Review | Bosch Fontus Portable Bike Washer

Want to clean your bike away from power or water sources? Then maybe this portable Bosch Fontus Washer will be of interest.

The Bosch Fontus Washer has a maximum pressure of 15bar, so Bosch says it’s not a high pressure washer, but has enough oomph to remove mud without destroying bottom brackets, headsets etc. Powered by a 18V Li-Ion battery with a 15L water on board water tank, it offers the option of cleaning your bike away from power or water sources. There are three power settings and four spray patterns available, with a removable cleaning brush.

It’s a fairly portable set up. With a retractable handle, you can tow it along on the plastic wheels without having to bend uncomfortably. It’s not super easy to drag along – it’s not like towing a fancy suitcase through an airport – but it certainly does the job. There’s a storage area for your brush attachment, though I suspect only the most committed neat freaks will do anything other that wrap the hose round the handle after use.

If you’ve already got a bunch of other Bosch garden equipment, you can share this battery with other items in the home and garden range. But be sure to check you’ve not left in in the angle grinder when you head to the trail head…

Bosch Fontus Washer Features

• Four spray patterns
• Adjustable water pressure
• 15 litre tank
• 15 bar maximum pressure
• 4 metre hose

In Use

The first time I used this washer I was a little disappointed as a few bristles from the brush snagged on the bike and came loose. However, this seemed to be a teething problem, as further months of use have not resulted in a bald brush.

There are lots of setting options, which I guess you might be more inclined to use if you were also using the washer for things other than cleaning a bike. Dare I suggest muddy dog? I just whacked it up to max pressure, and only used the different spray settings, or added the brush.

The brush sort of fits around the water outlet, so the water is squirting from inside the brush, rather than through the bristles. As a result, if you get your brush really mucky you might need to detach it and give it a clean off.

The different spray settings range from a tiny focused jet to a shower like rain. I’m not sure what the teeny weeny jet would be handy for. The second up jet is great for hosing off slightly stuck on muck, the v-shape spray seems to be best for rapidly washing off loose dirt and bubbles, and the shower spray is… a bit meh. You know when you get a slightly crap electric shower in a cheap hotel and you can’t quite get the shampoo out of your hair? It’s a bit like that – though probably quite good for gentle plant watering or maybe even dog washing.

My favourite thing about this washer is the fact that it is completely portable. Once you’ve filled up the tank and charged the battery, you don’t need a hose or power supply. Having previously lived in a house where the garden was completely separate from the house and there was no outdoor water or power supply, I appreciate how handy this can be. It’s a pretty bulky thing to carry around in a car, but I can see that it would be great to take away for a weekend of riding or racing if you had room in your adventure wagon.

It does, admittedly, cost rather a lot of money. But a spot of internet research suggests that portable washers tend to come with less pressure than this, or need a water source, or cost about the same as this. So – make your choice and cut your cloth.

Being relatively low pressure, the Bosch Fontus Washer isn’t going to replace your jet washer for cleaning the patio, but you might find other gentler uses for it around the garden. It still has plenty of oomph to its squirt though, if you get the right setting. As a bike washer, it combines independence from the mains with effectiveness, and the water tank is big enough not to need refilling after every bike. That size means it’s not as portable as some other washers, but once you’ve got it filled you’re going to get a decent amount of washing time out of it. I appreciate that reduced faff – after a ride I want the washing process to be as quick as possible, with as little faffing around with water and hoses and refills as can be managed.

Overall

If you’re looking for a larger capacity cleaner with a good bit of oomph that doesn’t rely on a ready water or power source, then this washer could well be what you are looking for.

Review Info

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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