The days of taking every piece apart and polishing them one by one are behind us - who's got time ? Dale hip'ed me to this little secret years ago - scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner!
Here in the Pac Northwest we ride most of the year. When the wet residue from many winter rides builds up, you get an abrasive black crud that erodes everything - it's like Comet. I am amazed at the number of cyclists who don't clean their bikes, and then gasp in amazement when they take it to the shop (complaining that "It's not shifting too good") and need a complete drivetrain replacement. These are guys who crow about their carbon fiber bottle cages ($80/each plus installation!) but their chain looks like they dragged it thru the cat sandbox.
After a really wet ride, or when I notice my bike's driveline is looking particularly funky, I spray the driveline with automotive degreaser (not brake cleaner) and scrub with a variety of brushes that I have laying around. Scrape out the derailleur jockey pulleys with a screwdriver. Usually I'll run the chain thru a kitchen sponge or something. I use soapy water to wash down the frame and stuff, and my soapy water has a couple drops of kerosene in it.
Then hose off, and spray scrubbing bubbles on the whole thing, repeat. Blow down with compressed air, lube everything with one of the 25 different lubes I have sitting on the bench, dry with a towel, done. Takes 20 minutes and my bike looks like new!
I don't like Simple Green because it will etch aluminum. No worries about the water - as long as you don't spray it directly into the bearings you're fine!
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA 206 618 9642 <mailto:mark@petry.org> mark@petry.org