The 5 Minute Bike Wash - How To Clean Your Bike In A Hurry

A clean bike is a happy bike. You might not think you have the time, but you do - here's Simon Richardson's 5 minute bike wash.

Keeping your bike clean and well maintained has too many benefits to list. It'll last longer, look better, work better and feel better to name a few. But, if you're not a full time cyclist, it can feel like a drag to keep your bike sparkling clean at all times, so Simon Richardson developed a 5 minute bike cleaning routine.

Bonus fact - he actually developed this when he was a full time cyclist.

The full bike wash is coming soon - watch this space!

Music - licensed by Cue Songs

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Music licensed by Cue Songs

[flyingiosandroid]

It takes me five minutes to fill up the bucket

[cecilchew]

Took me an hour to do this 5 minute wash. 10/10 would spend 15 minutes removing the rear wheel again 👍🏻

[wilkijt]

My method is faster. Wile riding, I tell myself to clean my bike afterwards. Then when the ride is over, I have a beer instead.

[FuzzyLogicxxx]

Don't forget telling your bike you love it after cleaning, for extra shiny.

[wonderingheights]

When you came here for the video but ended up staying for the comments 😂

[kevincinnamontoast]

I generally eat a lot of french fries on my bike rides, so I just use a small handful of fries to grease up my chain. It's biodegradable.

[jeraldkonkel]

Wd40 can be used for anything. I swear that I used it to clean my stove, clean and lube my bike, clean my hands, clean my guns, and even used it as a deodorant.

[andy-the-gardener]

i find if you dont clean it, some of the dirt falls off by itself eventually

[langtangwang]

it takes me 10 mins to figure out how to remove the wheels

[valouxxx]

This video has a Gordon Ramsey vibe... I can almost hear him say: just a touch of olive oil..

[andrewmounsey]

  I know many are sceptical about the WD-40 idea but it is important to consider how frequently you clean and lube. If, like Simon, you clean and lube after every ride, then WD-40 should work for you. WD-40 is a highly volatile lube, which means it evaporates quickly compared to a traditional heavier chain oil. Reapplying WD-40 after every ride avoids this issue. If however you will be using your bike for prolonged periods between washing, such as a commuting bike that will do short journeys all week long and be left in the open at work all day, I would look for a heavier chain oil. In my experience the biggest killers of the drivetrain are dry running and prolonged dirty running. A regime of ride, clean and lube avoids both. If you don't have time to do a full wash down (like Simon in this video) try to at least give your chain and rings a blast of WD-40,  a wipe down with a cloth then reapply lube; I find an old tea towel perfect. The other advantage of a combined solvent/lube is that you are not worrying about compatibility of the solvent and lube or any need to remove the solvent after cleaning.

[akhilspai]

After i clean my bike, it looks like your bike before your cleaning begins.

[stevenhoward]

I've cleaned my bike like that since I was 15 year old and I still have the same bike, a Chesini, although upgraded from 5 speed Campagnolo mech to take 10 speed Campagnolo now (20 gears), at the age of 49 it is still great to ride. WD40 and cleanliness have kept it tip top! So your cleaning method has been proven to work over 34 years! The bike is like new even if I am not :-)

[snortymcsnortface]

i can't stress it enough how much this channel has helped me get started, i've just purchased my first road bike, absolutely loving it, and i was worries about cleaning it, didn't know what to use, the clerks at the bike stores are so rude and not helpful at all, they always just try to sell you the most expensive this and that. This video gave me so much more confidence in cleaning my bike, thanks a lot.

[jroobz]

tried this today. took me 30 mins to get the rear tire back on with the derailleur 🙈👏

[Mandanara]

This five minute wash took me an hour... :)

[rudyramirez]

I use WD40 all the time and my bike is still in tip top shape. Then again, I never spray WD40 on my bike.

[chaiTV]

LOL, "after every ride"... never gonna happen. Not in my world. Twice a year, tops.

[walkbyfaithinlove]

I'm a supporter; I love this idea!!! Thank you!! The simplicity and cost effectiveness are truly wonderful. I've biked for years and never knew I was to wash the chain. Frightening right. Yes. I bought the WD 40 Bike Degreaser and the WD 40 Bike Lube and I got busy on my years old dirty chain. I sprayed, yes sprayed, that filthy chain and used a scrub brush on it, three times - and much to my dismay, I could see the silver color of everything again. I thought chains were to be black. lol. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but it's true. There were chunks of dirt and grease that dropped out of the jockey wheels. I am so excited that I will join the group in having a shiny clean chain!! Thank you for this simplistic approach (not having to take chain off or use scary chemicals) which I was comfortable enough to do, being that I'm afraid of all those mechanical parts.

[prayerpowersr]

cleaning my bike helps me to relax after a ride