Washing an electric bike might seem like a daunting task. With its high powered battery and motor, along with cables and display, there are plenty of sensitive electrical components in an e-bike and, as we know, electricity and water don’t mix well. 

But bicycles are naturally prone to get grubby and, as with any bike, you’ll want to keep your electric bike clean to keep it looking and performing at its best, which means you’ll need to wash it regularly, particularly if you’re riding in wet weather.

Electric bikes are designed to cope with wet conditions though and, in general, electric and electronic parts are well sealed against the elements. So treat your electric bike with respect and there’s no reason why washing it should be any more arduous than cleaning a normal bike.

Here’s how to wash your electric bike and particular points to pay attention to.

1. Don’t use a pressure washer

Let’s start off with how not to wash your electric bike. Pressure washers are bad for bikes in general unless used with great care. A standard pressure washer has enough force for water to penetrate bearings and seals, leading to damage and premature wear. 

This is doubly a problem when washing an electric bike, as you can also push cleaning water into the electric and electronic components, potentially leading to corrosion and damage.

You can buy lower pressure washers designed for bikes, like the Muc-Off pressure washer, but even so it’s a good idea to use a pressure washer from a distance and not to point it at your electric bike’s bearings, seals for parts like a removable battery or any cables or controls.

Rather than a pressure washer, a garden hose or a plain old bucket and brush are better options.

2. Turn off the power

Before you get started, turn the e-bike’s system off. It’s back to that water and electricity thing. 

Bosch recommends removing or covering its controllers with a cloth or plastic and also taking out the battery before starting, while other e-bike brands state that your e-bike systems are sealed well enough to cope with a wash. Liv says clean your bike with the battery in place, then remove and dry it once the bike is clean.

If you have a work stand, this makes it easier to get at the parts of your electric bike that tend to get most dirty like the underside of the down tube. Don’t turn your electric bike upside down.

3. Wash off loose dirt

First, you want to wash off any loose surface dirt. A hose, again without too much pressure, should be fine for this, although a soft brush and water may be more effective.

It’s worth having a range of brushes for different parts of your bike, making sure that you don’t use greasy brushes on your frame or brake rotors. Don’t use frame cleaning brushes on your drivetrain either, so that they stay lube-free

4. Use a bike cleaner

Your e-bike is now ready for a deeper clean, for which you should use a specialist bike cleaning product. Some brands suggest that washing up liquid is fine, although as when cleaning any bike we’d counsel against this, due to the harsher chemicals included. 

We’ve got a guide to the best bike cleaning kits and recommendations for the best bike cleaning products in our guide to how to clean your bike if you want some suggestions of products to use.

Instructions for bike cleaners usually say spray on, leave for a period, then wash off with clean water. Your bike cleaner should remove the majority of the more persistent grime. Use a brush to remove dirt from places such as behind the bottom bracket that can be hard to get to. 

5. Clean your drivetrain

You should now clean your drivetrain, using a degreaser. Again, this should be standard practice for any bike. But with an electric bike with a mid-mounted motor it’s particularly important as there’s a lot more force transmitted through the chain and gears, which can increase wear.

Removing the abrasive paste that can develop on a chain and gears is a sure-fire way to prolong their life.

Keep the degreaser away from your brakes and braking surfaces, whether your electric bike has disc brakes or rim brakes. If your brakes do need a clean, there are specialist products designed for this.

6. Dry everything off

Now wipe your electric bike down with a soft towel to remove as much water as possible or even use a blower to dry it off. Bumping it up and down on its tyres can shake off a lot of water. 

Wipe the chain down, then apply a new layer of specialist bike chain lube to stop it rusting. Wipe off any excess lube, as this can attract dirt.

If you want, you can now use a bike protection spray to help keep your frame cleaner. This will lower your workload next time you need to clean your e-bike, and also help to keep water out of electrical contacts.

Make sure the bike is completely dry before replacing the battery and controller.

7. Keep the electrical contacts clean

We’ve mentioned corrosion of electric parts as a particular issue to avoid when riding an electric bike. There are specialist electric bike contact cleaners and water repellent sprays available, but a general-purpose water displacing spray like GT85 is also effective.  

How often should I wash my electric bike? 

The trite answer is, whenever it’s dirty. Several brands recommend a quick rinse down after every ride, which can save you money in the long-run, although this might not always be practicable. 

You certainly need to wash it down and relube everything after a wet ride, not least because many bike lubes are easily washed off and rust can quickly set in on your chain and non-electric components. 

