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I am considering moving into a new house, the rent is cheaper, the house is newer and it is detached with views over the hills and apparently the horses from the field it backs onto poke their heads over and cut the grass for you, add a completely private back garden so the mrs is sold on it.
However I have access to a hose where I am now and the new place doesn't, is there any form of fillable pressure washer or powerful garden sprayer that can be used to hose down the bikes? As I will have to keep them indoors due to the amount of stolen bike posts I see on here and elseware.
lots of portable pressure washers have a look at CRC for a few. In the end I've found a bucket does a good job.
What is wrong with cleaning them indoors?
Can't you just feed the hose out of the kitchen window?
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In the bath tub or outside with a bucket of soap and water. The later option will not result in divorce or bankruptcy.
In the flat I'm in at the mo I've got a hose connector that screws into the mixer tap in the kitchen and feed the hose through the window.
I've tried those clamp on ones in the past but they seem to be very dependent on the shape of the tap to seal, with rather predictable consequences if they don't.
On the cheep these are ok.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/hozelock-7l-standard-garden-sprayer/679-5046.prd
Jota that's what I'm doing in my current place but the new place has different taps like the one in your pic, didn't realise you could get one for 90 degree mixers! Thanks, I shall be getting one of those!
Frosty do you clean your bikes indoors in the winter when dripping with mud? If I even suggested that mrs 777 would kill me!
I rented for three years and just washed my bikes with warm soapy water. It gets them cleaner than pressure-washing / hosing ever did although it does take a bit longer. No biggie.
On the other hand I kinda wish I'd just paid for a plumber to install an outside tap. Can't imagine it'd cost more than about £50? Most places have some sort of outdoor piping.
Two plastic buckets, a watering can and a big soft brush. Asda have some cheap ones in the car section.
For a more secure tap fitting than the one jota recommended try one of [url= http://www.hozelock.com/watering/hose-fittings/connect-to-tap/kitchen-tap-connector-2159.html ]these.[/url]
Same situation here, I run a 12v pressure washer off the car which has a socket in the boot. Does the job nicely in about 5 mins. Quick wiped down, then through the house and a look after chain, forks etc in garden before shed
Depends on how dirty the bike is for me. For a quick rinse I use a bucket but for a proper wash when its filthy then I use my Mobi connected to the mains.
Or if you have a spare connector under the sink for a washing machine / dishwasher etc, then just screw on a hozelock connector and run the hose from that.
Obviously it's up to you to apply common sense and maybe some strain relief for the inevitable occasion when you trip over the hose. Bonus: hot water for washing the bike.
Can get my bike spotless with a bucket and sponge. In fact I think I prefer it now.
I only ever was bikes with bucket/sponge/brush including the CX bikes after racing. And nothing in the universe gets dirtier than them!
On the plus side hoses and jet washes pay my wages every month.
the CX bikes after racing. And nothing in the universe gets dirtier than them!
DH bike after a wet weekend at Pearce, seen people scraping the inches of mud off before even thinking of washing. That is where the Mobi etc are great. Run of the mill buckets work.
Bucket and sponge/scrubbing brush , plenty of fairy , also you could allways find a few 5 gallon drums to store water outside ready to use .
Beware detergents that contain salt (look at the ingredients,don't taste it).Corrosion ahoy.Car shampooo works good.
Dishwash liquid contains salt as a thickener, to disguise how weak it is.
Use car shampoo, a bucket of hot water and a soft bristle hand floor brush, the sort that comes with a dustpan.
I use a bucket, car shampoo, two sponges (one for drivetrain and the other for paint / brakes) and a little Park cassette brush to get the crap out of drivetrain stuff.
All I use is a 5l garden sprayer, brush and muc-off. In fact, im off to use them now.
When I lived in Singapore I had a flat with no garden, 15 floors up. Had a big bath and shower, so that became the wash down area.
Either use the bath - wheels off and give it a good clean; get a tap 'plug' for a hose attachment and run the hose out the window...
Use a stiff brush to remove worst of crap straight after ride. Remove front wheel and use strip of inner tube to lock rear brake lever to handle bar. Vertically stand bike in bath on rear wheel. Wash with luke warm water from bath/shower mixer. Wash down bath after with Flash bathroom. Stand bike in Kitchen on old absorbent mat and dry chain, drip dry bike. Been doing this for last 4 years.
Good plan there wobbem but by the time I've got the bike upstairs into the bathroom I think all the mud would be on the carpet!
Ahhh, ground floor flat with no stairs or carpet
Just buy a new bike if the one you have gets dirty.
If you're a typical STWer you'll not have to buy a new bike for this reason. 😉
chrishc777 - MemberFrosty do you clean your bikes indoors in the winter when dripping with mud? If I even suggested that mrs 777 would kill me!
Yes I wash my bike in the utility in the winter as it is cold outside. In the summer I wash the bikes outside.
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That's just me and a bit of my Kit after a damp day in Les Arcs this year.......
(If you're reading this Stevo, then er, sorry about that^^^! 😉
bucket and sponge for washing, and a watering can for rinsing - works fine for me
Assuming the new house has a cold water pipe near the garden I.e. The kitchen sink overlooks the back garden, then get/ask to fit an outside tap.
Kits are fairly cheap, and it's not that difficult to do..
ive got a nomad washer: http://www.nomad-direct.co.uk/index.php
it runs of a ryobi 18v battery and has a big enough tank to hold water for 2-3 bikes..
