How To Clean Your Tricycle? Step by Step Trike Cleaning Guide

A tricycle is a vehicle used worldwide throughout all weather conditions but not during extreme weather; hence, it needs cleaning and maintenance after being stored in a garage. To reuse the tricycle, it needs to be cleaned, which involves many different steps based on the part that needs cleaning and the instrument it is being cleaned with.

Tricycle cleaning procedure involves different steps, but before these steps, it is necessary to know the components of a tricycle. These include the body of the cycle, the chain, pedals, brake pads, tires, bike stand, and the seat itself, while some vital cleaning supplies consist of clean towels, brush, chain lubricant, water, soap, and a degreaser, a bucket, and sponge.

How To Clean Your Tricycle? – Step By Step Guide

Step 1: Clean the tricycle’s frame

The frame of the cycle is significant to clean as it is the most visible part of the cycle and gets the most attention. Whenever people look at your tricycle, they will complement its exterior, which is the frame; hence cleaning it should be the first and basic step. It can be done by soap dissolved in water and scrubbing with a sponge or a clean cloth, and then the frame is washed off properly with it so that no stain remains.

Step 2: Clean the wheels of a trike

The wheels of the tricycle are also very important to clean. Often a tricycle is driven on smooth surfaces, but at times the dirt and other small things get stuck on the tire, which causes the wheel to slow down. Going on rougher roads on off road tricycle can also cause the tire to burst from a pointy stone or a sharp thing. It is essential to clean the wheels for effective riding, and also, clean wheels make the tricycle look presentable.

To clean the wheels, it is best to take a big brush to clean the wheel using soap and also a small brush that can help clean the design of the wheel and the more minor details. It is crucial to scrub around the tires and the rim (this makes up half of the friction system that stops the bike), spokes, and hub on both sides. Accessories like reflectors and BMX pegs are essential. Also read about tips for tricycle safety.

Step 3: Work on the drivetrain

The drivetrain is a very important part of the tricycle, connecting the tire with the rest. It is an essential part that should be cleaned, not just because of how it looks but also because the efficiency of cycling relies on this part.

Firstly wipe off the crankset, which includes crank arms and pedals; this becomes even more important if you have clipless pedals which can come in between the rider’s shoes and the pedaling mechanism.

It is best to use the stiff-bristled brush and soapy water on the front chainrings and the rear sprockets. To work on tiny details or small crevices, it is vital to use bottle brushes or toothbrushes.

After that, rinse it all off and use a dry towel to wipe the tricycle and drivetrain if the bike is on the stand, then turn the cranks backwards, which will help get each link. Also, before this step, use a degreaser and spray derailleurs.

If you’re planning to buy a new adult tricycle, you may also want to know i.e. what size tricycle do I need?

Step 4: Apply Lubricant

Now that the tricycle is cleaned and dry, it will be time to apply the lubricant because, without that, the drivetrain will not work efficiently, which will cause the bike to slow down, which is why leaving it out will be a big risk.

 First of all, it needs to be seen that the degreaser is thoroughly dried out. Then apply some lubricant on the link of the chains for smoothness and easy movement, but that does not mean rubbing it massively. After the lubricant is dried, the excessive lube is wiped off because too much of it would cause the drivetrain to absorb dirt particles.

For tricycles with hand brakes, it is essential to apply lube occasionally just so that the brakes are done smoothly. It is best to use a drop on lever pivots, barrel adjusters, and cables, and it should not be done excessively, just tiny drops.

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Other Important Considerations While Cleaning Trike

These steps are very important to clean up the tricycle for use after it is kept away in a shed and affected by weather conditions like cold, dusty, or severe weather conditions. Other maintenance-related things should be done to keep the bike working, which involve things like the down below.

Low-tire pressure

It is essential to check the pressure and the air in a tire. The tire needs to have ample air and should not be deflated for smooth rides; hence, it is important to regularly check for a deflated tire.

Squeaky brakes

It is annoying to have squeaky brakes, and the noise ruins the riding tricycle riding experience. It is best to adjust them, which luckily is relatively easy; before adjusting, what can work is to just thoroughly clean and dry them.

Tough weather conditions

Storing your tricycle in a garage is not enough because, in there, the challenging condition can attack your vehicle by either affecting the drivetrain or ruining the brakes and tire quality. It is best to wrap the tricycle in an all-weather bag, which can help keep the tricycle in top condition. Also, the bottom of the bag is elasticized, which will make sure that the trike is wrapped up and snug.

You may also be interested to read about history of tricycles

Conclusion of Tricycle Cleaning Guide

It can be concluded that cleanliness and maintenance are very important for your tricycle so that it can be used effectively in the longer term. No matter the number of bikes you have, a well cleaned bicycle will always provide extra fun to your trip. Though, important elements like brakes, chains, drivetrain, and the frame of the tricycle should be considered as vital so that it can be cleaned on time to avoid massive maintenance costs.

Nevertheless, If you will apply some of our methods of how to clean your tricycle in your routine cleanliness, you will be definitely safe from frequent damages. Thus, if you maintain cleanliness of your trike timely they go a long way with massive fun all the time.