In winter, salt from the road is corrosive. The same is true if you ride near or in the sea, so you need to rinse it off your e-bike as soon as possible.

From minor adjustments to more major roadside repairs like relinking a snapped chain, the best bike multi-tools can be the difference between a completed ride and the defeat of a lift home. Small and lightweight, you’ll rarely realize you’re carrying one. Which can also be a problem.

It’s easy to forget something so small and rarely needed that when you find your multi-tool isn’t in your pocket or bike saddlebag as expected, annoyance will ensue.

Stored in a sleek carrier attached behind your bottle cage, on-bike accessories such as the Zefal AFA 8 Plus ensure that there’s always a multi-tool on your bike.

Zefal Afa 8 Plus: construction

The tool holder handily attaches behind a bottle cage – I would suggest only on the down tube and not the seat tube, due to its width – and sits against the frame. 

The back to the tool holder is a rubber pad that acts as a cushion between it and the bike’s paintwork. This is an essential part of the product as there was some movement, more on that later.

The Zefal AFA 8 Plus comes with two longer bolts to cover the additional distance it causes between the bottle cage and the frame. Attachment is simple and the bolt holes in the product itself are long to allow for a range of positioning, meaning it can be used on a wide range of frames and with different bottle cages.

The multi-tool is loaded into the side of the holder, which clips shut to keep it secure. I once had a bottle cage from a big bike manufacturer that held a multi-tool below where the bidon sits, but the multi-tool couldn’t be removed from the bottle cage while it was bolted to the bike because the bolt head got in the way. So you needed a multi-tool to remove the bolt, to gain access to your mult-itool. A self-defeating circuit of irritation.

But there’s none of that nonsense here. The side-loading design means the tool can be accessed easily. A Zefal-branded rubber band sits over the tool to stop any of the bits dropping out of line and getting in the way when it’s loaded, which weirdly (for my one at least) had to have the writing upside down to be the right way up for the holder and fit best.

The holder closes with an assured click so you know it’ll stay closed when you’re riding along.

The AFA 8 Plus comes with: 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6mm hex keys, a T25 Torx, a flathead screwdriver, an 8/9/10/11/12 speed compatible chain tool and the bonus of a bottle opener.

This should cover the tasks you might need to do at the road or trailside, then you can open a bottle of beer when you reach your destination. 

Zefal Afa 8 Plus: the ride

When the bottle cage is empty, there is some movement at the long stem where the bolts are inserted, allowing the body of the holder - where the tool is stored - to move away and towards the bike’s frame.

Much of this is countered by the aforementioned rubber pad, but it can still be heard and might eventually leave its mark on the paintwork. A full bottle did keep it flush to the bike, but a bottle is likely to be drained throughout a ride and so the movement can start up again.

To solve this, I would suggest that either the rubber pad needs to be thickened and/or the stem part of the holder needs strengthening (which might have a weight penalty).

Zefal Afa 8 Plus: Value and conclusion

The Zefal AFA 8 Plus behind-bottle cage multi-tool and holder is a well made accessory that will ensure you’re never caught without a multi-tool again. The tool itself has the bits you’ll need for most roadside adjustments and quick fixes.

Some movement in the holder means I’d be happier with attaching the AFA 8 Plus to a metal frame than carbon, but a gravel adventure bike is more of its target location than a carbon road bike anyway. At $63.99 / £43.99 it seems reasonable for its versatility and usefulness, the quality is there to justify what seems like a fair price. 

One of the things they don’t tell you about the super glamorous life of a jet setting tech writer is that you will spend an inordinate amount of time trying to set up very fiddly modern bikes in hotel rooms. A few years ago, things were not so bad, I’d travel with a saddle and seatpost and my shoes, take all the spacers out from under the stem of whatever bike I was testing, and arrive at a passable fit. These days with proprietary everything, there is a lot more fiddling involved. 

Flying with a whole bag of tools, let alone riding with them, is very annoying. But I almost never check into a flight these days without Silca’s handy ratcheting tool. The toolkit comes in a handy waxed canvas and leather organiser which is perfectly pocket sized, and contains nearly all of the tools you need to adjust your bike as well as a ratchet, an extender for hard-to-reach bolts, and a torque beam that can be used to avoid over or under tightening them. 

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The kit comes with steel 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 and 6mm Allen keys as well as T10, T20, T25 Torx bits and a Philips head screwdriver. You might think you don’t need all those Torx bits, but believe me when you’ve ridden a few Italian bikes you will know why they are in there. The kit lacks a large enough Allen key to mount or dismount pedals, so I generally fly with one of those as well, but more or less every other tool needed to break down or build up a bike for a flight is included. 

