Hi guys and gals, help needed……….

I have been looking through the internet for a powered bike cleaner for use before loading the bike in the car.
There are a lot of reviews but they are old, has the market died on this?
I’m still using my Hozelock pressure sprayer but as winter is looming I want something more for the mud.
Nothing high pressure as fully aware of the dangers and can’t afford to keep replacing bearings.
Any ideas?

We’ve one of the DirtWorker portable washers. Cost about £80 five or six years. Does the job, can get most of the muck off two, possibly three bikes if you are quick.

Trail centres seem to have their own bike washers these days so maybe that’s killed the market somewhat.

i got a mobi one, mostly as i dont have a hose on the right side of the house.
enough power to shift muck but not so much that i really worry about seals/bearings
tank holds 20L, which will clean 2/3 and quick rinse 4/5 bikes
battery does really well, i reckon 3/4 full tanks
not tried it from the 12v cig lighter.

These haven’t been around since the beginning of the year but am looking at getting one:

http://www.nomad-direct.co.uk/index.php

Not impressed with my Dirt Worker that died, it really hadn’t been used that much.

For a budget version a caravan pump, some hose, a large container and dodgy wiring can be done for about £30. Very impressed with a friends attempt.

Another budget version can be made from one of those garden sprayers you can get from B&Q (other DIY/gardening shops available), basically a container with a track pump in the lid and a hose. Something like this: http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-garden-sprayer-sx-cs5a/127576_BQ.prd

Cinnamon if you are not happy with the dirtworker I would avoid the nomad – same company (look on the about us page). That said I have a dirtworker and am very happy with it.

Thanks for your help, certainly some more research to be done!

I got given a Tesco hand pump pressure sprayer for the garden and realised it could be used for the bike too. It works perfectly – cleans the bike at the trail side before putting in car. £10. I’d see no reason to buy an electronic one…

I have a Sealey mobile unit. It seems pretty good. I chose it as it was a reasonable price and had a larger reservoir than the bike specific ones. I guess that’s a limiting factor if you need to pack it in the car (which I’ve yet to do) but I went for that as I want to use it for washing the car & other jobs around the house.

Link

My Nomad is a god send living in a flat with no hose, no car and often no time for a proper bucket ‘o’ water job when arriving home in the middle of the night from a night ride

Cinnamon if you are not happy with the dirtworker I would avoid the nomad – same company (look on the about us page). That said I have a dirtworker and am very happy with it.

Sazter – I thought the Nomad was an improved version of the Dirt Worker. I had my Dirt Worker repaired and it didn’t last long, probably hadn’t been used more than 30 times in its life.

you’re probably right, I bought by DW form the classifieds on here and it’s been fine for nearly 2 years use by me so far, I would be happy to buy either again. 🙂

The nomad is a great machine.. enough power and capacity to properly clean a bike of 2….

A bike of 2 Gav, you been cleaning your tandem? 😉