We all know that washing our bikes will keep them running better for longer. It becomes even more important as we come into winter here in the UK where every ride involves a good caking in mud and the occasional chainring deep puddle.
Weldtite is a brand that has been making bike maintenance products since the 1940s and has recently reformulated its bike cleaner to be greener, but also more effective and easier to use. My local trails have recently turned to sloop so have had plenty of opportunity to put the cleaner through its paces.
Design
Weldtite’s new cleaner is made in the UK and has a new formula that is said to be greener for the environment, as well as being cruelty-free and vegan-approved. It comes in a 1L spray bottle or a 1L concentrate for refills which cuts down on packaging when you need a top-up. When it comes to refills, 1L of concentrate turns into 10L of cleaner.
Weldtite says that the new formula is so effective that ‘scrubbing your bike to “activate” a formula truly is a thing of the past’. When cleaning your mountain bike, Weldtite recommends using the bottles mist mode to cover the bike in cleaner and leave it for a minute before wiping – presumably if it's just dusty – or washing away. They say that any excess dirt can be removed using the Blast setting.
Weldtite’s new formula comes in two ‘flavors’, lemon or lime, although these relate more to the color of the liquid itself rather than giving your bike a citrus fresh finish.
Performance
Weldtite’s new wash has been effective at cutting through the dirt so my bike is sparkly clean again post-ride. I'm not convinced by Weldtite's no scrub claim though as stubborn dirt would resist the cleaning action, however with minimal dirt agitation I got very good results.
The degreasing action seems to work well for a general cleaner as well, stopping drivetrains from becoming a goopy mess and there have been no ill effects on the paintwork or braking performance.
I found the spray bottle was very generous with its application, the light misting uses a surprising amount of cleaner, as does the more targeted blast. Personally, I prefer a foamier application as it seems to give a more efficient coverage.
Verdict
Weldtite’s claim of a wipe-free clean comes up a little short when dealing with the abundant Scottish slop of late, with a little scrubbing though the new formula works very well. The green credentials hopefully mean it isn’t too menacing to the planet and offering a concentrate keeps excess wasteful packaging to a minimum, as well as the cost.
It's well priced as well when compared to the benchmark pink stuff, with the 1L spray bottle retailing for £9.99 and the concentrate going for £23.99 – or £2.39 per liter once diluted. There are other prominent brands that dramatically undercut the refill price though.
Tech specs: Weldtite Bike Cleaner
- Price: 1L Spray bottle - $TBC / £9.99, 1L Concentrate - $TBC / £23.99
- Scent: Lemon or Lime
