On a recent January ride, Basil and I encountered mud and a smattering of ice, both new experiences.
Basil’s mud flaps are earning their keep.
Tidying up involves checking the nooks and crannies, and under the fenders, as well.
We’re earning our all-weather stripes — though I should point out that “all-weather”, so far, excludes both snow and serious rain. Those will come!
2 replies on “Basil Gets Dirty”
Looks familiar. We’re getting a good bit of snow here in western Europe at the moment, but I’m still taking the Brompton out, which is better than waiting for a bus that doesn’t come. I’m being extremely cautious when riding it in the snow, though, as it can be slippery. But my poor bike is really looking quite dirty. I’m going to be lazy, though, and wait until closer to spring before giving it a thorough cleaning. I’ve often thought that a Brompton-cleaning business — where they do a truly thorough cleaning of the bike — would be a good idea here in a city (Brussels) chock full of them.
Someone I met recently said that, in winter, he uses a spray bottle filled with water to clean his Brompton. It’s the inside of the fenders I can’t get to at all when cleaning; a spray bottle might be just the thing. I’ve been cleaning Basil on a plastic tray (meant for wet boots) in the kitchen; it would contain water from a spray bottle nicely.
You may be on to something with your Brompton-cleaning business, Will B . . . here in the USA there are businesses that only wash dogs, so why not Bromptons?