I’ve had the set for over a year and used it on dozens of trips. I even reach for it in my workshop when I need to reach a difficult-to-get-at bolt and can’t get enough leverage with the short end of an L-shaped Allen key. The ratchet makes changing stems a breeze and turn smoothly in both directions. Despite heavy use, the tool-quality steel in the bits shows no sign of deteriorating. 

On modern bikes, there is no substitute for using a proper torque key. Things really do break if they are not tightened to spec, as I and other colleagues have demonstrated at more than one launch ride! I find the inclusion of the torque beam in the Silca set really useful for adjusting saddle height on the fly on review rides. The beam fits between the ratcheting handle and the bit, making the tool T-shaped. But my torque beam seems to have drifted in accuracy and quite often under read, resulting in a slipping saddle. The increments are also etched into the side of the beam, which makes them hard to see while in use unless you happen to be facing the side which has the increments you want. In my workshop, I rely on Park’s adjustable clicking torque tool and find it much more reliable and enjoyable to use, but on the side of the road this tool has got me out of trouble many times. As with any torque wrench, you should only use it to tighten bolts and never to back them out. 

Despite my reservations with the Silca toolkit, I haven’t found anything I like more and it has been in my pocket on every launch ride or bikepacking trip since I got it. I’ve lent it to countless friends who are always impressed by the waxed canvas case it comes in and the ease with which they can use it to adjust a recessed seatpost clamp or work on a ridiculously overcomplicated TT bar set up. I’ve even fixed an espresso machine with it. It’s not cheap at £100, and the pricing seems a bit steep given that it costs $98 in the US, but this should be a tool that lasts for years and if you travel a lot you’ll really come to cherish it. 

Muc-Off looks set to take over all cleaning and maintenance duties for your bike and it has furthered this by developing its very own bike-specific pressure washer. Gentle enough to clean without damaging delicate parts but with enough oomph to get the job done properly, it cleans up in this year’s Editor’s Choice awards.

Muc-Off’s boss Alex Trimnell has been working on the new Muc-Off Pressure Washer for years. With a lower operating pressure, it’s designed to let you wash your bike with less risk of damage to it than with a normal pressure washer and more quickly than with a bucket and sponge.

Cleaning a bike is usually the last thing on my mind when I get back from a ride, so dirt usually gets to dry in place, making the clean-up that much more difficult when I do get around to it. So the Muc-Off Pressure Washer helps get the job done that much more quickly and easily.

The modular system is easy to put together, with the hoses and parts of the lance clicking into place. There are locking buttons to ensure that nothing blows off as you are using the Muc-off Pressure Washer. The hose to the lance can be inserted either way around too, so that there’s less faff about getting it set up.

Unlike some pressure washers, you need mains power and a tap to supply the Muc-Off Pressure Washer. That lets it support the 6.5 litre/minute flow rate and 100 bar pressure provided. Although this limits where you can use the washer, it does mean that you get a strong, steady jet.

>>> Dr Hutch: the impossibility of bike cleaning

The Muc-Off Pressure Washer comes with three lances: the bike one is less powerful than that designed for motorcycles, while there’s also an adjustable higher pressure lance head that’s good for cleaning tyres, for example.

The pressure is low enough that you don’t have to worry about washing out the grease from your bearings or stripping the bike’s paint job. But that does mean that the Muc-Off Pressure Washer is not fierce enough for other jobs, like cleaning garden furniture.

Although the basic Muc-Off Pressure Washer comes in at £80, it’s probably worth paying for the £120 full kit that we’ve tested. For your extra cash, you get a waterproof roll-top carrier bag, Muc-Off’s Snow Foam Lance and a litre each of bike cleaner and cleaner concentrate, with the latter diluting four-fold before use. With the bike cleaner costing £10, the concentrate £20 and the Snow Foam Lance £15, the bag’s a useful freebie.

The pressure washer is effective at getting surface dirt and mud off your bike. You can then use the Snow Foam Lance to coat it evenly with bike cleaner. The foam means that the cleaner sticks to the bike better, you can make sure that the bike is evenly covered and it’s easy to see any bits you’ve missed.

You then leave the cleaner in place for up to five minutes, before washing off with the washer. The foam is also a lot more fun to apply than washing with a bucket and sponge, although you can quickly run through bike cleaner. The concentration is variable via a dial on the foam lance, however, and its judicious use means that you should be able to eek out your bottle of cleaner to 10-plus cleans.

