[Qu9ke]

Thanks for all the input. I originally got the idea of hosing the bike after every ride regardless of how dirty it is from Seth’s Bike Hacks. I am starting to get an idea of a routine that will work for me though and am realizing I do not need to be so thorough unless the bike really needs it. I just like the idea of maintaining bikes in general as it gives me something to do which is probably what influenced me into the idea of hosing it off or wiping it down after every ride. That gives me a sense I am caring for the very thing that gives me a sense of freedom out on the trails. However I am coming to see that my original plans may be overkill.

[Qu9ke]

I didn’t think about this incredibly obvious work-around, but I could just skip the hose entirely when it comes to wetting down the bike to get the dust off and just use an already wet rag and wipe it down… that way I spare the chain while also getting the small layers of dust etc. off the frame. D’oh. I do tend to overthink things so much that I can make simple things more complicated. I still need to figure out a good routine for how frequently I should clean the chain still (aside from obvious wet and filthy trail rides), but I have read thanks to the link shared in this thread to generally do it every 200 or so miles… or when my bike just gets really dirty, whichever comes first. I’ll experiment a little to see what works for me though. Thanks for the responses, guys.

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