The Shiny New All-Purpose MTB Thread

You could approach this problem in a systematic manner.

You are aware that blasting your bike with a high pressure hose is rather risky. Your nice new bike would be rather difficult to pedal with all the bearings siezed up.

Why not do it from a distance so that there is just enough force to loosen the dirt.

Regards

Mick

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
My question is: does anyone have any experience of using petrol station jet washers to clean one's bike?

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It's not a great idea (although more so on full-suss bikes) as it can either blast grease out of areas it should be in, or blast grit/water into areas it shouldn't.

If you're very careful and avoid the headset, fork sliders, bottom bracket and hubs it'd probably be okish but I wouldn't make a habit of it.

I've only done so one (using a fairly low pressure one at Glentress) but normally I use a normal low pressure hose, a bucket and some soapy water and a biodegradable degreaser on the oily bits - despite having a jet-wash at home.

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
However, with disk breaks meaning wheel removal is not very practical, this is not an option anymore

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Eh? Disk brakes make wheel removal considerably easier - or at least they have on every bike I've ever used.

Undo QR, remove wheel...

"Eh? Disk brakes make wheel removal considerably easier"

If you take the wheel off and press the brake level (as is easily done you turn your bike upside down to clean it) then the magentic self-adjustment means the calipers adjust themselves to a very narrow rotor. Or somehting.

If you are lucky they just don't work properly it just needs re-building in some complicated best done by the bike shop sort of way. If you are unlucky the pistons go right through and you have brake fluid everywhere.

At least that's what I was always told and that the best thing to do was never to take you wheel off. I think you can actually get some kind of plastic insert if you need to take your wheels off a lot for some reason.

Maybe cable disks are all different?

Matthew

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
At least that's what I was always told and that the best thing to do was never to take you wheel off.

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Somebody has been pulling your leg I think. Nearly all the chaps I ride with have hydro disk brakes and all, without exception, regularily take their wheels off to fit their bikes onto bike racks or into their cars. Some of them even wash their bikes in the bath/shower as you were describing.

If the brake lever gets pulled while the wheel is off then the pistons may need adjusting but that's usually just a case of pushing them back (and they'll then self-adjust to the correct position when used next). I've never heard of anyone having the pistons pushed out all the way.

Some folks use a £1 coin (sometimes wrapped in tape) as a spacer between the pads when the wheels are out however no-one I know does so.

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Maybe cable disks are all different?

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The cable brakes don't self adjust in the same way so there are no problems with those either.

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My question is: does anyone have any experience of using petrol station jet washers to clean one's bike? I've never done it as I've always heeded the dire warnings about getting water in your bearings, forks, pedals, etc. and everything rusting up a few weeks later. In practice, and presuming I don't blast my bottom bracket directly, how likely is this to cause any actual harm?

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It really isn't a good idea to contemplate doing this. How far away would you have to be to be certain of not harming the bike ?

Muc off is tremendous for getting your machine clean and there is no requirement for high pressure with this product. Does the garage have a tap for filling windscreen resevoirs ? That would be all you'd need. Buying your mid ride snacks from the same place would be suitable recompense I'd have thought.

regards

Richard S

I was told not to remove the wheel (or at least do it carefully and sparingly) by the bike mechanic at my mates bike shop. He said that the potential consequences are either it not working properly after refitting or else all the fluid flooding out.

The idea that the fluid might come out is what really puts me off the idea of wheel removal in my flat.

This was 1999 (when discs were relatively novel) so maybe the designs have changed. Anyway, my Cove is due for it's first free service soon so I'll ask the people in my LBS.

Matthew

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
The idea that the fluid might come out is what really puts me off the idea of wheel removal in my flat.

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The idea of brake fluid in general is what puts me off a hydro setup, but the only times the folks I ride with have had fluid spills is when they've crashed and ripped the hoses out, or when bleeding the brakes.

I have had rusty bearings in; hubs and bottom bracket and headsets as a result of using an ordinary garden hose. Beware the pressure washer.

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Originally posted by Matthew Brownnutt:
Anyway I thought you avoided mud? I got the impression you hung out at the local skate park doing tricks with the kids. Have you actually been offroad on your new machine?

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He probably got a fleck of dust on it which has spoiled its immaculate sheen...

BTW the deal is done on the Cotic so I should be able to do a Inbred v Soul review in a week or two.

Matt,

It is true that the local kids (with whom I am down) have already noticed that there is a new urban play biking talent on the block. Indeed I am often regaled with cries of "Do a wheelie Mister!" and "Hey baldie! Nice bike!".

However, my repetoire of tricks extends to 1) a slightly wobbly trackstand 2) small bunny hops e) a dodgy wheelie. I jump off small stairsets when I am feeling brave but am some way off pulling that Nyquist style 360 backflip.

"Have you actually been offroad on your new machine?"

Not really. I have got it muddy riding around various London parks and there is a disused railway line that runs up the hill to Archway from Finsbury Park (although it seems to be the local dodgy blokes in the bushses hang out as well). You can sort of link this with Highgate Woods, Hampstead Heath, etc. but its not much more than a track with a few small jumps and the odd bit through the woods.

