Life In The Saddle

Should you pressure wash your bike? The safest answer is "no" , BUT if you are careful and target the powerful jet of a pressure washer only at the right places, then it can be an excellent time and water efficient way of washing your bike. A pressure washer can safely be used to wash the frame, wheels, chainrings and saddle of a bike; the areas to avoid are directing the pressure washer stream into the hubs, bottom bracket, jockey wheels or pedal bearings. Provided you steer clear of the above named areas, targeting those instead with a soft brush for the hubs and some degreaser and a chain bath for the drivetrain, then a pressure washer can allow you to quickly remove dirt and debris from the rest of the bike. The WORX WG620E.2 is a portable cordless power washer/cleaner that offers a fast and versatile way to clean your bike. Compared to other pressure washers on the market, it is lighter (1.75kg), easier to use (singlehanded), and has the excellent virtue that you c...

Tubeless tyres offer a huge number of advantages over their tubed counterparts – including greater grip, puncture resistance, and a lower rolling resistance. To find out more about the benefits of tubeless, have a read of my post ' Going Tubeless on Road Tyres '. However, tubeless tyres can be a right pain... most notably to fit, but also when they do not seal out on the road or trails. After fitting more tubeless tyres than I care to count, and having plenty of dramas of my own, I thought I would share some Top Tips for Tubeless: for mounting, repairing and maintaining the tubeless system. 1. Mounting – Use two wraps of tubeless rim tape Most tubeless conversion kits recommend one compete wrap of the sealing tape (such as Stan's Yellow Tape). I recommend doing two wraps. You will use twice as much tape, and add a tiny amount of weight; but the added friction on the tyre bead and the better coverage of the rim bed makes it far easier to inflate the tyre. It also ...

We have all had that sinking feeling. Flat tyres are something you accept with bike riding, but there are several ways to prevent and reduce the chance of a puncture on a bicycle tyre. Whether you are running tubeless tyres or an inner tube there is still a risk of a puncture, and several ways to repair a flat. This blog post considers 7 Tips for preventing, fixing, and repairing a bicycle puncture on all kinds of wheel setups. Prevent Punctures – Tyre Choice The single most influential factor in preventing a bicycle puncture is your choice of tyre. Not all bicycle tyres are made equal. Most confusingly, even those with the same name are often not of an equal quality level. Some tyres feature inbuilt puncture protection belts made of Kevlar or a similar fibre—these help to avoid penetration of the tyre and puncturing of the inner tube. When looking at tyre reviews and choices, look out for those tyres with inbuilt puncture protection. It is worth noting that when you bu...

Winter, summer, off-road, on-road, gravel, mud, rain, and heat… all these things can affect the best choice of bicycle chain lube for your type of riding, in addition of course to your budget. So, what is the difference between wet lubricants and dry lubricants? What is Hydrodynamic lubrication? Are Ceramic lubricants an appropriate choice? I try and answer these maintenance questions… What Is Chain Lubrication For? Before getting into the details of types of bike chain lubrication, it is worth considering what exactly chain lubrication does. Principally, it reduces the level of friction by creating a layer of lubrication between the chain rollers and plates; it is what prevents that horrible grinding and squeaking sound that you get with an unlubricated chain—a sound that is predictably highly inefficient. However, chain lubricant adds an element of inefficiency itself, called 'stiction'. Stiction is the stickiness factor that chain lube creates; the feeling you would have tr...

Riding is tough on bikes… sand and mud grind away at components; water washes away grease and lubricants; road salt eats metal parts. The only solution is regular bike cleaning. Your wallet and your sanity will thank you for it in the long term—components will last longer, and your bike is less likely to adopt squeaks, creaks, and groans. This step-by-step bicycle cleaning and lubricating routine will help keep your bike in top condition. 1 – Drivetrain Degrease First of all, remove the worst dirt and grime—the dried on chain lube that holds grit and salt. - Use a spray-on degreaser: spraying the whole length of the chain, the chainrings, cassette, and jockey wheels. - Leave for a few minutes and then agitate all areas with a claw brush or old toothbrush - Thoroughly rinse all degreaser from the chain and components 2 – Wheels and Tyres Next, clean the mud and brake dust from the wheels and tyres. - Spray bike cleaner onto the wheels and disc brake rotors - Using a ...

Do not underestimate the benefits of bike cleaning. Your ride will not only look better; it will also be more efficient, quieter, safer; and parts will last much longer, after a good cleaning session. A bike clean may take 30 minutes of your time; but it will save you money and costly mechanicals in the long run. Juice Lubes is a UK-based company that make some of the best bike cleaners on the market. With the autumn weather bringing back mucky trails and debris-strewn roads, I decided to look at their current bike cleaner range… For a step by step guide to cleaning your bike, check out my post: ' The Ultimate Bike Cleaning Routine ' Key components of the cleaning process are the brushes, chain-bath, degreaser, and bike frame cleaner that you use.  This is the Juice Lubes offering:  Dirt Juice No Nonsense Bike Cleaner Dirt Juice BOSS Chain Cleaner Dirty Little Scrubber Chain Cleaner Big Softy Soft Wash Frame Brush Double-Ender Two Prong Brush Stiffler Drivetrain Brush...

