Apparently it needs to be said: Do not clean your eBike with gasoline!

[James Kohls]

"Investigators say the fire was accidentally started when gasoline was used to clean an e-bike. Damage estimate is $60,000."

https://blackburnnews.com/windsor/windsor-news/2018/08/05/reginald-st-blaze-ruled-accidental/

 

[rich c]

Darwin award winner possibility.

 

[ebikemom]

<insert shocked emoji here!>

 

[J.R.]

You don't tug on superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, you don't pull the mask off the ol' lone ranger and you don't mess around with Jim. And you especially don't short electrics with a gas soaked rag!!

 

[CodyDog]

Are you kidding me!

 

[Ann M.]

What the heck did this person do? Clean off the battery contacts with the gas?

 

[harryS]

When I was in high school, my motorhead buddy took some engine parts into his basement to clean in a pan of gasoline. The fumes drifted over to the water heater and kaboom. A wall of flame between the parts and the stairs leading out. Luckily, he was by the stairs when this happened. The fire quickly was put out though and the house stands to this day. My buddy later got himself killed in another accident. Never turned 21. Sad.

What did I use in the old days? Gunk. Spray it on grease. It turns it into soap. Spray off with water.

I now use White Lightning chain cleaner to clean my bike chains. Relube with the Boeing stuff.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

For myself, I use a concentrated citrus solvent, diluted five or ten to one in water. I soak some shop towels in this concoction and then run my bike chain through the shop towels. It cleans off nicely. I am a little nervous about this solution damaging the paint, bike frame, and any plastic parts so I am pretty careful with how I apply it. Though I probably shouldn't be too concerned because I use the identical solution to clean dirty ski bases and have never had a problem with damaging the bases or even the base grind on the skis.