Any good places in JHB for Bike Washes

[Headshot]

Well trollers. Consider yourselves "Trolled". 

 

Seriously though. Who actually washes their bike or gets somebody else to? Wetting a bike causes all sorts of problems. I tend to wipe mine a bit, or clean the part I am fiddling with, eg the wheel, when its already off the bike. 

[Grebel]

Work it out... R50 to have you car washed or spend 2 hours doing it yourself..... I know my time is far more valuable than R50 and spending two hours washing my car

 

The thing is though, you probably spend about 2 hours from the time you leave home, join the queue at the car wash, watch someone else doing something that you know you could do yourself and driving back home again so effectively your time is wasted and unproductive.

 

IMHO of course.

 

I have only ever on one occasion seen someone with a laptop at a car wash. 

[Sidersky]

 

maybe a 30min nap

 

Explain? What is this 'nap' thing you speak of?

[Guest Ratchet road]

Thanks 

 

 

Holy Sh%t Balls, you guys are judgemental!

I do not know the OP but picture this…. 

Someone studied and worked their ass off to get a good education and put in the long hours and hard work to become very successful in their career.  Now this person likes to ride is MTB on weekends and maybe a bit during the week as well.  But, he also has a family, wife and kids maybe, that does not share his love for cycling.  So, he needs to get back from his morning ride and spend some time with the family, then maybe a 30min nap before he picks up some after work reading on a certain project he is busy with at work.  Maybe this person spends some of his free time reading books and working on his soft skills necessary for being a good manager at work. 

Now do you think it is still sacrilege for a person, that works long hard hours during the week and spending the weekend with his family and upskilling himself in certain areas for even more success in the future, to save himself one hour of his free time on a weekend to spend R50 on a bike wash?

Not everybody is diehard MTB’er that does all their own MTB maintenance.  Some people just likes riding their bike and don’t mind spending R50 to get their bike washed.

Do you even think the OP will come back to the Hub after everybody here told him what a bad excuse for a human he is for not washing his own bike?

 

But that’s just the way I see it, I could be wrong……

 

 Thanks, just couldnt find the time to clean those small parts, but now i found a lekka plek

[Kranswurm]

Oddly specific to many. I was going to post almost the same thing way back when this thread started and forgot to actually press 'post' and it went like this:

 

"No, you didn't did you? One thing you should never ask here is that. Obviously you should wash you bike anything less isn't on and you'll be pulled up quick. If you do get someone to wash your bike don't admit it and keep a few rags and cleaning products about the shed just in case a fellow rider comes over so you are not discovered as a pariah of the riding world.

 

I've have done enough time washing my bike and working on my bike, I've taught my son to wash his bike, break a chain, change a tyre and more, am starting to train up the little lady and I'm secure in that. I struggle to get time to ride more than 1 or two times a week in between work, family, school runs, deadlines and the rest so it's a time thing for me. I can drop my bike off at the LBS on the way home and grab it the next day and it costs me R70 and I'm back playing with my 3 kids and not adding to the time out of the house. My time with my kids is worth more than R70 so it's a bargain. The LBS who washes (by hand) also services my bike and have a good look over it before I get it back and have often picked up 1 or 2 things that I fix or get them to do so the old 'no one looks after your bike like you do' doesn't hold water especially when I'm rushing to get back in the house and take the kids for a party, the park etc. Quite often they will fix the little things as a favour. More often than not it'll still be in the filthy condition the next ride if I try to sort it and I won't have pulled the chain off let alone cleaned it. 2 times out of 3 I do it myself but not a full pull off, cassette clean, chain bath. More like wet wipe and rock n roll blue as chain cleaner and lube all in one in the car park before I ride. My own business and 3 kids under 6 means there is very little in the day and what is left is trying to reset for the next day (or have half a bottle of wine and sleep for about 2 hrs before one of them has a bad dream or need water, cuddle, random soft toy or just starts walking about the hallway like a chucky doll). Also aren't we supposed to be supporting our LBS in these direct model times? Also I live in the WC and the LBS uses rain water so helping the dams. I'm named and shamed by the Cape Town Gov' online water usage app if I flush the toilets more than once a day or shower one day out of 3 so the bike is down the list even with the various online hacks of "how to clean your bike with just an egg cup of hadeda tears'.

 

But back to the OPs post. I am afraid I don't know many places up in JHB but if there is decent place which will give you a coffee and wash for R65 then go for it. I know a place here that will charge you R150 for a wash and a lube and they are never short of bikes. In fact it's cheaper to go in and get a sealant top up - R65 - as they will always wash your bike as a matter of course. There are also a lot of places where your coffee is nudging above R35 for the single origin, hipster ground, farm infused, hand pressed daily drop and often they are now in your 2 wheeled concept stores.

