Best bike cleaners according to redditors
We found 80 Reddit comments discussing the best bike cleaners. We ranked the 29 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 80 Reddit comments discussing the best bike cleaners. We ranked the 29 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Wd40 should not be treated as a lubricant for that purpose. You'll want heavy grease for that.
Edit:
parktools grease isn't that expensive, though you don't really need their grease for general purposes. A tub of automative grease works well enough, even better if it's rated for Marine use if you stay near the sea.
https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-PPL-1-PolyLube-Lubricant/dp/B01EONS0VY
Good golly that sucks. I'd make a lot of noise with the landlord regarding that IIWY.
If it's wet/slush + cold where you live, even more so if all the water is salted/frozen, give any exposed steel bits (bolts, screws, gear teeth, skewers/axles) a thin coat/couple drops of WD40.
Use a "wet' chain lube, but not something too thick/heavy so it doesnt turn into viscous grease on your chain. Perhaps something like Orontas Type B. I also suggest using plenty of this with one of these brushes to keep the grit out of your drivetrain.
I also suggest full-length cable housing.
Considering how far north you are, I'd imagine your bearings/hubs get stiff and grease turns into a clay-like solid substance when it gets really cold. In that case, a few drops of degreaser into the bearings would make your wheels/pedals turn a bit more freely.
Keep your tires inflated.
Tarp is a good idea, hope nobody takes it off. I would secure it with bungee cords or something when the wind picks up.
Be sure your pride and joy is well locked too. Find a way to put the lock through your rear seatstays, around your rear wheel, around a pole/parking sign/end-bar of the rack, and take the front wheel off and bring it inside. Do consider your seatpost/lights, as they might get stolen too, unless you have something like this.
Good luck and stay warm.
You can easily do it yourself. I'd do it on a steel bike.
$100 is a lot for what they'd be doing.
I'm a fan of Surly stuff, they make excellent frames. My fixed gear has surly hubs, and they have been holding up wonderfully. I'd say go with the Long Haul Trucker if you want a touring frame or the Cross Check if you want a cyclecross frame. The Long Haul Trucker would be the best for you (imho) since you want to carry some cargo. Be sure to spray some frame saver in the tubes before you build it up.
Easy. White Lightning Clean Streak - Bicycle Degreaser - Aerosol https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018GI8S7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DOETBbFMA81WH
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The Bike
It is commonly accepted to use a basic mountain bike with winter tires. [/u/rebeldefector] prefer[s] a bike with no suspension. It may also be best to use a bike you don't love; the winter is very hard on the frame, and many places sand and salt the roads.
I use my Cross bike in the winter, with my standard tires. When it will get a little snowy, I'll let some air out.
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Some people swear by winter bikes such as these:
http://www.surlybikes.com/bikes/pugsley_complete/
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/mukluk/
Some people just swear by the tires...
I've only ridden one in the summer, I don't own one, but I don't think it's fast enough for me.~[/u/rebeldefector]
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Bike Gear
Headlights
Cygolite site
Since the headlight you need will vary heavily depending on how well your route is lit, the quality of your trails, whether or not you are riding at night, whether or not you are riding alone, traffic conditions, weather conditions, and so on... I've opted to give you an Amazon search
I recommend heading to your local bike shop to discuss it with them, or visiting.... one... of... these... threads... or checking this search.
Bear in mind that if you ride will be long, maybe 2 hours or longer, you may need to forgo USB lights for regular batteries so you can bring along spares.
Tail Lights
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Surprisingly bright, but arguably not the best. I'd like to know if any of you have good opinions on any specific lights designed for an underside rack mount
Check out the 2012 tail light review
Or this reddit search
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Bar End Lights
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Honestly, these suck, and I have had to repair them more than once. If you have better ones let me know.~[/u/rebeldefector]
Given that I have no experience with these, I give you an Amazon search for bar end lights
If anyone has a preference I can update.
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Fenders
Plenty of options available, all of them likely appropriate. Spoil yourself.~[/u/rebeldefector]
Check with your local bike store!
Make sure they are wide enough to fit your tires, narrow enough to fit in your forks!
Panniers/Racks
Save yourself from a sore sweaty back if you have gear to carry, you will thank me later. It's advisable to get waterproof luggage, or rain covers. Sometimes snow melts while it's falling out of the sky. ~[/u/rebeldefector]
Check with your local bike store!
Pedals
Anything works, but one guy suggested:
Most people I know use clip in pedals of some variation.~[/u/rebeldefector]
(Most people I know too!)
