- The jetwash, an amazing and fast way
to get stuff clean, stuff that includes your bike.
Question is though, should you actually jetwash it?
Well, we're gonna find out, ready?
(dramatic music) (maniacal laughter)
People that say don't jetwash your bike
will tell you that one quick blast from a high-pressure hose
will completely ruin your bearings.
The theory goes that water will get forced past
your delicate bearing seals and onto the bearings themselves
potentially even taking grit and dirt with it.
That, if true, would then ruin all of your bearings
on your bike, your jockey wheels, your freewheel,
your rear wheel bearings, your front wheel bearings,
your bottom bracket bearings, your headset bearings,
and your pedal bearings.
So potentially then, quite a costly mistake.
But, does it?
You see I don't think that anyone actually knows.
Pro mechanics use jetwashes on a daily basis
but they also replace parts more frequently.
And as a cyclo-cross rider, I know the value
of a cheeky little jetwash.
It's literally the difference between winning a race
and standing on the sidelines with two broken bikes.
Clearly then, we need to find out if jetwashing
ruins your bike.
You'll forgive me though if I'm feeling
a little bit squeamish about jetwashing this
to see whether we can break it.
So instead we've commissioned this.
What do you mean you don't know what it is.
It's a bottom bracket stand clearly,
custom made by master craftsman Tom Sturdy.
You see what we're gonna do is attach this,
a much loved and well used crank set to it
and see how long it's gonna take to jetwash it
and yet it has done some miles but I've literally
just repacked the bearings with fresh grease.
Then, after a quick jet wash we're gonna dismantle it
again, check for water ingress and to see
whether our grease is still in place.
Depending on the results, we can then rebuild it
and jetwash it some more.
How long is it gonna take to blast a bottom bracket?
(upbeat instrumental music)
(buzzing)
Whoo, five seconds.
Not gonna lie, quite excited to find out
what's gonna happen.
Got some moisture on the outside.
I'm gonna need to mop that off.
External seal.
Yeah there's nothing in there is it.
Grease completely in place, no sign of water
five seconds of jetwashing, survived, stage one complete.
Rebuild done.
20 seconds now.
- [Cameraman] Three, two, one, go!
(buzzing)
- Whoa!
We're gettin' in there.
We're really gonna getting in there now.
Come on!
- [Cameraman] Stop!
(laughing)
- Oh.
I think there's a bit more moisture this time.
It's dry, grease still in place.
Not a trace of moisture.
That was a pretty serious jetwashing that.
So that's withstood 25 seconds now.
(upbeat instrumental music)
Alright then.
One minute starting from.
- [Cameraman] Three, two, one, go!
(buzzing)
- Whoa!
I'm gonna really get in there this time.
I really wanna clean this.
It's feeling a little damp.
One minute and 25 seconds of jetwashing.
What do you think?
Wet or dry, grease or no grease?
Oh my days!
(laughing)
Still grease, no water.
I'm gonna go one seal in.
Okay, there's literally not a trace of any water in there.
Let's take it up to 11 or two minutes.
(upbeat instrumental music)
Two minutes of jetwashing.
- [Cameraman] Three, two, one, go!
(buzzing)
- Ah, come on jetwash!
(buzzing)
So I think I've spotted a point on the crank
which is channelling water directly into the bottom bracket.
So I'm gonna blast there as much as I can.
If anyone ever did this to their bike to try and clean it
I'd be questioning their sanity.
(yelling)
(sighing)
Two minutes.
Well I don't know about the bottom bracket
but I got wet that time.
There's water ingress.
(laughing)
Three minutes and 25 seconds
and we have some water ingress
inside the first seal so let's see
how are our bearings looking inside?
To be honest with you that's not looking too bad is it?
It's hardly like the grease has been jetwashed out of it
but we are starting to get a little bit coming in there.
Three minutes and 25 seconds.
So what does this all mean then?
Well, I'm gonna leave you to draw your own conclusions
actually because I know that for some of you who live
and ride in really dry areas that actually
the idea of even getting your bike wet
is completely alien to you and so this I assume
was probably really quite terrifying.
For those of us in temperate climates though
it probably doesn't seem so bad.
And for me personally, it actually doesn't really
change anything because I was always quite happy
with the idea of occasionally jetwashing
really filthy bikes, always trying to steer clear
of delicate bearings.
Although I suppose it does give me
a little bit more confidence that actually
what I'm doing isn't too bad.
Although let's bear in mind that this is just
a bottom bracket bearing and actually your headset
is probably slightly more delicate
and I've got no idea about your jockey wheels.
Hopefully though what it will do is
if you're one of those people that thinks
that you cannot jetwash your bike,
it might give you pause for thought.
Clearly it hasn't just disintegrated
in front of our very eyes.
Hopefully though once you've had a think you will then
get involved in the comments section down below.
Should you jetwash your bike clean?
It's a tough one that one?
Anyway, before you do head down there please make sure
you subscribe to GCN.
It's very simple, just click on the globe and then it's done
and then if you're after some more content
clearly it's gonna be bike washing content,
up there is how you can clean a filthy bike
without a jetwash and down there is how a pro mechanic
cleans a bike with a jetwash.