The Best Way To Clean Your Bikepacking Rig?

[@outbackwack368]

I use a chain cleaner filled with degreaser several times to clean the chain, wait until dry and relube. I use a cordless leaf blower to blow water off and then hand dry. Hard water sucks when evaporated on paint. I then spray something like SC-1 or Meguiar's detailer on to protect the paint. I ride briefly and re-bed the brakes and get the squeaks out. If there was a ton of crud on things I'll remove the brake pads and rinse the calipers out and sand the pads or wipe with alcohol. Don't forget to turn the bike over and scrub the underbelly! Thanks!

[@pedroblasco4924]

I usually bikepack in the tropics and that means lots of mud at the end or in the middle of each day. Whenever water is available, I will use my bottle to squeeze water and clean my bike. The mud acts as "degreaser", so I only have to wash off the mud from the chain and apply some lube.

[@njcranes]

I second the leaf blower! Great tool with other uses than leaves. I also use it to clean out dryer vents!

[@kevinlinares9060]

Dr. Bronners Castile soap works great on bikes, I use it on our camping trailer, kids, and kitchen too.

[@edprotas4148]

An inexpensive alternative to soap and degreaser is Simple Green, available in most stores. It works wonders on the drive chain. Spray it on, brush a bit, and rinse.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I've heard great things, never used it however.

[@chris4536]

A pump pressure sprayer works very well for precision rinsing especially for a cruddy drivetrain.

[@macht4turbo]

Had a really dirty trip last weekend, the bike was put in the shower for a lack of a garden in the city. I use dish soap as well and only wd40 for the chain and some nasty spots. I don't see why one should pay a fortune for muc off and the like.

[@CycloTourist]

👍👍👍 Dish soap for the bike and some shampoo for the bags. It doesn't need more. Everything else is marketing chatter. Manual work with a brush is always required, especially for bags made of Cordura or similar materials. Otherwise the dirt won't come out. There are no magic remedies.

[@GuionB]

Great video. GCN did a video testing seals by deliberately spraying them with a pressure washer for over a minute and things stayed dry inside.

[@bevdahlby8112]

Great Video. I have had a lot of problems with the zippers on a Apidura frame bag. Wish they had installed stronger molded zippers instead of the pip squeak coil zippers. Will try to clean and lube zippers with the advice provided in this video but otherwise have to replace zippers on a 1 and a half year old bag. Ugh.

[@Mike-ql4sz]

that's why i like mudguards and belt drivetrains on any type of bike

[@lebanc571]

I ride my bike to the car wash use that and ride home to let it dry. Occasionally I'll take the bags off to hand wash them but that's typically reserved for just before a mass start event.

[@mendyviola]

When at home I wash by bike like I do my car. A gentle stream from the garden hose, scrub the chain with a chain brush, then lube the chain afterwards.

[@electricnewspaperboy]

My dude, get yourself some Nikwax tech wash and TX.direct wash in DWR treatment for those bags. You can bring back the DWR on any of the fabrics you showed in the video.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I’m excited to talk about this further. I’m not so sure the money and energy is worth it.

[@natewhite7197]

What rack do you have on there? Looks like a sweet setup

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Tailfin AeroPack - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYTPZXSqmamHpNU

[@jocelynhallendorff9062]

Cleaning your bike at home is one thing, but how do you clean your drivetrain on an extended gravel touring trip where there is no access to a hosepipe. Majority of campsites do not allow you to clean your bike. This was my biggest problem in Tasmania.

[@allenfrankin]

in terms of not using a high powered spray to rinse the bike, I'm curious why I saw many videos of pros using a power washer to rinse the mud off their bikes after this year's muddy Unbound?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Not a clue, maybe they have endless cash laying around.

[@Paulklampeeps]

Most of them can afford a regular whole bike service that's why.

[@allenfrankin]

@@BIKEPACKINGcom ah, ye olde spray n repair. gotcha

[@tim9324]

Shouldn’t you lube the chain after washing the bike?

[@anotheryoutuber_]

yup

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Absolutely. We did a video on that a while ago. bikepacking.com/news/best-chain-lube-trailside-drivetrain-care/

[@davidhauton7643]

I've never known anything trash gears and bearings faster than dish soap. I'd never use it!! Only ever use wd40 or gt85 prior to relubing the chain.... if you let the mud dry first, you never need to wash it, it just brushes off.

[@mhilde7744]

What.....no silicone spray, no hybrid spray wax?....."the horror"

[@fatheroffibereconomics]

The word cheap implies low quality. People really need to say affordable, and such. People don't want cheap...

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Actually, a great point, I'll work on this. Thanks.

[@Bikepacking]

Clean what’s that