Brakes
I use some cheapo side-pull brakes. Some prefer disc brakes for winter riding. With either of those you have to watch for ice and snow build up. I intend on giving drum brakes a try sometime soon, since the mechanism is internal and sealed from the elements. ~[/u/rebeldefector]
I prefer cantilevered brakes as it leaves room for mud and gunk without clogging. Other have advised for disc brakes because they aren't getting as dirty/wet. Ymmv.
Drivetrain
It has been suggested to carry a small blowtorch, to thaw frozen chains... logical. This hookah torch looks cool.
Internal gear hubs will save you deraileur headaches.
I've heard of chain cases to keep your chain away from the snow as well; but you might have to craft your own.
Another approach would be be to go belt-driven.
Tires
I don't have much for personal suggestions here. I've little experience with real winter tires.~[/u/rebeldefector]
Neither do I. I use my CX tires with low air.
If you are seriously considering them, which I am, you may want to read this article about studded tires:
Storage
Storage Thread TL;DR: Use a garage. If not, bring in tires, oil parts that shouldn't rust or wherever moisture might accumulate.
Note: If you are removing tires to bring inside, note your pressures. If you pump up to max pressure in the cold, bringing them in will cause over-pressure. And vice-versa, having them at pressure inside will be lower pressure in the cold. Take care.
Maintenance
Check Sheldon Brown's online guides and/or download this e-book: Bicycle Maintenance Made Ridiculously Easy
Never use WD-40 on your bike as a lubricant. It is NOT a lube.
If anyone links you here, they are dicking with you. Do not do this.
Maintain the Chain
Read this. (Also consider reading everything else he has to say about bike maintenance, because he is awesome.)
Clean and oil your chain. I like every 200-300 miles. Your chain will inevitably end up caked with salt, dirt, and grime while riding in the rainy and snowy months. Water and grime will make every contact point a wear surface, you want to minimize this, so keep it clean.
Consider a chain cleaner - $9.96...
and chain oil - $17.25
Wipe off excess oil so filth doesn't accumulate on it.
Some have said you can use chain saw "chain and bar" oil, but others counter that it's too thick/sticky and will accumulate too much dirt. Still others say you can use it mixed with mineral oil to thin it out. This is considerably cheaper option, but I can't personally attest to its viability.
Check that your chain hasn't stretched. The stretching can be exacerbated by the winter grime, especially if you don't clean frequently enough. Check out how near the bottom of this link I already posted..
Brakes
Make sure the braking surface of your tire (or discs) are clear of dirt and debris. Allowing it to remain there will accelerate the wearing of your pads.
Check your brake pads regularly that they are not below the limit line. You don't want to not have brakes when it gets wet and slippery.
Tire Care
Keep your tires true. See this. Or this.
Consider replacing your inner tubes. After a while, they can wear out and go flat even without puncture.
Check for cracking rubber, bad seals, or old worn tread. You want good tread for winter in the snow.
Regularly check your pressure. Consider riding lower pressure if you have muddy or snowy conditions.
Derailleur Care
Make sure your derailleur isn't bent or damaged, they stick out and can take abuse without you realizing it.
Everything you ever wanted to know about adjusting your derailleur, adjusting/replacing cables, etc.
Fork Abuse
Your fork oil should be fine into the coldest of temperatures.
Check your forks for cracks and damage carefully, as the mud and salt layers can obscure them easily.
Overall
Do not bring your cold, wet bike into a warm place. It will get massive amounts of condensation on it and rust. If you must, hang it to allow it to drain. There are "frame saver" products on the market to treat this, but I have never used them and don't know what to recommend.
Keep shifting surfaces and gaps as dry as possible. Pay attention to your shifters, headset, and saddle tubes for moisture and rust. When snow and ice melts, the water seeps into the nooks and crannies, so be mindful.
Relevant (recent) threads not already linked
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What is your gear setup?
Lazy links in no particular order. I may sort them into categories and neat links later, but I have a meeting to run!
http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1nfnl9/can_anyone_recommend_a_good_face_maskneck_warmer/
http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1ngwuo/need_recommendations_for_new_pedals/
http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1m1aow/preparing_for_winter_riding_rapha_gabba_gore_or/
http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1msdec/questions_about_bike_gear_winter_riding_and_using/
You want a wax based chain lube. Most others will attract playa dust, but this does a pretty good job (all things considered) at keeping the dust at bay.
I use Various Combinations of the following for my Dirt and Street bikes.