Cant fault it at all... Good build quality, decent pressure, adjustable spray nozzle, does everything i need it to..
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I know a bucket and sponge would work fine but when I'm wet cold and thirsty I want it over in the least time possible!
I just let mine dry then brush off the mud when it's built up. Saves me a load of time and replacement bearings.
Why do you wash your bike (serious question).
Other than astetics it does nothing other than add detergents and surfactants and water into the mix, none of which are actualy any good for the bike. Thought about it and after a 20 mile evening ride my bike would be irredeamably muddy, but it'd not any worse after a 60mile weekend ride and it doesnt get washed 3x during that. Most of the mud gets re-added within 5 minutes of the start on the next ride anyway.
I've given up, routine now is:
Femwicks foam cleaner on the chain cassette, scrub off and rinse.
GT85 on chain/cassette to dry it and on moving parts like SPD's.
Lube chain.
Anything else is just a superfluous faff.
Anything else is just a superfluous faff.
The only time I wash mine is when I need to sort an issue. Fixing a grubby bike is no fun.
Why do you wash your bike
Imagine it will be because of
As I will have to keep them indoors
As I will have to keep them indoors
A big bag, leave them in the car* or better insurance solves that. Washing after every ride would be hours a week.
*downside of this is the mud defrosts/dries and falls off, over the course of a winter I accumulated several inches of topsoil in my boot.
How about a water butt?
You can put it where you want/need it in the garden, stick a rain water collector cone type thingy on top, could top it up with the odd bucket full from indoors if needed.
You should be able to run a short hose straight off of it, or you could even hook up a small pump if needed to get some pressure...
Or just ask the landlord if you can drill a hole through the wall and fit an external tap...
thisisnotaspoon
What about the inevitable dog poo encounter?
Tell me you wash it then.....?
Even a heavy dose of sheep poo is enough to get me reaching for the hose
water in water buts gets to smell rank over time and will make you saddle smell like a dead tramp.
I used to shower the bike in the bath when I lived in a 2nd floor flat accessed through 4 fire doors, there is an art to carrying a muddy bike through firedoors and up stairs without leaving an obvious trail for the residents committee members to follow.
Tell me you wash it then.....?
Nope, I just lube the chain and chuck the bikes in the garrage. Do you stop mid ride to wash of the dog poo? It's so muddy round here I suspect the mud get's washed off by fresh mud every few miles anyway.
I used to be a fastideous bike cleaner, then I got a girlfriend and found better things to do between the hours of 10:00pm and 11:00pm with any residual energy after a ride!
I only wash it if I need to fix something. Bucket of car shampoo/water, assortment fo sponges, cloths and brushes and a knock-off dirtworker from laser tools fed from a 5 gallon water drum to rinse it.
water in water buts gets to smell rank over time and will make you saddle smell like a dead tramp.
You're only rinsing muck off of a bike it doesn't have to be drinkable, and who saturates their saddle when washing a bike?
then I got a girlfriend and found better things to do between the hours of 10:00pm and 11:00pm with any residual energy after a ride!
DIY - I know exactly what you mean
You need to remind her who's boss though!
who saturates their saddle
Never mind that, who sniffs their saddle?
that's a very worrying habit to have acquired
When I lived in the flat, I would just get most of the mud off with my fingers. Take the bike into the bathroom, wheels off upside down in the bath and give it a good shower..
Same with the wheels.
Shake off water off and dry.
Clean bath or your get an ear ache.
If the bike was ultra muddy, a few 2ltr bottles full of water with a hole in the lid..
Squeezy pressure.
Does your kitchen sit at either the front or back of the house? Its not a great deal to fit an outside tap..
I've got a mobi 17L rechargeable powerwash from crc for using away from home which is great, but can't you just fit an outside tap?
is there any form of fillable pressure washer
Pressure washers can suck water out of a bucket or water butt. At least, it said you could do that in the instructions for mine.
I used to use a Hozelock kitchen tap adapter though - worked fine. Having used a jetwasher, I'd never do it any other way. 5 mins vs 20, and spotless every time.
It doesn't destroy the bike either if you use common sense. Keep it away from the fork seals and buy the smallest (cheapest) lowest power jetwasher.
Just in case it's of interest, CRC currently have Mobi rechargeable pressure washers on sale:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobi-v-15-portable-pressure-washer/rp-prod34761
(£63.99 at time of posting)
&
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobi-v-17-portable-bike-pressure-washer/rp-prod46653
(£95.99 at time of posting)
HTH
Si
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/power-tools/laser-tools-12v-mobile-pressure-washer
I don't know how accurate the specs are but this is the one I got, it's 3x the quote power of the mobi and just about shifts mud, never had a mobi/dirtworker to compare it against so can't say if it is 3x more powerfull or not.
Its very rare for me to wash a bike unless it comes back from a night ride with so much mud on it the wheels don't turn!
Runs much better now I'm not clearing all the goodness out of the chain and risking contaminating the discs when re-lubing. Less squeaks as well 🙂
I just used to leave 2 buckets of water outside my flat before I went for a ride. If my tenants started washing a muddy bike in the bath I would not be happy as it would silt up the drains and you will probably use a lot more water using the he shower than 2 buckets of water and a brush. Just get a cheap dish brushes and a stiff paint brush and some Fenwicks concentrated or use car shampoo (not the stuff with wax in)