 

#DontBikeWashShame we're all riders. Just some are 650b riders, ebike riders, 26'r riders, lycra wearers, MX wannabe be pajama wearing enduro bros, XC, XCO, gravel grinders so they all deserve it."

 

but that is now old news.

What a lot of bs

[Guest Ratchet road]

Do you live in an apartment block or something where you can't do it yourself? In my experience if you're asking someone else to do even the most basic bike care tasks you're most probably gonna be running into more serious problems in the future.

Yup, I live in an apartment, they don't allow it here and I was trying to get a good wash to take the dirt out of those small places which I couldn't reach

[Guest Ratchet road]

Oddly specific to many. I was going to post almost the same thing way back when this thread started and forgot to actually press 'post' and it went like this: 

 

"No, you didn't did you? One thing you should never ask here is that. Obviously you should wash you bike anything less isn't on and you'll be pulled up quick. If you do get someone to wash your bike don't admit it and keep a few rags and cleaning products about the shed just in case a fellow rider comes over so you are not discovered as a pariah of the riding world. 

 

I've have done enough time washing my bike and working on my bike, I've taught my son to wash his bike, break a chain, change a tyre and more, am starting to train up the little lady and I'm secure in that. I struggle to get time to ride more than 1 or two times a week in between work, family, school runs, deadlines and the rest so it's a time thing for me. I can drop my bike off at the LBS on the way home and grab it the next day and it costs me R70 and I'm back playing with my 3 kids and not adding to the time out of the house. My time with my kids is worth more than R70 so it's a bargain. The LBS who washes (by hand) also services my bike and have a good look over it before I get it back and have often picked up 1 or 2 things that I fix or get them to do so the old 'no one looks after your bike like you do' doesn't hold water especially when I'm rushing to get back in the house and take the kids for a party, the park etc. Quite often they will fix the little things as a favour. More often than not it'll still be in the filthy condition the next ride if I try to sort it and I won't have pulled the chain off let alone cleaned it. 2 times out of 3 I do it myself but not a full pull off, cassette clean, chain bath. More like wet wipe and rock n roll blue as chain cleaner and lube all in one in the car park before I ride. My own business and 3 kids under 6 means there is very little in the day and what is left is trying to reset for the next day (or have half a bottle of wine and sleep for about 2 hrs before one of them has a bad dream or need water, cuddle, random soft toy or just starts walking about the hallway like a chucky doll). Also aren't we supposed to be supporting our LBS in these direct model times? Also I live in the WC and the LBS uses rain water so helping the dams. I'm named and shamed by the Cape Town Gov' online water usage app if I flush the toilets more than once a day or shower one day out of 3 so the bike is down the list even with the various online hacks of "how to clean your bike with just an egg cup of hadeda tears'. 

 

But back to the OPs post. I am afraid I don't know many places up in JHB but if there is decent place which will give you a coffee and wash for R65 then go for it. I know a place here that will charge you R150 for a wash and a lube and they are never short of bikes. In fact it's cheaper to go in and get a sealant top up - R65 - as they will always wash your bike as a matter of course. There are also a lot of places where your coffee is nudging above R35 for the single origin, hipster ground, farm infused, hand pressed daily drop and often they are now in your 2 wheeled concept stores. 

 

#DontBikeWashShame we're all riders. Just some are 650b riders, ebike riders, 26'r riders, lycra wearers, MX wannabe be pajama wearing enduro bros, XC, XCO, gravel grinders so they all deserve it."

 

but that is now old news.

Thanks bud

[V12man]

What a lot of bs

True... no visit to a bike shop lasts less than 2 hours.....

 

Got to browse a bit and talk **** with the Mac's... and the owner...

[Yo-Yo]

What a lot of bs

 

Fits in to most of this thead nicely then.  

[PhilipV]

Holy Sh%t Balls, you guys are judgemental!

I do not know the OP but picture this….

Someone studied and worked their ass off to get a good education and put in the long hours and hard work to become very successful in their career. Now this person likes to ride is MTB on weekends and maybe a bit during the week as well. But, he also has a family, wife and kids maybe, that does not share his love for cycling. So, he needs to get back from his morning ride and spend some time with the family, then maybe a 30min nap before he picks up some after work reading on a certain project he is busy with at work. Maybe this person spends some of his free time reading books and working on his soft skills necessary for being a good manager at work.

Now do you think it is still sacrilege for a person, that works long hard hours during the week and spending the weekend with his family and upskilling himself in certain areas for even more success in the future, to save himself one hour of his free time on a weekend to spend R50 on a bike wash?