I use White lightening wax based lube. Self cleaning for easy use and it sets in around a few hours.
http://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Original-Self-Cleaning-Lubricant/dp/B0016ZXE06/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377623670&sr=8-3&keywords=wax+lube+bike
I did something similar a few years back fixing up an old Schwinn Caliente. The first thing you want to do is clean up the frame thoroughly. Take as many parts off the bike as you're comfortable with. Definitely the wheels, chain, seat, rack, bottle cage. This will help you get into some of the nooks that are easy to overlook when cleaning. If you're going to replace cables and housing, that helps with this as well.
After you've stripped the frame down as far as you're comfortable and cleaned it thoroughly, you should scrape off as much of the rust as you can without further jacking up the paint job, and then resealing with a clear coat. When I did this, I found a black paint pen at an auto parts store that had a scraper for the rust. It worked reasonably well. Then, I recommend spraying Framesaver inside the frame to help slow down any additional rust formation.
If nothing else though, the most important stuff is to make sure your tires, tubes, chain, and brake pads are in good shape.
In terms of parts upgrades, the wheels look older, which means they're heavy. That would probably be the most expensive upgrade, but also the most beneficial. Watch out though, on older bikes, the front and rear forks may not be wide enough for most modern wheels. In that case you need to either look for specialty wheels designed to fit older bikes (I've never actually seen these, but I'm sure someone, somewhere makes them) or cold set the frame.
The seat also looks cheap, but I'd ride on it a bit first to see if it's comfortable. And think about if you like that handlebar setup. Those bars almost certainly aren't original to that bike, and you could switch to drop bars, bullhorns, etc. if you wanted to.
You should check out Clean Streak. It is my go-to for gummed up shifters. Spray it in there, get the shifter moving, blow it out with compressed air, re-lube with your lube of choice.
AMAZON LINK
you want this:
https://www.amazon.com/Original-Spirits-Cleaner-Polish-Aerosol/dp/B007KPX7HQ
use it for everyhing. like, your whole bike. it will get rid of 99.999% of stuff.
That bike's closer to 20 years old, maybe more. Used in wet, salty conditions, a steel frame can really suffer. This one does not look bad. Steel MTBs are tough.
If I were you, I'd pull the seatpost and bottom bracket out of the bike and spray some FrameSaver into the exposed tubes.
Steel is more likely to die from rust/corrosion. Most people don't properly apply 'frame saver' to the inside of their steel frames.
http://www.amazon.com/Weigles-Bicycle-Frame-Saver-Inhibitor/dp/B0012GO58Y
Also, a European bottom bracket in a steel frame should be serviced annually to prevent seizing.
Someone recommended this spray to me. Worked like a charm.
Finish Line Pedal and Cleat Dry Film Lubricant Aerosol, 5-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N4OO6EA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Bx07Cb0PN6N8C
Your regular chain lube will work fine, so will any grease (like Park Tool PolyLube 1000). Personally, I use grease.
Here's RJ's guide for servicing chain pulleys (he uses chain lube, though he uses dry lube which I'm skeptical about if you ever ride in wet conditions).
​
Sheldon's glossary for chain pulleys:
I'm in Chicago and I treat my steel frame with JP Weigle's FrameSaver. It's way better than WD40. Just Google it.
Other than that, I tend to just wipe down my bike as often as possible and I never leave it outdoors overnight. I tend to not ride as often in the winter, honestly. It gets pretty damn cold here.
It's a heavy, sticky oil sprayed inside steel frames to prevent rust. Something like this.
With the new clips, adjust the binding tension so you can "forcefully" twist out of them. When you're out of the saddle climbing, you shouldn't have any real twisting force that would release the cleat.
For squeaks, I use this on my pedals... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N4OO6EA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you're talking about the frame, just wash the bike every so often.
If you're talking about your drivetrain, that kinda depends on the conditions you ride in.
I live in SoCal, and it's really dry here so I don't have to worry about using a really heavy lube on my drivetrain.
Whenever I get a new chain or drivetrain part the first thing I do is let it sit in a jar of carb cleaner for a while to completely degrease it. Once it's shiny and sparkling I put it on the bike, and use White Lightning lube on it. It's a wax-based lubricant that sheds off the drivetrain as it picks up dust and dirt. Cleaning the drivetrain when you use this stuff exclusively is as simple as wiping it off and reapplying.
