How To Properly Clean An Electric Mountain Bike

Cleaning your electric mountain bike is not particularly the most exciting part of mountain biking. But it is a necessary thing to do and can save you a lot of money in the long run. Cleaning an electric mountain bike is not difficult, but there are a few things you should do to prevent damage.

Cleaning your electric mountain bike is a big part of maintaining your bike. The procedure consists of a pre-wash followed by a thorough clean with brushes and soapy water. Next is the drying and lubrication stage. At last protection must be performed in order to keep the bike clean for longer.

Mountain biking, especially electric mountain biking, is a quite expensive hobby. Cleaning is a form of maintenance and, if not done properly, will damage your bike which results in higher maintenance costs. I’ve gathered all the tips you need so that you can clean your bike as fast and efficient as possible!

How To Clean Your Electric Mountain Bike

We’ve all been there: you get home from an intensive ride, and all you want to do is hit the showers and get some rest. You put the bike in the shed and plan on cleaning it later. We all secretly know that most of the times, that’ll never happen. Actually. it’s way easier to clean a bike directly after your ride. The dirt is still moist which makes it easier to remove.

Before we get into the steps of cleaning your eMTB, lets talk water. An electric mountain bike can get wet! Read more about this in my article: Can An Electric Mountain Bike Get Wet? Without water, you can’t properly clean your bike. A great alternative to tap water is rain water; it’s free and has a lot of benefits. Now you don’t have to leave your bucket outside and wait for the rain to fill it up. You can save it in a rainwater collection tank which can be purchased in a garden shop.

The benefits of cleaning with rainwater, is that it contains less contaminants, minerals and salt. This means that it won’t leave spots or stains on the surface and the metal components are less likely to rust. It is also great for cleaning your car! When you live in a congested, polluted area, you’re better off by cleaning with tap water as the rain water can damage paint.

Next, I’ll walk you through the process of cleaning your bike. These will be for a full, in depth clean. A work stand is very handy but not necessary.

Preparation

The first step must be: turn your bike off! This is not only beneficial for your electric system, but also for your fingers.

The most delicate electronic component on your bike is the control unit. Although it is water resistant, it is not waterproof and can get damaged. You should wrap it in a piece of plastic or in a microfiber towel before starting any cleaning activities.

You should also leave your battery on the bike. This will prevent getting excessive water on the terminals and inside the frame.

I’d advise you to collect the following things before you get started. This way, you don’t need to enter your house or garage mid process and get everything dirty:

• Garden hose
• 2 buckets; 1 with just water and 1 with soapy water*
• 1 large cleaning brush (with soft hair)
• 1 cassette brush (with stiff hair)
• 1 detailer brush (small brush for hard to reach areas)
• 1 microfiber towel
• Chain cleaner bath
• Chain cleaner
• Contact spray
• Quick detailer spray or wax**

* Don’t use car shampoo or dishwashing liquid! Use a bike specific shampoo.

** This may either be a car wax/detailer spray or a bike specific one.

1. Degreasing The Drive Train

This part of your bike will benefit the most from a good clean. I advise you to start with this part of the bike as it is the hardest to clean and the dirtiest. If you were to do it in a later stage, your cleaning brushes will get greasy which will result in oil and grease everywhere.

The best way to start here, is by using a cassette brush (the one with a claw on it). Don’t spray degreaser on the complete drive train, but just spray it on your brush. This way you don’t get the degreaser in places where it can cause damage like the brake rotors. Now thoroughly start scrubbing all the dirt buildup off your cassette, derailleur jockey wheels and front chain wheel.

The next step is cleaning your chain. You could do this by using the cassette brush, but the fastest and most thorough way, is to use a chain bath. This is a plastic case which you need to fill up with chain degreaser and contains brushes. By turning your crank for a few minutes, the chain runs through the bath and the brushes, and it will remove all the grime.

2. Pre-Washing Your Bike

I suggest getting a garden hose and hose your bike down. Definitely do not use a pressure washer. If a garden hose is not at your disposal, fill a bucket with water and get your bike wet this way. Dirt will absorb the water and will come loose more easily. In addition, you need less manual pressure to clean your bike and it will end up less scratched in the long run.

Also, hose down your drive train since you just degreased it. It will help remove the degreaser and prepare it for lubrication in a later stage.

3. Removing The Dirt Off Your Bike

For this step, you’ll be using the two-bucket-method. I use this method for cleaning my car and found it also pretty useful for my mountain bike. It is based on the principle where the bucket with soapy water collects dirt less quickly, because you clean your brush/sponge in the other bucket beforehand.

Dip the big cleaning brush (with soft hair) in the bucket with soapy water, and start agitating the bike. Start from the top and work your way to the bottom. Clean your brush in between by dipping it into the bucket with clean water or by hosing your brush down with the garden hose. This will prevent dirt buildup in the brush so you don’t get scratches. Save the dirtiest areas till last so that your brush doesn’t get dirty right away.

After cleaning the most exposed areas of your bike, use detailer brush for cleaning all the nooks and crannies where the larger brush doesn’t fit.

