abt bikes. trouble is, the whole bike is
covered in some oily black gunk. i was intending to put some anti-rust on
the rusty parts 1st, but now i am thinking i should clean up the bike 1st.

i've used some wd40 to remove parts that are stuck and its seems the oily
gunk does come off. but is there anyway i can wash a bike with like
degreaser and water?

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Then we can all make some tofu for the dolphins who live in the fridge.

12-02-2004, 08:21 PM

tim wrote:
> helo. i need some advice. juist inherited a bicycle about
3 yrs old.
> its got lots of little gears and stuff, and looks more
than just a
> normal bicycle. i can ride, but i don't know anything abt
bikes.
> trouble is, the whole bike is covered in some oily black
gunk. i was
> intending to put some anti-rust on the rusty parts 1st,
but now i am
> thinking i should clean up the bike 1st.
>
> i've used some wd40 to remove parts that are stuck and its
seems the
> oily gunk does come off. but is there anyway i can wash a
bike with
> like degreaser and water?

Sure. My favorite is Simple Green, which you can buy by the
gallon at a hardware store (or in smaller spray bottles).
It's biodegradable. An old toothbrush can be a useful tool.

After you finish, you can lube the moving parts. A teflon
spray like Tri-flow is an easy choice.

If the bike is really only 3 years old, I'd stay away from
the hubs/bearings on the first cleaning. If you really don't
know much about bikes, you might have a bike shop look it
over and check if the bearings should be overhauled (i.e.
old grease taken out, new grease put in) and have a tune-up
to get everything in mechanical working order.

12-02-2004, 08:21 PM

tim wrote:
> helo. i need some advice. juist inherited a bicycle about
3 yrs old.
> its got lots of little gears and stuff, and looks more
than just a
> normal bicycle. i can ride, but i don't know anything abt
bikes.
> trouble is, the whole bike is covered in some oily black
gunk. i was
> intending to put some anti-rust on the rusty parts 1st,
but now i am
> thinking i should clean up the bike 1st.
>
> i've used some wd40 to remove parts that are stuck and its
seems the
> oily gunk does come off. but is there anyway i can wash a
bike with
> like degreaser and water?

Sure. My favorite is Simple Green, which you can buy by the
gallon at a hardware store (or in smaller spray bottles).
It's biodegradable. An old toothbrush can be a useful tool.

After you finish, you can lube the moving parts. A teflon
spray like Tri-flow is an easy choice.

If the bike is really only 3 years old, I'd stay away from
the hubs/bearings on the first cleaning. If you really don't
know much about bikes, you might have a bike shop look it
over and check if the bearings should be overhauled (i.e.
old grease taken out, new grease put in) and have a tune-up
to get everything in mechanical working order.

12-02-2004, 08:21 PM

tim wrote:
> helo. i need some advice. juist inherited a bicycle about
3 yrs old.
> its got lots of little gears and stuff, and looks more
than just a
> normal bicycle. i can ride, but i don't know anything abt
bikes.
> trouble is, the whole bike is covered in some oily black
gunk. i was
> intending to put some anti-rust on the rusty parts 1st,
but now i am
> thinking i should clean up the bike 1st.
>
> i've used some wd40 to remove parts that are stuck and its
seems the
> oily gunk does come off. but is there anyway i can wash a
bike with
> like degreaser and water?

Sure. My favorite is Simple Green, which you can buy by the
gallon at a hardware store (or in smaller spray bottles).
It's biodegradable. An old toothbrush can be a useful tool.

After you finish, you can lube the moving parts. A teflon
spray like Tri-flow is an easy choice.

If the bike is really only 3 years old, I'd stay away from
the hubs/bearings on the first cleaning. If you really don't
know much about bikes, you might have a bike shop look it
over and check if the bearings should be overhauled (i.e.
old grease taken out, new grease put in) and have a tune-up
to get everything in mechanical working order.

12-02-2004, 08:21 PM

tim wrote:
> helo. i need some advice. juist inherited a bicycle about
3 yrs old.
> its got lots of little gears and stuff, and looks more
than just a
> normal bicycle. i can ride, but i don't know anything abt
bikes.
> trouble is, the whole bike is covered in some oily black
gunk. i was
> intending to put some anti-rust on the rusty parts 1st,
but now i am
> thinking i should clean up the bike 1st.
>
> i've used some wd40 to remove parts that are stuck and its
seems the
> oily gunk does come off. but is there anyway i can wash a
bike with
> like degreaser and water?

Sure. My favorite is Simple Green, which you can buy by the
gallon at a hardware store (or in smaller spray bottles).
It's biodegradable. An old toothbrush can be a useful tool.

After you finish, you can lube the moving parts. A teflon
spray like Tri-flow is an easy choice.

If the bike is really only 3 years old, I'd stay away from
the hubs/bearings on the first cleaning. If you really don't
know much about bikes, you might have a bike shop look it
over and check if the bearings should be overhauled (i.e.
old grease taken out, new grease put in) and have a tune-up
to get everything in mechanical working order.