The only disadvantage to this lube is that it doesn't last as long as a wet lube, and doesn't hold up as well in wet or muddy conditions. However, since it's almost always dry where I live it's not an issue for me and I don't mind reapplying it every so often. The upside of having a drivetrain clean enough to eat off of is worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/Original-Bike-Spirits-Cleaner-Polish/dp/B007KPX7HQ
Pick up this stuff and a couple microfiber towels and go to town with some elbow grease. Start at the top and work down, you don't want to transfer grit from the bottom portions of your bike on to shit that can get scratched.
There are products out there specifically made for steel framed bikes that coat the inside of the frame tubes as a layer of protection against moisture and oxidation, which leads to rust; paint protects the exterior of your tubes, frame sealer protects the inside. JP Weigel is the usual go-to, you just dissasemble your bike and spray it down the tubes. There's more info around the web, including this article from John Allen/Sheldon Brown.
Wipe down the chain after every ride (give or take) and give the frame a rinse with a garden shower wand. Any mucky parts will get a quick floss with a shop towel. A couple times a year I'll use a chain cleaner with some simple green, and blow out the cassette and any hard to reach spots with some of this:
https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Line-Speed-Bike-Degreaser/dp/B01EOMN25E
Way easier to keep the bike clean if you stay on top of it.
I'm halfway kidding. I pretty much do the same as you, though when I was commuting every day I'd use a can of the Finish Line spray degreaser about half to 2/3 of the way through each chain's life
I spent $600 on an entry-level road bike and about another $600 on accessories last month. First time biking since I was a kid with a budget MTB. Pretty happy with my current setup outside of my evil saddle.
Here are some accessories I got which I think are potentially missing from your list or are just good fits for what you want (not going to talk about stuff like a saddle bag since the right choice for that differs by person/bike):
Try to get a bike fit done. Those can be expensive though. The best tip I can share regarding fit from my limited experience is "your saddle is probably too low".
I bought this lubricant from Amazon, which worked great!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N4OO6EA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My last bike had sever UV damage to the seat over the years as I don't have a garage and I asked around on forums and whatnot when I bought my Triple. This was recommended most of the time.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N69DVA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'll add in that having good tools really makes the job a lot easier. You don't have to go out and buy the Parktool complete set or anything but having a 2-10mm allen key set, a good phillips head screwdriver, cable cutters, chain tool, and some other specialty tools if you wanna go more in depth really helps. We use White Lightning Clean Streak and Simple Green Foaming Cleaner on all the bikes and that takes care of them pretty well. The bottles are expensive as hell if you don't get them from a warehouse like a shop can but the bottle of clean streak is about the only thing I've used that can get a chain properly clean. It's good to clean your drivetrain every so often and do a quick dry wipedown after every ride to get the road grit off of it. Don't be super liberal with the chain lube either, just a little bit is all it takes otherwise your drivetrain will get nasty.
There’s a product called frame saver that will prevent rust on the inside of a steel frame. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012GO58Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_a12FAbNVVCYBD
This stuff also works well
For cleaning the frame, give this a shot. You local bike shop should have this on hand. The difference it makes is pretty crazy.
For tent zipper (And boot zipper) issues due to dust clogging, I've heard form many burners this stuff works well, yet haven't used it myself.
https://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Clean-Squeeze-Bottle/dp/B014J6VNK6
Keep it inside if you can. If you must leave it out, try to get a tarp or cover for it. You could also get Framesaver. I've never used it, but you could try it out.
alright !!!!! that’s SO exciting welcome 💪🏽
one thing you’ll want is to get is Dry Lube Cleat Spray after a few rides unsprayed when you’re out of the saddle it may start to squeak on your pedals. Of course make sure your pedals are tightened. The real culprit however is just friction from the pedals to cleat. Just spray this inside your cleat crevases and wait to dry & the noise should disappear. I bought 1 bottle, sprayed once & the noise hasn’t come back lol in i feel like a little less than a year. so it’s TOTALLY worth.
welcome!! ✨✨✨✨
That's different stuff. White Lightning is blue and white.
white lightning, its the best
http://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Original-Self-Cleaning-Lubricant/dp/B0016ZXE06
Chain lube:
https://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Clean-Ride-Squeeze/dp/B0016ZXE06
It's wax powder suspended in alcohol. It doesn't attract dirt like oil does so if you get against the chain you not nearly as dirty.
