r/stuttgart • u/Ok_Bug_8461 • 11d ago

Looking for... Places in Stuttgart to wash a bike

I was wondering where do you wash your bikes? I want to do a thorough cleaning of my bike by decreasing it and also using other chemicals. I do t want to do in my shower? Thank you!

2 Upvotes

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u/happy_hawking 11d ago

Are we talking about a motor bike or a bicycle?

Because using a pressure washer and chemicals is a sure way to destroy your bicycle. Use a garden hose with clean water and maybe a cloth with Spüli if you want to clean off grease from your frame.

Never touch any bearings or sealings with high pressure or chemical, not even Spüli.

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u/Ok_Bug_8461 11d ago

A bicycle. I normally use a de-greaser to remove clean the chain and sprockets. What do you recommend?

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u/happy_hawking 11d ago

You can clean the chain with a de-greaser but you don't need a pressure washer for that and it's easier to take the chain off the bike.

If you grease it again and then remove all excess grease with a cloth, it shouldn't become that dirty again.

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u/sam_8300 11d ago

I’ve never tested that before, but afaik there might be something suitable for bikes https://www.kaercher.com/de/home-garden/mobile-reinigung/mobile-reinigung-bike.html Does anyone have any experience with this?

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u/happy_hawking 11d ago

I had this product in mind when we discussed pressure washing, because it is a perfect example on how bad Kärcher's Product Development is.

They have great Engineering which creates great Technologies, but they put them into products without even asking what the target audience actually needs. It's more like: "what market segment do we not address yet? Okay, bikers. Let's force pressure washing on bikers"

I have a couple of products form Kärcher that suffer from severe lack of Product Development and I've done an internship in their Research Department once where I learned why it is that way.

I'm pretty sure that this product would not exist (or at least not be marketed for bikers) if actual bikers would have been involved in the product development.

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u/hrimthurse85 8d ago

It's the same for a motorbike. Washing out a wheel bearing will end very badly.

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u/dampire 11d ago

You can go to a Kärcher car wash station

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u/LETMESOLOTHIS 11d ago

every clean park for cars can also used for bikes, take care cause the waterpressure is usually too high, so keep some distance

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u/JayJay_Red 11d ago

This! I do this too. I simply use the "clear rinse"-setting on the station (NOT the powerwash setting!). With that you get simply de-mineralized low pressure water stream without any washing detergent.

CAUTION: With high pressure you may do damage to your bike, e.g. to bearings or fork sealings (water may get into them or they may.be damaged).

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u/RanchedOut 10d ago

I have a gardening pesticide spray thing that I fill up with water from my apartment. That’s the best alternative if you don’t have access to a hose