Mountain bike cleanliness, is it needed after every ride? I was curious to see who does it and to what frequency. I refuse to clean my bikes unless it's absolutely necessary. 
I would however clean and re-lube the drive chain after every other ride. I used to clean my bike when it was new as often as possible.
Every so often I may go out and the trails are really muddy, so my bike will be caked in mud. Now I never ever hose it down after a muddy ride as in my experience I found this to be a bad thing to do. When using a jet spray or garden hose, water tends to get into bearings and seals. Which can work out quite costly when replacements are needed. I let any mud dry and then flake it off after.
When I have the worst of the mud off my bike I then remove the wheels and put the bike on a bike stand. With a bowl full of soapy hot water and some rags I start washing the bike down, then dry it off. With the wheels I make sure the the rag is semi wet, ie: I ring the thing out! The reason why I remove the wheels is so that no soapy water gets on the brake disks!
If I have to clean my bike this way, it gets a good going over! The cranks, chain, seat stem and jockey wheels on the rear mech gets a good degrease and re-lube. I find this is all a bike needs apart from the usual checks for ware and tear...
So how, or do you clean yours??
I would however clean and re-lube the drive chain after every other ride. I used to clean my bike when it was new as often as possible.Every so often I may go out and the trails are really muddy, so my bike will be caked in mud. Now I never ever hose it down after a muddy ride as in my experience I found this to be a bad thing to do. When using a jet spray or garden hose, water tends to get into bearings and seals. Which can work out quite costly when replacements are needed. I let any mud dry and then flake it off after.
When I have the worst of the mud off my bike I then remove the wheels and put the bike on a bike stand. With a bowl full of soapy hot water and some rags I start washing the bike down, then dry it off. With the wheels I make sure the the rag is semi wet, ie: I ring the thing out! The reason why I remove the wheels is so that no soapy water gets on the brake disks!
If I have to clean my bike this way, it gets a good going over! The cranks, chain, seat stem and jockey wheels on the rear mech gets a good degrease and re-lube. I find this is all a bike needs apart from the usual checks for ware and tear...
So how, or do you clean yours??
Ok..so the kids need a new bike...they want a mountain bike. I don't have a problem with this. After all they have gears and are a lot more practicle than those silly BMX things that you see so many of the kids on these days. Although if they told me they wanted a 'racer' I would be fine with that too!!Well you think purchasing a childs mountain bike would be easy right?? You take the kids in a shop...you give them a price limit and they start looking. You'd think you would have nothing more to worry about than them trying to haggle the price a little if they see something extra cool,yeah?? See where I'm coming from?? I think you may and this is probably how it goes for most parents. Is this how buying a childs mountain bike goes for me?? Hell no...'cause I live with...'SkipRatt...THE mountain bike enthusiast'!!!
So all of you who read this blog are going to probably seriously pull me down because I'm sure you will see SkipRatts point of view (seens as how you're all bikers and will therefore be totally biased) and not the Moms!!The kids just need a new bike for christ sake...they will grow out of it in a few years...crash it countless amount of times...leave it out to the elements...never bother cleaning it and think that the rust growing on it is a cool new feature that keeps it held together in its old age!!
Ok so I don't let them get away with murder and I do make them pump up there own tyres and stuff..(at least those that are old enough) and maybe once in a while say to them...'If your bored why not clean your bike??' but they are not mountain bikers....they may become mountain bikers and get into the sport as they get older (much as my oldest nephew is doing now) but up until that point their bikes are purely a tool for them to get from A to B in a quicker way which is free!!they aren't that interested in how effective and expensive the forks are...whether it is fitted with disc or v. brakes (oh look at that I used a technical term!!) and what the frame is made out of...to perfectly honest I can't say I'm particuarly bothered myself about all those things when buying a bike...as long as it fits and feels comfy surely that should be enough!!
For any normal people this is enough but if you live with a mountain bike enthusiast then trying to purchase a mountain bike off the rack is cause for whinging and whining and moaning and groaning..(and thats just from the hubby!!)
So what do I do?? Totally avoid the subject at ALL costs!! That is the easiest thing.....problem is the kids grow and so they grow out of their bikes and need a new mountain bike that they think is cool from the shop...and me I'm just trying to ignore the fact that they are growing out of their bikes!!
Does it really have to be such a chore to buy a childs mountain bike??? Am I just being the moaning wife?? Does any body else out there have have these problems???
