- I'm back with a bunch of hacks.
This time it's more focused on MTB kit in your life,
and how to look after it all.
So, here are my best MTB life hacks.
Hydration bladders, most people use these
if they go for a decent ride.
And I think, if you're like me, you can be guilty,
sometimes, of not emptying them out
or cleaning them properly.
Baking soda is really good for cleaning them with
as is Milton baby bottle cleaner.
Or, you could simply just wash them under the tap.
Roll it up when you're done,
and bung it in the fridge.
Some people might do freezer, fridge works equally as well,
stops stuff growing in them.
And you're bladder is nice and cold for next time.
Job done.
so, cleaning goggles, this is a tricky one.
Cause if you just bung 'em straight in the washing machine
the foam can actually tear off 'em.
They're not that cheap to just replace.
So, the best thing we found to do is
bung 'em inside the goggle bag.
Obviously, take the lens off first.
Cause, you don't want that going around
in the washing machine.
Tie a knot in the google bag, and bung the whole lot
straight in the washing machine.
And, the reason for putting it in the goggle bag,
obviously, keeps the foam on but actually
cleans the google bag.
And, it also does a good job of cleaning the goggles too.
Bung that in, post ride, job done.
So stuff like your GoPro gets pretty muddy
when you're out riding.
Most of us just sort of wipe the lens clean
and just get on with it.
But, actually using your dishwasher at home
gets these properly clean,
gets the mud out of all the sort of nooks and crannies,
if you've got one of the older fours or threes
with casing like this.
It's also really good for your riding glasses,
gives them a proper clean, goggle lenses too.
Much better than just smearing that stuff around
and scratching them.
Bung 'em in the dishwasher with your pots and pans and stuff
when you're at home.
And then, next time you hit the trails,
proper vision for your optics, your eyes,
your goggle lenses, your anything.
Boom, job done.
Working on bikes can be dirty business.
So, you're gonna need some decent sort of hand cleaner,
Swarfega, something like that.
But, if you haven't got it
there's a few different things you can do.
You can pimp up your existing, like sort of soap,
just like these sort of things,
by putting salt or sugar into them,
just to add a bit of grit to it.
But, bearing in mind that if you put salt in it,
it's gonna sting those cuts and stuff on your hands.
So, if you look online, there's loads of recipes,
basically, for making your own stuff.
So, all you need really is bit of honey,
bit of olive oil, bit of sugar.
You'll make a real good grinding paste,
just to clean your hands out.
Chuck it in a little jar, airtight jar, afterwards
and you've got your own stuff that costs almost nothing,
from household ingredients.
Job done.
Track pump is one of those essentials for your workshop.
You need it all the time for topping up your tyre pressure,
changing tyres, even seating tubeless tyres.
But, its one of those things you tend to use
and just chuck in the corner.
It gets covered in dust, sawdust,
depending on what your garage is like.
So, every now and then give the shaft
of the pump just a decent bit of a clean.
Wipe it down, bit of lube on there.
Treat it to some loving.
Okay, so I've got a couple of cool little hacks
here for you,
just to keep your feet a bit more comfortable in winter.
Actually, you know when you're riding a bike,
your toes aren't really moving around too much.
So, the circulation isn't the best.
You're feet get colder a lot quicker.
The first hack you can do is cut up some tin foil,
put it on the underside of the insoles of the shoe.
It just helps reflect the heat back
so your feet don't get too cold from the bottom.
The next cool hack you can do,
and I mean this is a proper hack,
is create your own winter socks.
So, inner sock, outer sock,
and put a carrier bag in the middle.
Makes 'em waterproof, little bit crunchy, little bit sweaty,
but for those days when its really really foul out,
perfect hack.
If, like me, you've got a couple
of different riding bag options,
and you chop and change your tools.
It's quite cool to put your tools in a single sort of pod,
and you can switch that between your bags,
nice and easy and you never forget it.
I use an old glasses case for this.
So, wrapped up inside here I've got
like, bit of inner tube, I've got a multi-tool,
CO2 cartridge, some rubber gloves here for fixing your bike.
Really, good little sort of hack.
Now its just carried in your bag with you at all times,
just change it straight in,
house keys, camera, tools, pump, good to go.
So the other really good thing
about having these nitrile gloves,
just like the carrier bag trick,
they make a really good liner as well.
Of course, they are sweaty and that,
but when it's really cold, or you're soaking out on a ride,
they're a really good option
just to help restore your feeling to your hands.
Kinda make getting the glove on a little tricky, gotta say,
but, job done.
Not everyone has access to working in a garage.
And, if you're working on your bike in your front room,
you get some grease on the carpet.
Bit of WD-40 and a bit of elbow grease
is really good for getting it out.
It might puzzle you a bit,
actually having to spray something
that's got solvent and lube in there.
But, it helps break down that grease
and you can get it out of the carpet,
and hopefully not get in too much trouble.
It really is pretty damn good,
works with coffee, your diner, curry, anything.
Obviously, it's just a bit wet now with the WD-40.
You want to wash the WD-40 out of the carpet as well.
Because, it can help other stuff stick to it
if you leave it in there.
Wait for it to dry, run the hoover over it.
Grease gone.
So, I always like to keep a bunch of stuff
in the back of the car.
Got, one of these sort of trunk liners.
And I've got sort of a CamelBak, and a helmet,
and all that sort of stuff.
But for getting changed at the side of the carpark,
often at trail centres,
I like to keep a couple of carpet tiles, perfect.
They've got plastic bottom on them
so they don't soak anything up.
And, they are nice and comfy for getting changed on.
And, you don't have to stand in the mud in the carpark.
Perfect solution, only costs a few quid, job done.
Hopefully, some of my MTB life hacks
have been helpful for you.
Let us know if you've done any similar hacks
in the comments below.
Really love reading all that stuff,
and interacting with you guys.
If you wanna find out some more great hacks,
my cable type special is right down here,
pretty proud of that one myself.
And then, of course, it's night riding season
for us here in the northern hemisphere.
So, if you wanna get ready for night riding
check out our light setup and stuff
just down here.
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