Originally Posted by
eddie_the_K
Interesting - I have fenders but have never slogged through serious mud. Sounds like fun! Maybe I'll try it next weekend when it's supposed to rain *again* but should be kind of warm.
However, on this trip I'll be staying indoors, like a civilized person. I might have to bring the bike in with me to keep it safe and dry. It may be prudent to keep it as clean as I can.
Has anybody ever needed to really clean up a muddy bike while on tour? Do you find a self-serve car wash and carefully hose it down?
If you're planning to bring your bike inside when on tour then you REALLY don''t want to get a heavy build up of mud, especially a clay-based mud, on it.
Clay-based mud is extremely tenacious and it doesn't take a lot of it to stop you as it's also very slippery. Clay-based mud does not even have to be deep to bring you to a standstill. I found that out one day in a local park when I went to take a shortcut through an undeveloped area of it. Withing thirty to fifty feet the wheels had a very heavy build up of a clay-based mud and the wheels kept slipping and the bike came to a stop.
I have ridden a bicycle through much deeper mud that wasn't clay-based and did not have nearly the trouble.
As for cleaning the bike before bringing it inside. Good luck finding a car-wash when you most need one. Getting packed mud off a bike involves a LOT of scrubbing and you need a stiff bristle brush if you don't have a high-pressure hose available.
Speaking of high-pressure water such as a hose at a car wash; be extremely careful not to aim the hose at parts in such a manner that the pressure drives crud in past seals.
Cheers