Those portable bike washers …. worth it?

As above really.

Where I tend to ride has no facilities to wash down your bike after riding.

Coupled with our bike car has gone to the big forecourt in the sky I have a few concerns about trashing the interior of our newer car 🙄 😆

They look a fair wedge of money that would be hard to recoup at £1 a time (comparable jet wash cost)

Any users of them on here?

Any good ones/ones to avoid?

Cheers,

Mark

I have a mobi jet washer. Really handy bit of kit. Tend to use it all the time when I go on somewhere on my own, but if out with a big group dont bother as it takes away precious post ride pub time.

I’ve had no problems with mine and spares seem to be readily available of their website.

In a word, yes.

Dunno about the fancy electric ones, but the £15 pump-by-hand one I got was probably the best biking related purchase I made for under £50.

this was recomended on here the other week, looks value for money
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350430957550&category=72201&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

Just make sure you buy one that comes with a 240v to 12v adapter as its hard to get one after market with a high enough amp-age to run them off the mains.

Thats if you think you might ever need to, I do and im struggling to get a high enough amp one.

used to use a Holelock garden spray as hand pump pressure washer. Low powered but cheap and works ok with the use of a brush.

Now have a Mobi v15 which is awesome.

Yes. They double as a shower too 🙂

Dirtworker for me. Must have had mine getting on for 3 yrs now and use it regularly. Only problem i have had was a cracked spray gun as i chucked it on the floor.
New one cost me about £10 from Dirtworkers eBay site.

One of the best cycling ‘accessories’ I bought – it’s so nice to clean the bike when you’ve finished riding, stick some lube on it and then just stick it away when you get home knowing it’s ready to go again.

one_happy_hippy – Member
Just make sure you buy one that comes with a 240v to 12v adapter as its hard to get one after market with a high enough amp-age to run them off the mains.

Not really that difficult to find. Just get one from a camping store that’s designed to run camping fridges. I think the one we got will handle 6A, had the cigarette lighter socket fitted to the end already and only cost about £15. We needed it for our camping fridge, but I’ve used it several times with the Worker of the Dirt now and it’s fine.

+1 for the Dirtworker. I live in a flat and it’s invaluable during the winter.

My first one also stopped working after I tried running it with rainwater at the filthy 2007 CLIC; Dirtworker replaced it, no questions asked.

garden hand pump pressure washer works fine

Dirtworker here too, great bit of kit and very good customer support.

Mobi here and very happy with it. Plastic connectors are a bit fragile, so a bit of care needed when attaching hose/gun. Otherwise enough pressure with a splash of muc-off to get the bike clean. Can do mine and the kids 2 after a muddy ride (just) off a tank.

Have a hose at home, but it’s just good to get it done post ride.

Not got one, but after watching some guy at Saturday’s Trailbreak ride on the Ridgeway spend about half an hour hogging the hose (we were convinced he was going to get a tootbrush out for the detail cleaning!!) it’s starting to seem like a very good idea 😮

Throughly recommend the Dirtworker (Nomad) one, though I got mine cheap, so it didn’t sting initially as much. Mine is quite old now, but as above, they’ll still sell you replacement parts for them – there customer care/backup is great. As they’re the original ppl who came up with the idea I’d recommend them over the johnny come lately copy cats.
WOW I’ve just seen the new prices, ouch! Would be worth trying for a 2nd hand one first maybe?
Though I have also used the Mobi battery one, which had a very similar performance.

If you’d ever used one rewski, you wouldn’t recommend a hand pump spray gun (as per t_i_m) over a DW, yes they work ok, but no they don’t have anything like the pressure/cleaning power to shift proper stuck on mud.

stumpy01 – Member

one_happy_hippy – Member
Just make sure you buy one that comes with a 240v to 12v adapter as its hard to get one after market with a high enough amp-age to run them off the mains.

Not really that difficult to find. Just get one from a camping store that’s designed to run camping fridges. I think the one we got will handle 6A, had the cigarette lighter socket fitted to the end already and only cost about £15. We needed it for our camping fridge, but I’ve used it several times with the Worker of the Dirt now and it’s fine.

Stumpy the older unit had a draw of 8amp’s on startup, O_H_H probably has one of these (as I do), most adapters don’t handle this well. The newer unit don’t have this issue aparently – as per you 6amp comment.

I made this total cost £15

But some of the lads in the club have the laser one and are happy with it.

Stumpy the older unit had a draw of 8amp’s on startup, O_H_H probably has one of these (as I do), most adapters don’t handle this well. The newer unit don’t have this issue aparently – as per you 6amp comment.

Thanks for clearing that up. I got mine a year or two after they started being advertised – don’t know how much current it draws, just that it works OK.
Yeah, I imagine finding an adaptor that would provide enough juice for the older version would be challenging!

Yeah, I imagine finding an adaptor that would provide enough juice for the older version would be challenging!

Just replace the fuse with a nail, all the current you need then 😯

Have a mobi myself, great for post ride clean ups so the car doesn’t get trashed, use a garden hose at home.

Nomad cordless for me – my (genius) boyfriend got it me for Christmas and I love it!!!! Battery pack is great, means sno reliance on the car battery and totally practical for using t home too 😀

http://www.nomad-direct.co.uk/index.php/products/nomad-18-v-cordless/c_1.html

Those laser ones, what stops the water splashing out whilst ont he move? Or do you need a tap to fill the bucket, or carry a 5gal container with you?

Lipseal, Where did you get the pump from?

Got the pump off eBay, it’s not that powerful but works well with a soft brush and it’s ok to rinse the bike off…..HERE

Anyone got a link to hand ones for £15 – savewatersavemoney seem to have spammed google so only their links are coming up.

I would want to use it on the dog as well and I am not sure she would take too kindly to 100psi…

thisisnotaspoon I just emailed the guy selling the lazer ones on ebay about carrying water about and this is his reply:

Morning, the water tank houses the unit whilst in transit. You then fill the tank when needed and a feed from the washer sits in the tank to draw the water up. You can actually use the feed from the washer in any water source (rivers, canals etc) but it does take a minute or two to prime the unit before the main spray action starts so this is not always suitable. The main lid also just sits on top, it is not water proof or sealing in any way.

Yea, figured that, found some pics and “mop bucket with sticker on it” would be a pretty good description.

Ordered one, figured I’ll use it with a 20ltr water container, at half the price of any of the other designs its a bargain, especialy as our garage is in a block so has no access to water or ‘lecy.

Bought a DW from Halfords when they were selling them off for £25. Only used it a couple if times as always forget it’s in the garage. Parts hose connectors all very well made and solid

If your quick you can rinse down 2-3 bikes.