Going the other way can ride along Regents Canal out to East London. This goes to Eastway Cycle Circuit (home of "The Beastway" MTB Race Series) and the Lee Valley Park. I was out this way on Sunday afternoon and there are a few little jumps, stairs to ride down, etc. but it's not the most exciting of riding.

In theory, I can ride all the way up Lee Valley on a mixture of towpath and parkland and eventually get to Epping Forest. This has (apparently) 25+ miles of high quality singletrack on rolling countryside (no big hills!), bombholes, jump spots, etc. etc. I guess it's about 10 miles so one I am fit enough to do 20 miles plus 2-3 hours off-road that will be my regular spot.

Other than that I need to battle with trains and or rented cars and go south to Herne Hill, North & South Downs, etc. I have a number of mates who do occasional weekends away in the Downs, South Wales, etc. and an MTBing ex-girlfriend who lives in a cottage in the Peak District (where I use dot do most of my riding, back in the day).

There is talk of a Naim Forum ride sometime later in the year where Alex and myself will watch Mekon do some highly impressive and dangerous stunts.

Matthew

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BTW the deal is done on the Cotic so I should be able to do a Inbred v Soul review in a week or two.

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Cool. Really looking forward to that.

Will deffo lift the misery of thinking I'd won a great prize (and then discovering it was a scam) and becoming the victim of online credit card fraud all in the space of a few days.

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
Matt,

It is true that the local kids (with whom I am down) have already noticed that there is a new urban play biking talent on the block. Indeed I am often regaled with cries of "Do a wheelie Mister!" and "Hey baldie! Nice bike!".

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I get that sometimes (on my MTB's and motor bikes), except the baldie bit of course - being a young man still.

Unfortunately I have absolutely no street tricks at all...

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an MTBing ex-girlfriend who lives in a cottage in the Peak District (where I use dot do most of my riding, back in the day).

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One of my group was riding in the Peaks a couple of weekends back and found it very tame compared to our local stuff. I've only ridden there on an off-road motorbike though, but it seemed like there was some nice stuff (and lots of it because we started at first light and did the last couple of hours in the dark).

"You could get there on the train or tube I guess"

It's not a lot less hassle than riding the whole way. I think I either need to go to Liverpool St. (half an hour's ride for me) and get the overland from there or else Stratford where the Central Line goes overground and you can take your bike on. I think you end up saving 6 or 7 miles of riding each way but not much in terms of time and it's obviously a fair amount of hassle.

I'll try riding theor first and see how far it actually is.

"Clearly we will need photos of this event when it happens"

I sure we can fudge up something suitably impressive in Photoshop

Matthew

I reckon after warming up on the bombholes at the top, the 50mph run down to the set of jumps at the bottom of the Dyke will be ideal for getting shots of Matthew and Alex doing can-cans. Those low top tubes on the Coves should make it easy.

It looks steeper when you are looking down it.

I imagine Meeks has arranged to have us helicoptered in to save any of that bothersome peddaling.

"Matthew : we didn't make it to Epping"

I wasn't moving until about midday anyway. I hope to go this weekend as my fitness range is slowly increasing to make a 30 mile ride not seem so obviosuly out of the question.

Matthew

Why not move? You could probably buy somewhere with a garage on the outskirts of London near a good station for the same price as your flat, have loads of places to ride your bike and even ride on quiet country roads when you don’t fancy getting dirty.
In the 1970’s Neil Young said, “A Man needs a Maid”, nowadays – “A man needs a Garage”, some people even put their cars in them!

CNC

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Originally posted by Chunny Nochubb:
“A man needs a Garage”, some people even put their cars in them!

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Blasphemy! My garage contains 4 motorbikes and 7 bicycles - no cars allowed!

Chunny Nochubb said "Why not move? You could probably buy somewhere with a garage on the outskirts of London near a good station"

*cough* *splutter* Outskirts! I am strictly a Zone 1/2 sort of guy.

Besides it would probably be easier just to buy a car.

Matthew

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
*cough* *splutter* Outskirts! I am strictly a Zone 1/2 sort of guy.

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We knew that already - sad isn't it...

Why is it sad, Steve?

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
Why is it sad, Steve?

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To have horizons that narrow.

I'm just about to head out and get muddy with my MTB in the hills. Try doing that of an evening when you live in the centre of that London...

[This message was edited by Steve G on Tue 11 May 2004 at 18:55.]

Living in central London hardly constitutes narrow horizons.

And, FWIW, a mid-week after work ride in Epping is entirely possible from central London.

Matthew

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
Living in central London hardly constitutes narrow horizons.

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Really? You should have a read back over your past posts sometime.

Anyway I had a cracking run out on the Inbred. I'm not sure whether or not that'll have been it's last outing before it goes, but it's been fun in its short stint with me.

I've had it for bang on two months now and done 23 off-road rides on it, which is about half my trips in that period.

Steve,

I live in North London for which, I think, I hardly need apologise. I have little idea how my previous posts might reflact on this.

Matthew