Jennifer,
We largely do not use water to wash bikes at all. we use relatively little liquid in general; our process is very dry.
If a bike has wet mud on it, for instance from a trail ride, and needs to be cleaned, washing with plain water and a variable pressure hose nozzle is probably the best option. With plain water, it also should be relatively free of pollutants.
But, in Winter, where salt accumulates and under conditions where the debris on the bike has dried, the best method is to put the bike in a stand and brush the whole thing off with a dry cleaning brush - dollar stores often have any number of scrubbing brushes available. Toilet brushes are especially good for hubs. You can also custom shape them if necessary, electric hair clippers work well. Scissors might also work, depending on how sharp they are.
After brushing off as much of the dry material as possible (especially important for salt), the bike can then be wiped down with an oily cloth or shop rag and extra oil dropped onto the appropriate joints and bolts as needed. Especially difficult or cruddy places such as derailers can be sprayed with oil from a spray bottle carefully (obviously you don't want overspray) and the excess wiped away with a cloth or rag that can then be used for more wiping and cleaning.
Excess is also mitigated when you have a cement floor. It essentially dries there, and gets swept up along with dust or whatever eventually.
We use tire shine silicone lubricant, not only for this but for a lot of basic things on the bike. It's not too heavy or too light, it's not so sticky that it collects a lot of dirt, and it's cheap. The Black Magic brand can be bought in a big jug from various auto parts stores, and it lasts us half a year even with it being used every single day (we do advise participants to use it economically).
You'll find that oil revitalizes oxidized paint as well. I jokingly call this process "moisturizing your bike". It's especially important in Winter.
A parts washer that recycles it's fluid can also be useful, probably get one that can use a fluid that has recycling available. Many auto shops recycle used oil, and some parts washers can use oil as the cleaning fluid. Oil is a solvent, and an excellent one, in case you didn't know.
Anyway your concerns sound similar to ones I've always had, and this is much of why I've developed dry methods and avoid drenching bikes in water and Simple Green as many shops do.
cyclista Nicholas
On 2019-01-28 04:01, Jennifer Shriver wrote:
Community Cycles is moving to a new permanent space (hooray!!) and we are updating a few of our processes along the way, including our bike wash.
Has anyone looked into this issue?
Concerned about 2 things:
- Conserving water
- Not putting grease and contaminants into the waste water
Interested to hear ANY experience or thoughts y'all have.
Thanks so much.
Wishing you a beautiful, bicycle-filled day,
Jennifer Marie Shriver Development Director 303-641-2749 w http://www.communitycycles.orgww.communitycycles.org http://www.communitycycles.org
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