>>> Buy now: Muc-Off Pressure Washer from Muc-Off for £79.99

This gets rid of most stuck-on dirt, leaving your bike and drivetrain clean. The one place where you may have to do a bit more is on the underside of the down tube, which tends to get you-know-what stuck on it if you ride rural roads or off road.

Open up the contour line patterned storage wallet of the Blackburn Big Switch and you're confronted with a multitool a little bit different to the norm. Rather than being a one piece style multitool Blackburn has broken the Big Switch down into five 'bits' with a tool at each end plus a multi-function holder/handle into which the bits can be installed. It might look a little more complicated than a standard multitool but it proves to be way more practical for most regular maintenance jobs.

If we look at the comprehensive list of tools present, Blackburn really has thought of the essentials and made sure they are present. Hex bits include all the critical sizes; 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8mm tools are all here.

What's even neater is each tool has chamfered edges to create better engagement with bolts at awkward angles, the two smallest are ball ended for even better purchase. T25 and T30 torx keys cover the modern bolt requirements (especially useful for disc brake users). Alongside these there is a flat head screwdriver and the threaded pin for the chaintool, completing the five 'bits'.

>>> The best allen keys and multitools for 2019

In a smaller mesh pocket sits the body for the chaintool. This also doubles up as a spoke key with three sizes included. It also has a presta valve core remover and a wedge shaped design that doubles up as disc pad spreader. So all in all a pretty complete set of tools. Barring that is, a crosshead screwdriver which seems curiously missing however the flathead will fit for the majority of jobs that require a screwdriver.

Using the Big Switch

In use the Big Switch proves to be a winner. The closed spanner design of the holder allows you to use it as a T handle for maximum torque jobs, or you can slot tools in the open end and use another bit as a handle for more delicate adjustments. Either way it works in hard to reach spots and also provides enough leverage for harder jobs. If you need more force you can add another bit to the end to increase leverage even more.

Buy now: Blackburn Big Switch at Cyclestore for £25.19

The Blackburn big Switch also fairly lightweight at just over eighty grams and the wallet has a handy pocket for a bankcard and money. It came with a large rubber band to keep it all together but this can be a little bit of a faff to keep removing and replacing, so I would prefer it came with some velcro to keep it all together.

The Birzman Diversity 17 is one of those multitools that looks to pack everything you need into one item. So there’s a chain tool and CO2 inflator, as well as two tyre levers built into the package.

As you’d expect, this leads to a fairly chunk piece, with an overall weight of 180 grams. It bounces around a bit in your jersey pocket. But on the other hand, it does give you a comprehensive range of allen keys as well as the ability to fix flats and chain problems.

>>> Buy now from Chain Reaction for £27.99

The tools themselves are the wrap style, where the metal rod is bent around the spindle, rather than the more sophisticated and expensive forged type. They rattle around a bit and a jolt can cause them to open.

The seven allen keys cover everything from 2mm up to 8mm, with the latter being a sliding piece that slips over the elongated 5mm key. This works fine for removing and tightening pedals, the large tool body giving plenty of leverage. But it does add the risk that the sliding part could become detached and lost, despite the spring loaded ball to hold it in place.

It’s good to see both a flat head and crosshead screwdriver included, as most bikes use both somewhere and the single T25 torx bit is likely to fit something somewhere on many bikes.

If you have chain problems, the chain tool unclips from the Birzman Diversity 17 body, which itself has the screw in rivet punch. Again, the large tool body makes this reasonably easy to use. There’s a wire chain link hook, to make getting a magic link in place easier.

The chain tool also includes a couple of spoke spanner notches for different nipple sizes. And built into it is a CO2 inflator head for screw-in cartridges with a press-to-inflate presta and Schrader valve connector. Again, it’s a useful add-on, meaning that you can get away without carrying a pump. But being all-metal, the inflator gets very cold when used, so you need to wrap it in some sort of insulation when it’s called for.

Finally, the two tyre levers, which fit into the sides of the Birzman Diversity 17 tool are robust, although they don’t quite fit flush with the tool body, so again there’s a risk that they might get detached.

So overall, the Birzman Diversity 17 multitool provides a good set of options to sort many on-the-road mechanicals, at a reasonable price for its functionality, although at the expense of some bulk.

It’s the classic cyclist’s conundrum. What do I need to bring with me in case I get a problem when out riding? The Topeak Mini 9 Pro packs a lot of essentials into a small package.