To make it easy and clear, I always divide the mountain bike into sections and use the next order for removing the dirt of my bike:

1. Saddle, seat post, handlebar
2. Frame: top tube, down tube, seat tube, seat stay and chain stay
3. Front fork (and rear suspension if present)
4. Wheels and brakes
5. Crank, motor and pedals

Hose your bike down once more to remove all the dirt and shampoo.

4. Drying Your Bike

Drying your bike is a very important step. If you don’t do this, parts can get rusty and frame can get stained. Water and electricity also don’t mix.

Give your bike a quick bounce to get rid of the majority of the water. To remove the rest of the water, you can use a (clean and dry) sponge or a microfiber towel. Pay extra attention to the stanchion of your forks and the seals. I wouldn’t advise you to use compressed air for the same reason why I don’t advise you to use a pressure washer; water will get into places where parts can get rusty and thus difficult to move.

Dry your chain by using a towel. It is the easiest when your rear wheel is off the ground: you can run the chain through the towel by turning the crank.

5. Lubricating The Chain

You should lube a chain after cleaning your bike; not just before you start your ride. Doing it after the cleaning process will prevent it from getting rusty. Never put new lube on a dirty chain. You have basically two options here: a spray-on-chain lube or a squeeze bottle lube. With spray-on-chain lube, there’s the risk of overspray on your brake rotors which is very difficult to undo.

Use wet lube for winter conditions; use dry lube for summer conditions.

When lubing, only lube the inside of the chain. This way the lube is exactly where it is needed when you rotate the crank.

6. Cleaning The Electrical Components

You can now safely remove the protection from the control unit and clean it with a damp cloth. Also remove (if possible) the battery from the frame and clean it with a damp cloth also. Dirt can get everywhere, so it is also likely for the battery to become dirty.

At last, you should use contact cleaner on the battery terminals and socket on the bike to remove standing water.

7. Protecting Your Bike

The second last (and most rewarding) step is protecting your mountain bike by putting a layer of wax on it. This will make cleaning the bike in the future so much easier as dirt is less likely to stick to it. It also provides a nice shine if you have a glossy frame. I just use my car detailer spray or wax for this, but you can also use bike specific products. It doesn’t really matter.

If you use a spray, never spray directly on the bike but always on a microfiber towel. You don’t want overspray on your brake rotors.

8. Quick Ride Around The Block

The final step in cleaning your bike, is to ride it around the block. This will disperse the lube on the chain and cassette and will remove any remaining standing water on the bike. Just don’t do it in the rain!

Now you can safely store it and have a well deserved rest.

Electric Mountain Bike Cleaning Mistakes

Cleaning your electric mountain bike isn’t difficult and can be a very rewarding chore. But if not done correctly, you could actually damage your bike. Below, I’ll discuss a few common cleaning mistakes which you should definitely avoid making.

Cleaning Your Electric Mountain Bike Upside Down

If you don’t own a work stand, it can be tempting to put your bike upside down. The only thing you achieve with this, is damaging your saddle, scratching up your controls and filling your frame up with water. This water will also contain dirt as your bike is dirty. Your bike is designed to drain water when the wheels are on the ground.

Using Dishwashing Liquid To Clean Your Mountain Bike

Dishwashing liquid is great for cleaning the dishes; not so much for cleaning a bicycle. It contains salt which will cause rust on the metal components. It will also remove any form of wax on your frame.

Car shampoo is also not a good idea for cleaning a mountain bike. It contains wax which is great for that shine, but it is bad for your stopping power. Bike specific shampoo is strongly advised.

Not Drying An Electric Mountain Bike After Washing

Drying your bike is as important as washing your bike in the first place. Not drying will make your metal components go rusty, like your drive train. This will happen even if you applied lube to your chain after washing. All you did with adding lube to a wet chain, is preventing it from entering the links and adding a protective layer.

Using A Pressure Washer For Cleaning An Electric Mountain Bike

Using a pressure washer is tempting as it’s a fast way to get the job done, but should definitely be avoided when it comes to cleaning an electric mountain bike. The electrical components can fail because of water ingress, but also other components like bearings and seals are not fully waterproof.

Summary: How To Properly Clean An Electric Mountain Bike

Cleaning an electric mountain bike is a form of maintenance and will save you money if done correctly. It consists of 8 steps which must be performed in order to make the cleaning process worth the effort.

Before starting the procedure, you should start by getting bike specific cleaning supplies like brushes, chain cleaner, a chain cleaner bath, contact spray and wax. Then it is time to start the process:

1. Degreasing the drive train
2. Pre-washing your bike
3. Removing the dirt off your bike
4. Drying your bike
5. Lubricating the chain
6. Cleaning the electrical components
7. Protecting your bike
8. Quick ride around the block

Things you shouldn’t do when cleaning your electric mountain bike are:

• Cleaning it upside down
• Using dishwashing liquid or car shampoo
• Not drying the bike after cleaning
• Using a pressure washer

Frequently Asked Questions