There’s no doubting that a clean bike is a fast bike. Well, maybe not fast, but certainly faster! A well maintained drivetrain and clean frameset also shows that you mean business.
A clean, well running bike is a sign of a dedicated cyclist. The mark of somebody who takes pride in their cycling. Showing up with a dirty, squeaky or poorly maintained bike is almost as bad as showing up in ill-fitting, mismatched kit. It shows a lack of commitment and lack of respect for the ride! You can tell a lot about a cyclist by the state of their bike and how they turn themselves out (yeah yeah, don’t give me that “judging a book by it’s cover” nonsense, you know it’s true).
Before and after: Keep your drivetrain glistening clean!
A filthy drivetrain not only looks awful, it accelerates drivetrain wear, coats everything in a sticky black muck and robs you of watts. Watts you could be using to crush your clubmates on the next climb!
So take a good look at your bike. If you’re a true road cyclist you won’t even have to, you already know if your bike is spotless or in need of some attention. If by chance your bike is like a little worse for wear, give it some love today. It doesn’t take much to keep your bike sparkling and it’ll return the favour with a flawless, fast ride.
Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania 
Truer words have never been written, brother.
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LOL – just washed mine down yesterday, even though I knew it was going to shop today for a new set of rear cogs, and yes they will wash the ride after the job is complete!
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Well of course, you definitely can’t take a dirty bike to the shop! Nice one.
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I get this all the time: man, you must wash your bike constantly. Well, not really. I just keep it maintained. Slick chain, smooth cog and polished frame = less friction/drag.
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To be honest I rarely have to give my bikes a complete wash as they stay relatively clean. Drivetrains on the other hand…
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Oh dear … I know you are right and will try to change my ways
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I love how a clean drivetrain ‘sings’ on the road!
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