Jump to content

preventing mud on my bike


cat-i

Recommended Posts

that muddy lap at rietvlei got me thinking

 

my bike was so clogged up it coudln't go anywhere. how did some bicycles manage to make that lap?

 

- does it have something to do with clearance between e.g. wheel and frame? what types of bikes would be able to cycle through this mud

- would it help if i spray something like spray & cook?

- would it have helped if i just went faster?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure if this will work... Just an idea. I'm a roadie so won't even be testing it. Do what the Moto-Cross guys do with there goggles. Apply thin clear film to the frame and when you're finished, peel it off

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Agteros

After the first lap, I sprayed everything drive train related with Wynns No5 at least every second lap. I tried 3 laps without doing it only once, and the gnashing of teeth emanated from the drive train...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cat-i some bikes just have better mud clearance than others, going faster won't really help and the spray and cook got us nowhere on the very first Sani2C, day two.

 

Good old mud tires are first prize and I have also learnt very early on that when it rains and it gets muddy, ride through every possible puddle that your eyes meet.

 

 

 

This was my bike at the same event, notice how clean the wheels are from riding through puddles.

 

 

 

20091209_124945_shock3.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Summit's advice is good, especially on the puddles.

 

Something else I've found to work is to spray the bike down with Mr Min.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

summit this is my bike - singlespeed wouldn't have helped.

 

this is exactly what i wanted to know - why was your bike ridable and mine not ?

 

i discovered the puddles quickly - at least the mud already on the bike was more pliable and the moving parts could move ... but would tyres alone make such a difference? cos if it does - then recommend some?

 

and clearance .... what brands of bike would have good clearance (i'm not changing bikes, just curious)

 

also - if you for example were on my bike for that lap you probably would have been able to finish that lap - wht would you have done differently?

ride through every puddle? maybe on the grass on the side of the road where possible? or just never stop, and the mud will fall off later?

 

 

20091209_130204_dirtybike.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cat-i I saw your bike when I came in to feed, I was feeling very sad for you.

 

Tyres will be discussed quite nicely in future editions of Tread.

 

I used a Specialized Captain (front) and a Fastrack (rear)

 

Stay off the grass(that I find is mostly where the sticky mud sits), attack the puddles,keep riding and the mud will start falling off, ride a lighter gear than usual and try to jump at every given opportunity, that first lap after the rain was terrible, however I did make it through with no problems.

 

I use Pedro's Chain J when I do 5 hour plus rides and I also use the same lube in the wet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

haha kieran i did record a 10-hour lap ... that included the time the race was stopped, the time to do about 2 kays, then drag the bike back, clean it - with lots of help from very friendly and i suspect slightly amused - bystanders, and sleep till almost3 in the morning when i found out that that first muddy bit was not part of the route anymore.

 

i just couldn't believe that there were people able to ride that lap - all the bikes went through the same mud, what was the difference? the more i think about it, the more i think that riding style / pure strenght could have had something to do with it? maybe if i could just keep cycling the mud would have come off? not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

maybe if i could just keep cycling the mud would have come off? not?

 

 

smiley20.gif

 

That and riding through water, I started getting cold and started getting hypothermia, jumped in to some winter kit and still attacked the water puddles smiley4.gif

 

Well done by the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Cat-i I saw your bike when I came in to feed' date=' I was feeling very sad for you.

 

Tyres will be discussed quite nicely in future editions of Tread.

 

I used a Specialized Captain (front) and a Fastrack (rear)

 

Stay off the grass(that I find is mostly where the sticky mud sits), attack the puddles,keep riding and the mud will start falling off, ride a lighter gear than usual and try to jump at every given opportunity, that first lap after the rain was terrible, however I did make it through with no problems.

 

I use Pedro's Chain J when I do 5 hour plus rides and I also use the same lube in the wet.[/quote']

 

thx summit - this explains why some folk made it through .... will make a note for next time i cycle in sabie, or anywhere in gauteng in summer :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cat-i, spraying your bike and polishing it with Mr Min seems to work bettet than spray and cook - the mud still cakes but cleaning the bike is a lot easier. For really muddy rides I use an off road motorcycle chain lube - Bel Ray works well, as these seem to last better than MTB specific lubes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout