Crankalicious: Keeping Your Bike looking Fresh

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Crankalicious

Bike Cleaning Range Product Review

(www.crankalicious.com) 

There’s something very satisfying about keeping your pride and joy in top condition. Especially for those occasions when arriving at the café stop and taking a well-earned break, you hang it up on the rack, its frame and componentry shining proud against the other bikes, catching a glance from other riders looking at it, perhaps thinking how clean my bike is. 

Or late at night popping into your garage, utility room or wherever you store your pride and joys to look at how clean they are is perfectly normal, or that’s what I tell myself. Perhaps, or, there is an essence of OCD with keeping them clean, but what better way to compliment them than using a high-end bike specific cleaning range like Crankalicious.

I have tried and tested many different bike cleaning products over the years and by far the Crankalicious range of products deliver every time.

After a long ride on the Giant TCR, it was filthy. It had been raining the previous night and there was a lot of standing water causing the bike to become coated in grime. Our work was cut out here with a lot of dirt covering everything on the bike, even as high as the cockpit with a lot of spray from passing lorries and vans.

This was really going to put the Crankalicious range through its paces.

Bike Prep

Up on the bike stand and ready to go. Getting a bike stand is one of the best bike purchases you can get. When performing any work on the bike whether its maintenance or cleaning, having a bike on a stand makes things so much easier and more effective. It can also save a great deal of time with not having to shift the bike into different positions as when it’s up on a stand everything is easily accessible.

There are many bike stands ranging from all prices. If you are on a budget the stands from the resellers such as Aldi are fantastic and can be had for around £20-£25. It’s not quite as stable as the Park Tool stand used in this feature, but I have used one for many years and its perfect for doing a quick job or two.

Step 1: Crankalicious Pineapple Express Rapid Bike Cleaner Pre-Soak

Start off with a pre-soak by giving the bike a good spray with the rapid cleaner. This loosens all the grime and dirt on the bike. Leave this on for a few minutes to soak. 

Once the frame has had a good soaking, if you have a pump bottle (this can be purchased from all good garden centres or Amazon etc for a few quid) spray water over the frame to get rid of most of the surface dirt. This is good for getting in between the more difficult places to clean as well, such as between the crank and frame, but isn’t powerful enough to risk damage to the bottom bracket.

By removing the bulk of the dirt, when coming to clean the bike with a wash mitt (we suggest wash mitt and not a sponge as this can hold onto dirt and scratch the frame) it reduces the level of contact you need with the frame, reducing chances of scratching or swirl marks on the frame.

Step 2: Gumchained Remedy High Performance Chain Cleaner

After the bike has had a good soak and most of the surface dirt washed off, onto the drivetrain. I prefer to clean the drivetrain first before cleaning the rest of the bike. This is because the oil and grime removed from the drivetrain can flick back onto the frame, and there’s no point having cleaned the frame only for spots of oil to be flicked all over it again

The cassette in this example isn’t too bad, as it is cleaned and maintained regularly, but dirty enough to require a full degrease

This truly is an excellent drivetrain cleaner. I have tried a few and many have failed.

Spray the Crankalicious chain product cleaner on and leave for a few minutes.

Agitate slightly with a firm brush, then rinse. All the old gunk will come off cleanly first time. Other products I have used have sometimes taken 2-3 attempts to remove all the gunk and still the results were disappointing.

With minimal effort the cassette is restored to almost new, ready to be sealed in your preferred sealant or lube. The chain was also cleaned during this process and has come up spotless.

Having a clean chain and cassette can really help with potentially saving a few watts over the course of a long ride. That doesn’t sound a big deal, but maximising efficiency is always important, and why not when its easy and almost free to do so just from a good clean.

Step 3: Crankalicious Foam Bucket Wash Mud Honey Deep Wash

Now to remove the more stubborn or heavily embedded dirt. This is a brilliant and very effective cleaner.

Working from the top of the frame down, as the bottom is the dirtiest part, you don’t want to push dirt up onto the frame and cockpit so to avoid any unnecessary scratches.

It’s also a good idea to get a small brush to get into the more difficult places. These can be found easily on the likes of Amazon under detailing brushes and only a few quid.

Once you are satisfied with giving it a thorough good going over, its time to rinse again. Leave to drip dry for a few minutes then use a decent cloth or drying towel to go over the bike to ensure the frame is dry.

Step 4: Crankalicious Enduro Long-Lasting Frame Sealant 

All the hard work is done, it’s time to dial in some nice sealant onto the frame. 

This is a really important step as the sealant creates a layer in between the frame and dirt, not only protecting it but helps cleaning the bike a lot easier.

Spray this onto a clean cloth, starting from the top and work your way down methodically, ensuring you cover the seat post, frame and forks. You will need a couple of sprays on the cloth before starting each section to ensure a good covering on each area, so don’t be afraid to be liberal with it.

The effect of the Crankalicious products really do demonstrate how effective they are in bringing out a spotless finish

Now it’s time to stand back and admire all the hard work, one super clean bike, ready to ride

Cockpit super clean

Frame nicely sealed and spotless

You know it’s a proven fact a clean bike is more aero….well maybe not officially but theoretically it sounds about right.

For all your cycling cleaning needs and to be the envy of your cycling friends with restoring your bike to an almost new effect, look at the Crankalicious range of cleaning products, you definitely will not be disappointed.

Column by Cycling Advice

Anthony Walstow

Anthony Walstow

Written by Anthony Walstow
@CyclingCentre
Facebook: Admin on Cycling Advice
Author: “A passionate cyclist, obsessed about anything aero or tech with an addiction to buying bikes”

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