Here's the lube (wax based instead of oil based, better for all the dust). https://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Clean-Ride-Squeeze/dp/B0016ZXE06/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=white+lightning&qid=1566270921&s=gateway&sr=8-10
Outside paint, inside framesaver. I used framesaver on my Surly touring frame and leave it outside all the time when I'm on tour. As long as you touch up any paint chips, it's likely to last much longer than an aluminum frame. For me, it's the catastrophic failure that can happen with an aluminum frame that turns me off. Steel bends, Aluminum breaks. http://www.amazon.com/Weigles-Bicycle-Frame-Saver-Inhibitor/dp/B0012GO58Y
> Is there a particular crash bar or bung that is considered better than another? (I know this will vary from one bike to another but any recommendations?)
I tend to favour bars over bungs.
Reason being is that they tend to protrude more, they're a little more ugly depending on who you ask but who cares if it's all about safety and keeping the bills low?
> any recommendations for cleaning and maintenance products?
I like "muc-off", personally as far as cleaning goes. You just spray this stuff on, leave it 5 minutes and rinse off.
For cleaning your chain I recommend the good old toothbrush and some chain cleaner.
For chain lube, I think the general go-to is dry lube.
> I'd actually live to make a bike maintenance product and timescale recommendation superthread if that's allowed?
I'm not sure - but there is a motouk subreddit wiki.
Thanks very much!!
Is it bad to just use wet lube, even if it's dry weather conditions?
Also, when it comes to chain cleaning. Reckon it's worth getting one of these, or will this and a rag do the trick?
Nice! Restoring old things to a way you like it is a lot of fun.
I would say to clean the chain you can start with a toothbrush and degreaser, if thats all you got. But with $10 and a trip to wal-mart (or wherever) you can get one of these. Look pretty neat. I use a grungebrush, mine is a bootleg version which kinda sucks though, which is pretty similar in practice.
For degreasing, I just looked under my sink and sprayed that on the chain as I spun it. When I run out I plan to get some Simple Green. Pretty sure that stuff is better for the environment.
After cleaning I lubricate. I use a green oil, better for the environment and all that.
For now I either prop the bike up in my basement with my bench vise or just turn it upside down on the handlebars and seat. Eventually, a bike repair stand of some sort (got a post asking about that :) would make things way easier.
I lube my locks with bike chain lube. It's what I have around and works well.
You want a high quality dry lube, not the standard oil/wet stuff at a big box store. Swing by a local bike shop and ask for a dry lube. They should have it in stock.
I personally use: https://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Clean-Ride-Squeeze/dp/B0016ZXE06?th=1
If you're consistently riding in sloppy conditions, consider getting a cheap chain cleaning kit. It allows you to do a quick job of cleaning your chain without taking it off your bike or getting too messy. It's not quite as deep a clean as you'll get taking off your chain and soaking it, but it's so easy to do that you can do it more often.
https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-CM-5-2-Cyclone-Cleaner/dp/B00094CWA8
https://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Bike-Chain-Cleaner/dp/B007TAJIVG
I use this degreaser on my chain only: degreaser. I use it in that park tool chain cleaner that encloses over the chain.
I only use that to clean the chain then follow with lube. For the rest of the bike, I use mild dish soap and wipe with a spongy/bristley brush.
If I ride 4-5 times a week, is it safe to clean the chain (degrease/lube) 1x/week and wash the rest of the bike 1x/month?
Do I need to lubricate or apply degrease to my rear shock or front fork staunchion?
Get a spray bottle of muc-off and have at it. Leave it to soak in and spray off. Repeat if necessary.
I'm gonna play devil's advocate and say it's not uncommon for the first chain on a 125 to be neglected. I've done it, learned from it and my chains have never been better because of it. The amount of slack that can be pulled off the sprocket is not something that can be tightened. The amount of slack there shows the rollers are worn from abuse and not the garage's fault. To explain this better, the rollers are secured at the 12 and 6oclock position on the rear sprocket, they cannot slide about. The worn pins under the rollers increase the chain length, thus you can pull it off the chain. A good chain will not be worn and you cannot pull it off the chain.
What is important is how much freeplay there was between the 2 sprockets and this is what tells you if the garage did anything. If THAT is 1 inch at the tightest point then they did adjust it. As you have said your chain has multiple tight spots that says your chain is near end of life. Do not tighten it more than 1 inch of freeplay at its tightest spot as you'll damage your gearbox!
That chain was neglected by the previous owner so as a treat to your new chain, get some good chain cleaner ; a chain brush and some lube. Also if you have the budget, some Scott towels because they're really good. You can make it last 15K miles easily if you clean it regularly (600 miles normally, 100 in winter).