In my Workshop Focus series, I have so far considered Essential Workbench Tools  and Intermediate Workshop Tools ; in this post things get advanced—with wheel truing and building. It took me quite a while to pluck up the courage to give wheel truing/balancing and then wheel building a go; they are certainly two tasks that take quite a bit of time and skill. As with most workshop jobs though, wheel tuning is something that is far easier with quality tools. With this in mind, I opted for the Feedback Sports Pro Truing Stand and the Master Wheel Building Kit from Unior Tools .  The Feedback Sports Pro Truing Stand Wheel building is an art, yet the Feedback Sports Pro Truing Stand is almost a work of art in itself.  I developed a bit of a lust for this anodised red stand the moment I set eyes on it. The quality, durability and performance of the products from the American brand Feedback Sports are second to none. The Pro Truing Stand has a unique ...

The Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Lube Dry Chain Lubricant is the latest bicycle chain lube released by the UK-based brand Muc-Off—the pioneering experts in bike lubes and cleaners. I have become a complete convert to using dry chain lubes for road and off-road bicycles—all year round. A dry wax-based lubricant offers lubrication for your bike's chain without the risk of contaminants sticking to the lubricated chain's surface and creating a damaging grinding paste—as is the case with 'wet' oil-based lubricants. The Ceramic C3 Dry Chain Lube from Muc-Off is an innovative new dry chain lubricant that utilises ceramic nanoparticles and synthetic polymers to create a super durable low-friction coating for your chain. The key with any dry chain lubricant is the application. It is vital that you strip the chain of all previous dirt, grease, and oil before applying a dry chain lube; if you do not, then the chain lube will simply slide off the oily surface and will not dry onto the...

I must admit that I was sceptical of a 'waterless bike wash'—surely the point of bike washing is to displace the muck rather than smear it across the surface? Readers of my ' Ultimate Bike Cleaning Routine ' will also know the drivetrain degrease and re-lube is by far the most important part of the procedure. Muc-Off's new Waterless High Performance Bike Wash is not aimed at drivetrain cleaning, nor will it wash away debris. But, it does promise 'Cillit Bang style' flash and polish cleaning for your frame. I decided it was worth a test and review. The Muc-Off High Performance Waterless Bike Wash is designed to be a frame cleaner for any type of bicycle; removing dried on residue without the need for water, and leaving a polished surface behind. I was skeptical, but the Muc-Off Waterless Wash is a useful addition to a home bike cleaning kit. If your ride has peppered your frame surface with dust and light soiling, then the Waterless Wash will work its ...

A good bicycle multitool is like a Swiss army knife—you do not appreciate what an asset it is until you really need it. The new Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 Multitool is a compact and lightweight bicycle tool, made to an exacting high-quality standard. A great companion for any ride. Much as you might not appreciate your pocketknife until the moment you need to open that package, or uncork that bottle of wine, or tighten that screw, or gut a fish… A bicycle multitool will often lay unused in a saddlebag or jersey pocket, until that moment that you really need it… When that time arises, you will appreciate having a top-quality tool. Cheaper multitools might round-off bolt heads, rust, or even snap with enough force—leaving you stranded at the side of the road or trail. A quality bicycle multitool will allow you to tighten that bolt, adjust that screw, or fix that chain—getting you back underway as soon as possible. The Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 Multitool is a strong example of a high-qual...

The disc brake pads and disc brake rotors fitted to your bike play a significant role in braking power, modulation, and reliability. The pads supplied with your bike on purchase will only last around 5000 kilometres at most, so there comes a time when you will be shopping for after-market disc pads and considering replacing the disc rotors. In this ' Workshop Focus ' post, I look at the things to consider in this selection. Understanding Disc Brakes Disc brakes use a caliper mounted near the dropouts of the frame or fork of a bicycle. Two pads are housed inside the caliper, and pistons force these onto the rotating rotor; the resulting friction is what slows and stops the wheel. Pistons can be cable actuated or hydraulic powered. For a disc brake to be effective, the friction between the pad and the rotor needs to be strong enough; this is negatively affected by contaminants like grit, oil and mud — so it is vital to remove these to ensure consistent braking performanc...

I first used Motorex bike cleaning products at the TorTour Cyclocross Stage Race in Switzerland , and they instantly impressed. Even in an almost comatose state of tiredness, I was able to get my bike sparkling clean and running smoothly again after a tough day in the Swiss Mountains. Back in the UK, I was keen to test and trial the complete range from the Swiss brand... The cleaning process always starts with the chain, and the Motorex Easy Clean X-Treme Degreaser makes it about as easy as possible. The high-powered aerosol blasts the strong detergent into the chain-links, and drives out baked-on dirt and oil. A quick scrub with a brush and a thorough rinse, and it leaves your drivetrain sparkling clean. When it comes to cleaning the frame, Motorex offers two options: Quick Cleaner and Bike Clean. Quick Clean doesn't actually require water, but instead uses a loosening agent that allows you to simply spray it onto dried-on dirt, then wipe the surface clean; making it ideal...

A good quality bike repair stand will make your bike washing and bike maintenance far easier. The Unior Tools BikeGator+ Workstand (this is the auto-adjust model) is one of the best that I've tested to date. High quality materials The Unior Tools BikeGator+ Bike Repair Stand is made of high quality aluminium and stainless steel parts, coated in chip-proof paint; to provide a durable, strong, yet lightweight product. Bike repair stands take a lot of abuse in the form of bike washing, frequent transportation, and heavy handling; so having quality components, which will stand the test of time, is a worthwhile investment. The jaws on the BikeGator+ clamp are made of a soft non-marking rubber, to avoid damage to your bike's tubes. Then, the lever on the clamp features the same soft-touch rubber that you find on the handles of all Unior mechanics tools. This is a product built to last. Ease of use A bicycle repair stand should function without fault, and make the tricky...