Not everybody is diehard MTB’er that does all their own MTB maintenance. Some people just likes riding their bike and don’t mind spending R50 to get their bike washed.

Do you even think the OP will come back to the Hub after everybody here told him what a bad excuse for a human he is for not washing his own bike?

 

But that’s just the way I see it, I could be wrong……

How come you clean your bike yourself? After. Every. Ride.

Your 'scenario' is oddly specific...

 

My bike has been spotless twice. Once while it was new, and the other time after CJVan cleaned it.

[PygaSchmyga]

Oddly specific to many. I was going to post almost the same thing way back when this thread started and forgot to actually press 'post' and it went like this: 

 

"No, you didn't did you? One thing you should never ask here is that. Obviously you should wash you bike anything less isn't on and you'll be pulled up quick. If you do get someone to wash your bike don't admit it and keep a few rags and cleaning products about the shed just in case a fellow rider comes over so you are not discovered as a pariah of the riding world. 

 

I've have done enough time washing my bike and working on my bike, I've taught my son to wash his bike, break a chain, change a tyre and more, am starting to train up the little lady and I'm secure in that. I struggle to get time to ride more than 1 or two times a week in between work, family, school runs, deadlines and the rest so it's a time thing for me. I can drop my bike off at the LBS on the way home and grab it the next day and it costs me R70 and I'm back playing with my 3 kids and not adding to the time out of the house. My time with my kids is worth more than R70 so it's a bargain. The LBS who washes (by hand) also services my bike and have a good look over it before I get it back and have often picked up 1 or 2 things that I fix or get them to do so the old 'no one looks after your bike like you do' doesn't hold water especially when I'm rushing to get back in the house and take the kids for a party, the park etc. Quite often they will fix the little things as a favour. More often than not it'll still be in the filthy condition the next ride if I try to sort it and I won't have pulled the chain off let alone cleaned it. 2 times out of 3 I do it myself but not a full pull off, cassette clean, chain bath. More like wet wipe and rock n roll blue as chain cleaner and lube all in one in the car park before I ride. My own business and 3 kids under 6 means there is very little in the day and what is left is trying to reset for the next day (or have half a bottle of wine and sleep for about 2 hrs before one of them has a bad dream or need water, cuddle, random soft toy or just starts walking about the hallway like a chucky doll). Also aren't we supposed to be supporting our LBS in these direct model times? Also I live in the WC and the LBS uses rain water so helping the dams. I'm named and shamed by the Cape Town Gov' online water usage app if I flush the toilets more than once a day or shower one day out of 3 so the bike is down the list even with the various online hacks of "how to clean your bike with just an egg cup of hadeda tears'. 

 

But back to the OPs post. I am afraid I don't know many places up in JHB but if there is decent place which will give you a coffee and wash for R65 then go for it. I know a place here that will charge you R150 for a wash and a lube and they are never short of bikes. In fact it's cheaper to go in and get a sealant top up - R65 - as they will always wash your bike as a matter of course. There are also a lot of places where your coffee is nudging above R35 for the single origin, hipster ground, farm infused, hand pressed daily drop and often they are now in your 2 wheeled concept stores. 

 

#DontBikeWashShame we're all riders. Just some are 650b riders, ebike riders, 26'r riders, lycra wearers, MX wannabe be pajama wearing enduro bros, XC, XCO, gravel grinders so they all deserve it."

 

but that is now old news.

well I''m just so pleased you got all that off your chest!

TLDR

[PygaSchmyga]

Ya hahaha guilty and guilty. I deserve it. To be fair - I said washing the car and mowing the lawn were life lessons (and that Friday afternoon mow the lawn before you can go out with your friends was a big life lesson for me personally - not one I appreciated at the time, but I do now).

 

In future I will keep my golden nuggets of wisdom to myself

please don't - this has been wonderfully entertaining!

[Sven137]

I hope you "self bike washing hardemanne" don't use blitz to start your braais!

 

We have gas Braais.... 

[Patchelicious]

We have gas Braais....

That’s like washing your own eBike

[Sven137]

True... no visit to a bike shop lasts less than 2 hours.....

 

Got to browse a bit and talk **** with the Mac's... and the owner...

 

Now spending time and chatting to the LBS bloke is far better than washing a bike

[MTB-More]

I dont get it. Its quicker to wash your bike yourself then to take it to a place to have it washed. 

To load, unload and explain to them what to do alone takes longer than a bike wash and a cassette clean.... heck I could maybe even do a Crank service and a complete hub service in that time too

 

If it takes you longer than 10min to wash your bike you are doing something wrong