Bike wash that won't contaminate pads? Anyone...

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Bike wash that won't contaminate pads? Anyone...
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flag KRad2000
Posted: Nov 7, 2016 at 9:38 Quote
So every time I want to do a deep clean I pull wheels and pads before getting after it with water and dish soap or simple green and a big brush. This process works great if I have the time for a deep clean but I wondering if anyone has found something that cleans well and I don't have to worry about getting on my pads and rotors. I have a feeling simple green well rinsed would be fine but knowing how easily pads can sometimes get contaminated and how spendy a new set of Zee pads are I am hesitant to just give er a go. In am particularly interested in regards to shimano pads but if there is something that works for everything great.

Hey pinkbike, maybe a test is in order. I few of the most popular brakes/pad compositions and a few of the most popular cleaners, soak em and see what happens to power and noise? Please... to expensive to try myself.
flag mikekazimer
Editor O+ FL
Posted: Nov 7, 2016 at 11:46 Quote
I admire the effort you've been taking to save your pads from potential contamination, but the truth is, there's no need to go through all that trouble. Simple Green and other similar products are degreasers – they shouldn't contaminate your rotors or pads. It's oil and grease that you want to be careful of when it comes to brake pads – things like chain lube, mineral oil and bearing grease that can be absorbed by the pad's porous surface.

In any case, don't worry about removing the wheels and brake pads the next time you clean your bike, and enjoy the few extra minutes that you no longer need to spend on that part of the cleaning process.
flag KRad2000
Posted: Nov 8, 2016 at 9:20 Quote
mikekazimer wrote:
I admire the effort you've been taking to save your pads from potential contamination, but the truth is, there's no need to go through all that trouble. Simple Green and other similar products are degreasers – they shouldn't contaminate your rotors or pads. It's oil and grease that you want to be careful of when it comes to brake pads – things like chain lube, mineral oil and bearing grease that can be absorbed by the pad's porous surface.

In any case, don't worry about removing the wheels and brake pads the next time you clean your bike, and enjoy the few extra minutes that you no longer need to spend on that part of the cleaning process.


Good point. Thinking about it, it's probably more likely that past contaminations I've had with cleaners was due to the degreaser pulling oils from the brush or some other part of the bike and allowing me to transport it to the pads where it can be soaked up. My brush has gotten pretty nasty over the years.

Thanks for the insight, I'm going to leave it all on next time and use a separate clean brush for rotors and calipers and see what happens. But if I get that dreaded honk that a contaminated shimano pads gets I'm coming for youSmile
flag bigburd
Posted: Nov 9, 2016 at 11:13 Quote
I just take my brake pads out when cleaning.
I have also used bike cleaning products that have left a kind of film on the braking surfaces, making them lose initial bite.
I can get them to bite again after putting some gritty mud on the rotors and braking but the initial bite was often not there for me after cleaning.

Not had the issue since removing the pads every time.
flag Aaronz25RS
Posted: Nov 10, 2016 at 7:10 Quote
Could always stop being a wuss and pull your pads..

No need for another product, just less lazy . Lol
flag dsmdan18
Posted: Nov 23, 2016 at 13:53 Quote
I use simple green, never had a problem.
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