She's All That AND A Bucket Of Grease

I did know you were supposed to clean your bike. I just wasn't sure (even after reading this post) exactly how to go about it. So I did what I always do when confounded by obstacles of the mechanical or technical kind - I kinda sorta forgot about it. That worked reasonably well for a while. (By "reasonably well" I mean "having trouble shifting but it's only really bad in the middle ring" and by "a while" I mean "a long while" - erk, true confession time, the words "two years" apply here. I know! What a bad bike mom I am.)

I don't know what the deciding factor was. Maybe it was the baked on bug guts from the 7,100 mile ride on top of the car? (I only have a picture of the car, but my bike (Vivian) was every bit as bad.)

Maybe I got inspired seeing this post? (Shiny!) Or maybe it was just a way to distract myself from the sturm und drang that is this week. Whatever the final catalyst - Vivian got a "bath" on Sunday!

I got the supplies listed here and then had to get an interpreter to explain the instructions to me, but eventually I got to work. I am still not sure what the teflon spray is for or why you need that and chain lube. Hope I didn't screw something up!









Degreaser is amazing stuff. I bought one bottle thinking that would be plenty - ha! I should have ordered a VAT! Who knew my chain and gears weren't supposed to be black and crusty? (Oh, everyone but me knew that? Damn.)










<--Believe it or not, this is a picture AFTER I'd been working on this part (do NOT ask me what it's called) for a while. Other highlights? I picked a wasp carcass out of one pedal and the mummified remains of a peanut m&m out of the other. Yummy!









Not as shiny as Steve's but not bad for a first timer, eh? Now my question to you good folks is this - do you do this EVERY WEEK?! It says every week! Hoolies! That is a lot of work - even factoring in a cleaner bike to start with and a somewhat more knowledgeable bike mama. Clearly two years was too long between washings and yet, weekly bike slave I cannot be. What's the middle ground peeps?

I doubt I'll be posting again until the other mess is over. Thank you for the comments, offers of support, and protective wishes. Y'all are the best. Hope everyone kicks butt in training (or, for those newly iron, in recovering) this week! Peace!