I'm not sure how much you know about cleaning chains but for your future benfit, you degrease it with cleaners, agitate it with a brush, wait then wash it all off and thoroughly dry it (I use scott towels as they're super strong and it'll get very dirty). Then sparingly apply the lube on the inside of the chain, between the rollers and the links.
Chain will last so long everyone will be amazed. You'll show your buddies who will marvel at how shiny your 20K mile chain is. You'll realise you can charge them a pound every time they look. Soon you'll have set up your own travelling sideshow as your 30K mile chain is still on there. After travelling Britain you'll return home, the adjusters being right at the limit. You'll have finally come full circle as you replace the chain with all the money you earned from your sideshow.
Spray lube for me! Finish Line Pedal and Cleat Dry Film Lubricant Aerosol,
Haven't tried this on either of my matte black bikes but give it a whirl and let us know how it goes: https://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Finisher-Aerosol-Bicycle/dp/B013UHO8TI
I use this stuff.
I usually pop off my chain, throw it in a wash tub and spray it down really well and let it sit a minute. Give a quick pass over it with an old toothbrush, and then rinse under running water.
Let hang to dry for a few minutes then re-install and re-lube with your favorite chain lube. Please use a dedicated chain lube, and follow the instructions on the bottle.
that headtube looks right for a person 6ft tall. For bicycle touring, slighter bigger frame is better than a slightly small frame because it makes it easier to adjust the cockpit for comfortable long duration riding
I would powdercoat the frame, which is way more durable than any paint. It's also cheap. ( you can consider powdercoating much of the bike. Frame, fork, waterbottle cages, racks, etc. Disc bike owners can consider powdercoating rims) Here in western Washington (Seattle area) powdercoating runs $75-$100 for frame and fork. If you do go the powdercoat route, buy a can of JP Weigles FRAME SAVER. The powdercoat process heats the frame to about 350-400 degrees which eliminates all moisture in the frame. Frame Saver AFTER powdercoat)
I would start the show by concentrating on the weakest link on a touring bicycle.... the wheels and the drivetrain!
Start watching wheeling building videos on youtube. Subscribe to r/wheelbuilding. Buy a set of Shimano XT 36h hubs and a set of 26 inch rims. (Velocity Dyad, Sun RhynoLite, etc)
back in the late 80's when mountain biking was new I bought a brand new Trek 950 lugged frame mountain bike. 24 years later I toured around the perimeter of the USA on it. The only thing original on the bike was the frame/fork. I upgraded all other components including building the wheels.
videos to watch
"How to upgrade vintage bike with sealed cartridge bottom bracket"
Bottom Bracket differences, why they are critical
American bottom bracket; crank conversion
How to remove install sealed cartridge bearings
How to overhaul a bottom bracket
EDIT! if you still have the spindle (in the bottom bracket) KEEP IT! so you can measure it for the new sealed bearings.
Keep it somewhat clean. If your really that paranoid about it, Framesaver can be beneficial. You can achieve the same results with boiled linseed oil (careful with those rags...poof! ) or just periodically spraying a can of WD-40 into the tubes.
I've got a mid 80s gas-pipe Peugeot that I use as my shit weather commuter, never had any preventive measures taken and it doesn't have a lick of rust.
Check this out: https://www.amazon.com/Original-Spirits-Spray-Cleaner-Polish/dp/B007KPX7HQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494146810&sr=8-3&keywords=motorcycle+polish
Haven’t used it as I don’t have a matte bike anymore, but I really like their drivetrain cleaner.
www.amazon.com/dp/B01MA6SGDF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5aRIDbZTTJ0YH
WD40 to remove old grease, dirt and grime. Finish Line Speed Degreaser into a rag to remove WD40. Wipe off with clean rag then apply lubricant of choice, final wipe excess lubricant.
The frames are actually the (relatively) superior part of the bargain with Masi.
The components tend to be middling and the wheels are generally cheap and heavy. All in all, they are very serviceable in stock trim, but to get that price point something has to give.
Make sure you (or a shop/someone with experience) uses something like FrameSaver in order to prevent the steel from rusting internally.
I used a Masi CX to tour the Pacific Coast Highway and could not have been happier with the performance/cost/value of the frame. I swapped out every other part over the course of 6 moths prior to the tour (with the exception of the headset).
How expensive is it, by volume?
Looking on Amazon,
A12oz can of cleaner is $12, while you can get an entire GALLON of Kerosene for only $10.