- So, we're going to look at how fast
they can clean Mark Cavendish's bike.
Now, they haven't got a pressure washer here
or any compressors so, they are limited there
but lot's of people at home, you also don't have
compressors or pressure washers,
so this one's for you.
(upbeat music)
- Right, so first of all filling up a bucket there
obviously with some dish soap.
Just going to degrease the cassette,
it's as quick as that.
Some soapy water, just to relieve the wheels
of any dirt and grime that they may have encountered.
Meanwhile, on the bike the chain's getting
a good clean.
Utilising that chain keeper, see Sy Richardson,
there is a purpose of one, after all.
And then, with good quality degreaser obviously
it takes that grime off the chain,
almost instantly and bang the wheels are being done.
Again, avoiding the bearings really,
just giving it a good rinse off.
And that's the wheels done.
Look how fast they did that.
Alright there's two of them.
(upbeat music)
- Just going to get off all that grime.
From the dry lube this morning, of course even when
you use some dry lube, you're still going to get some sand
and then obviously starting at the top of the bike
and working down, so you can let all
that dirty water run off.
As you can see, there's no messing about here,
they're not hanging around.
And of course the cleaning is only part of it.
They've got to get them ready for tomorrow,
because, they want dinner tonight
and they want to go to bed as well.
He's just peeling off the stage profile there,
so that'll be sprints, feed zone, that kind of thing.
And that is the frame and wheels done.
Didn't take long did it?
(upbeat music)
- So, it's not just the riders who work
as part of the team, mechanics are as well.
So, one's drying and the other one will be preparing
the bike for the following stage.
That really is just to save as much time as possible
because when you've got a number of bikes to clean
and get ready, you don't want to be hanging around.
Now, they've actually made these stands themselves,
ideal for travelling across the world with
because they're a lot lighter and a lot easier
to fold up than a standard workshop stand.
With an old towel, what he's doing really,
he's just drying off the wheels,
but at the same time, inspecting the tyres
to make sure there's no cuts, there's no stones
got in there and also that the rims are okay.
Again, nothing's flicked up off of the road
and damaged anything.
If there is, then obviously that will need looking at.
So, then with a cleaner towel or cloth,
dries off the frame as much as possible
to repel all the water.
Again, normally they'd have a compressor here
so they can just blast off the air with a hose,
but in Dubai, we don't have one of those.
So, they're just making do.
So, some bike protector, basically, that gets rid
of any water which is hanging around,
like that kind of thing.
And now with some silicon spray,
it's going to actually help the bottles go in and out
of those cages a little bit easier.
Sometimes, the bottles can get a little bit sticky
in there.
Again, with a micro-fiber cloth, just drying off everything.
Make sure it's nice and pristine for the morning
and at the same time, whilst he's drying that,
just like with the tyres, he can inspect the frame
and make sure that there's nothing untoward going on there.
Again, just drying off every single component.
Making sure there's no water hanging around in there
that's going to get in there and ruin any bearings
or give any surface rust over night.
Because believe me, it can happen in a rapid time.
A quick check of the battery there as well.
So, now, he's going to put on some chain lube, a dry variety
because obviously we're unlikely to get any rain
here this week, fingers crossed.
And then also, applying it in to those
pulley wheels bearings because water
has a nasty habit of getting in there
and they can wreck pretty quickly.
Back wheel in, in line.
Now, it's just a case really of going round
and checking all of those bolts and making sure
that they're at the correct torque and that nothing's come
loose throughout the stage.
Now, it's time really just to make sure the gears
are still indexing perfectly, that nothing's come
out of align, either during the race
or also during transport back from the race
because they put all the bikes in the back
of a van to get them back here as quick as possible,
but really it's just a case of making sure
that the derailleur hanger's still in line.
As you can see there, it just needs a little bit
of fine tuning.
Now with this being Cavendish's bike,
obviously what's ultra important is
that he can get into the 11 tooth sprocket
because that will be needed when it comes down
to the final sprint and just making sure as well
the down tube, there's none of that lube
has sprayed off onto it.
Because that's just going to attract dirt.
Because obviously the bikes, they've got to work good
as well as looking good.
And that's it.
Bike's done, ready for tomorrow.
(upbeat music)
- So there we are, clean as a whistle
and smooth as butter and ready to fight
another day tomorrow in Dubai.
And hopefully Cav will get a stage win on it.
So, let me know your methods for washing a bike
down there in the comments.
I'll be keen to read them, the processes
and if you've got a homemade stand too,
because I think that's a cool little,
is it a hack or is it a bodge?
Dunno.
Leave me your thoughts again in the comments down below.
And remember as well to like and share this video
with your friends.
And for another great maintenance video
click just down here.