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Mountain bike-specific clothing. Personally I wouldn't bother with mountain bike-specific clothing such as wind stopper jackets and shorts/bibs. Most of these high priced clothes are either not windproof/waterproof or have very hard double stitched detail around the crotch area (really not good for your sensitive parts)!
Depending on how much mountain biking you see yourself doing. £100 and upwards for a windproof/waterproof jacket is a complete waste of money, regardless of whether it's well made or not.
I have to admit that I have started to wear clothing from outdoor supply stores or cheap 3/4 length shorts from warehouse sport stores etc. You'll get the same thing for less money (without double stitched detailing!). The only mountain bike-specific clothing that I do use are mountain bike gloves, shoes and tops. To be honest though, bike tops are pointless too, if the only reason for them is the back pockets. (I where a camleback and I'm NOT a sponsored rider!)
"Trek-mates" have wicking t-shirts at very cheap prices and they are quite loose when your wearing them. (very good for layering up with other tops in colder weather). Also packable wind/waterproof jackets for about a tenner. Clima-cool is an excellent item to buy..it has the same wicking feature as the expensive gear but you can get it in a lot of sportswear and general wear clothing these days so when buying, it is a good thing to keep your eye out for the internal labels which state whether the item is 'clima-cool'. Regatta have some plain t-shirts with clima-cool which can be found in yeomans for just £5.99.
So I say "save your money for your new ride" and don't focus so much on brand names and the latest in thing. Having all the latest gear in the world won't make you a better and faster rider!
Well mountain biking season is well and truly upon us and every one is wanting to get their bikes out and get on those trails. Then it happens....strong sun and high temps that are bound to affect any riders performance no matter what level you are at.
What is essential to mountain biking is staying fit and healthy and in the heat of the last week it is even more important to stay on top of your game so I thought I would share a few hints and tips with you to help keep your energy levels up, your temperature down and stop you burning out too quickly.
The most essential thing in this heat is plenty of fluid...surely every fool knows that, but you would be surprised how many people don't take enough liquid down in this weather. The best form of hydrating liquid is of course clear water. It doesn't really matter whether you drink bottled water or tap water although if you live in the Lincolshire area of England you may be interested to know that our tap water is actually healthier for you than bottled water as it is specially treated and also has added fluoride which helps keep your teeth healthy and strong too.
When you are planning on going out for a ride it is a good to half fill the bottle you intend to use the night before with your drink and then put it in the freezer. Then just before you go out top it up...this will give you a cool refreshing drink your whole ride.
As I said previously water is the best quencher but if you are going mountain biking then obviously you are going to be using a lot of energy so adding something to your water to replenish what you are using isn't a bad idea. 'Go' is very good for this and comes in several different flavors...(you can even get a bottle for it to get the measurements right although this isn't essential) and is available in most bike stores and health shops although I have found you always get a better deal in the health shops.
Covering up and/or suncream are essential. If you wear a helmet don't presume that this will be enough as a lot of them are vented which although is great for letting the heat out is also great for letting the sun in. In this instant suncream could be worn or a skully. A skully is probably the better option as it will soak up the sweat and stop it running into your face. Also if you sweat with suncream on then it's going to run into your eyes...and that hurts like hell!!
You can go for long sleeve tops and 3/4 length trousers which will keep you covered and protected or you can use suncream. It is important to get a suncream that is waterproof so that you don't just sweat it of and that is suitable for your skin type. There is a lot to consider when buying suncreams so the best thing to do is ask at a pharmacy...Boots are very helpful with this!
So you're protected and you are ready to go out mountain biking...remember timing is important too. The hottest part of the day is going to be between 11am and 3pm so it is a good idea if possible to go out either before or after this. I know it isn't always possible to do that so if you do have to go out between those times just try to make your usual riding time a little shorter and take your speeds a little steadier.
Ok..you're home after riding some great trails on your bike..(and one good thing about the hot weather is the bike won't take very long to clean up!!) so what do you do now??
Well you have to again put more liquids inside your body. A hot cup of tea is great in the hot weather as it actually cools your core body temperature down so effectively cools you from the inside out!!
Have a tepid bath or shower...a hot one will rise your temerature firther and a cold one will drop your temerature to quick which can make you feel nauseous.
