PabloGT wrote:
After every ride is the ideal but not always possible as I can testify. I got back late my last ride and it was dark so I struggled to see what I was doing when it came to washing. I ended up just hosing it down to get the chunks of mud off and then put it away until I could come back to it it a few days later and give it a wash in daylight.
get a cheap cree headlamp. That really helps with nighttime cleaning
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-CREE-Q5-LE ... 1e86484235At a minimum try and get the chain rear der, bb suspension seals and headset areas hosed down - as important is to get them dry afterwards to stop them seizing up. Mud elsewhere isn't really going to do too much harm in the short term.
Regular cleaning really does help you eek more life out of your moving parts.