You will have used much more energy than usual so having an energy drink would also be a good idea...again you can get things such as 'Rego Recovery' from health shops and bike stores which do really work and aren't just a money spinner!!
Sit outside in the shade and let your body cool down naturally by being still, stay out of the sun for a while and give your body time to recover. Try to stay away from pop and sugary drinks until you feel your body is rehydrated......then be a kid and eat some ice lollies...they taste good...you can get the ones with no added sugar...and hey you have the perfect excuse!!
Well I hope this has helped all you mountain bikers out there and if you have any other tips you can add to stay cool in the heatwave then let us know.
Happy Riding!!
What is essential to mountain biking is staying fit and healthy and in the heat of the last week it is even more important to stay on top of your game so I thought I would share a few hints and tips with you to help keep your energy levels up, your temperature down and stop you burning out too quickly.
The most essential thing in this heat is plenty of fluid...surely every fool knows that, but you would be surprised how many people don't take enough liquid down in this weather. The best form of hydrating liquid is of course clear water. It doesn't really matter whether you drink bottled water or tap water although if you live in the Lincolshire area of England you may be interested to know that our tap water is actually healthier for you than bottled water as it is specially treated and also has added fluoride which helps keep your teeth healthy and strong too.
When you are planning on going out for a ride it is a good to half fill the bottle you intend to use the night before with your drink and then put it in the freezer. Then just before you go out top it up...this will give you a cool refreshing drink your whole ride.
As I said previously water is the best quencher but if you are going mountain biking then obviously you are going to be using a lot of energy so adding something to your water to replenish what you are using isn't a bad idea. 'Go' is very good for this and comes in several different flavors...(you can even get a bottle for it to get the measurements right although this isn't essential) and is available in most bike stores and health shops although I have found you always get a better deal in the health shops.
Covering up and/or suncream are essential. If you wear a helmet don't presume that this will be enough as a lot of them are vented which although is great for letting the heat out is also great for letting the sun in. In this instant suncream could be worn or a skully. A skully is probably the better option as it will soak up the sweat and stop it running into your face. Also if you sweat with suncream on then it's going to run into your eyes...and that hurts like hell!!
You can go for long sleeve tops and 3/4 length trousers which will keep you covered and protected or you can use suncream. It is important to get a suncream that is waterproof so that you don't just sweat it of and that is suitable for your skin type. There is a lot to consider when buying suncreams so the best thing to do is ask at a pharmacy...Boots are very helpful with this!
So you're protected and you are ready to go out mountain biking...remember timing is important too. The hottest part of the day is going to be between 11am and 3pm so it is a good idea if possible to go out either before or after this. I know it isn't always possible to do that so if you do have to go out between those times just try to make your usual riding time a little shorter and take your speeds a little steadier.
Ok..you're home after riding some great trails on your bike..(and one good thing about the hot weather is the bike won't take very long to clean up!!) so what do you do now??Well you have to again put more liquids inside your body. A hot cup of tea is great in the hot weather as it actually cools your core body temperature down so effectively cools you from the inside out!!
Have a tepid bath or shower...a hot one will rise your temerature firther and a cold one will drop your temerature to quick which can make you feel nauseous.
You will have used much more energy than usual so having an energy drink would also be a good idea...again you can get things such as 'Rego Recovery' from health shops and bike stores which do really work and aren't just a money spinner!!
Sit outside in the shade and let your body cool down naturally by being still, stay out of the sun for a while and give your body time to recover. Try to stay away from pop and sugary drinks until you feel your body is rehydrated......then be a kid and eat some ice lollies...they taste good...you can get the ones with no added sugar...and hey you have the perfect excuse!!
Well I hope this has helped all you mountain bikers out there and if you have any other tips you can add to stay cool in the heatwave then let us know.
Happy Riding!!
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About me
This blog is all about my life… my life of mountain biking and ideas I’ve acquired through the years. As an average everyday mountain biker, the learning doesn’t stop. I try to feed my mind in my own little way by writing and promoting this blog. I would like to share what I have learned through this blog with you. Let this blog be an additional resource for your mountain bike needs, and maybe you'll find some much needed ideas you may not have given much thought to before.
My name is Paul Walton, an engineer slave and spare time mountain biker/blogger. Blogging about mountain bikes has become and undying passion, spending most weekends and afternoons on the internet blogging. As well as riding bikes, writing about it also is what I love to do.
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