It’s worth having a multitool with you, which covers the major bolts which might work loose. The Topeak Mini 9 Pro covers many of these. It’s useful to have a Phillips head screwdriver to adjust derailleur screws and such-like and many bike parts now have Torx heads on some bolts – usually T25. The Topeak Mini 9 Pro has these covered off.

You also get five allen keys: 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm. That’s enough for smaller bolts on mechanical parts and larger items like shoe cleats and seat post and stem bolts. It’s really only if your pedals work loose that you might need something larger.

The other thing that you’ll definitely want to bring with you is a set of tyre levers. Here, the Topeak Mini 9 Pro has a trick up its sleeve. Built into the opposite side of the tool body from the tool heads is a metal tyre lever. And hidden below this is a fold-out plastic lever with a Schrader valve bleed lever built into its other end. They’re sturdy enough to get most tyres off the rim for puncture repair, although I’d be cautious about their longevity if you’ve got a tighter bead to get off.

>>> How to fix a puncture and mend an inner tube

The tools are made of shiny chrome vanadium steel and have a quality, robust feel to them, while the side plates are made of aluminium. For the weight weenie, there’s a version with carbon side plates available which drops the weight down by 9g to a claimed 73g.

That weight saving sounds as if it’s more about bragging rights than marginal gains, but the extra cost is not unreasonable with the carbon version costing £31.99. With the standard alloy Topeak Mini 9 Pro, you can choose whether you want gold or silver side plates, rather than being stuck with black.

>>> The best cycling multitools

The Topeak Mini 9 Pro packs away into a neoprene sleeve, so it won’t scratch up anything else that you might be carrying with you, or your back, if you decide to just pop it in your pocket.

Now you just need to decide whether you need to carry a separate chain tool and spoke key too…

The Karcher OC3 portable cleaner makes getting the muck off your frame a bit easier. At this time of year, in particular, keeping your bike working well means a decent clean after every ride. There’s usually a layer of surface grime, and often salt from the road too, which needs to be cleaned off your frame and mechanicals.

Leave it too long and the job becomes a lot harder and you can easily damage components.

>>> Perfect post-ride routines

The Karcher OC3 portable cleaner is battery powered and incorporates a 4 litre water reservoir, so you’re pretty self-contained if you want to take it with you to an event, or just clean up your bike somewhere away from a hose. There’s a built in handle to make the Karcher OC3 portable cleaner easy to carry around and the 2.8m long spray hose and trigger pack away into the base, below the reservoir.

The reservoir can be removed from the unit, and has its own carrying handle, so you can take it separately it to a tap for a refill. It’s a bit fiddly to separate from the base until you get the hang of it and I found the rubber cap slightly awkward to close.

The nozzle on the Karcher OC3 portable cleaner produces a wide flat jet, which can’t be adjusted. As you’d expect, you don’t get as much spray power as with a mains powered pressure washer. But that’s no bad thing, as a full pressure wash can rinse the grease out of bearings and damage tyres.

>>> Dr Hutch: The impossibility of bike cleaning

The Karcher OC3 portable cleaner has enough pressure to clean up surface mud and road grit though. It’s capable of cleaning up a cyclocross bike after use, so it would be useful if you want to get your bike washed off after an event, before putting it in the back of the car to drive home.

There’s a large switch on the side of the unit and an indicator light to show it's turned on. You don't get a low battery level indicator though, so you need to keep the unit charged up, or it might suddenly shut down mid-wash. The Karcher OC3 portable cleaner switches itself off after a period of inactivity to save battery though.

Battery life is around 15 minutes, which is fine for multiple clean ups, with a recharge time using the supplied mains adapter of around 3 hours. But with the limited pressure and reservoir capacity, I found that I needed to refill the Karcher OC3 portable cleaner, sometimes 3 or 4 times, to get all the mud off a muddy crosser. Karcher quotes a flow rate of 2 litres a minute, so the 4 litre capacity will be used up in a couple of minutes.

You would need to be near a tap or take a supplemental jerry can of water if, for example, you wanted to use the Karcher OC3 portable cleaner in the pits at a cyclocross race or to clean multiple bikes after a ride. You can buy a separate suction hose as an accessory, to allow you to use another water source for extra capacity.

>>> Eight simple ways to make your bike faster for free

So the Karcher OC3 portable cleaner is a neat way to get enough cleaning power to your bike to give it a quick surface hose down, although it’s not really a substitute for soap and water or a higher pressure unit, if you’re racing cyclocross. And don’t forget to re-oil your chain, so it doesn’t start to rust.

Karcher suggests that you can use the cleaner to sort out pushchairs, muddy boots and dogs too, so it’s a piece of kit which should prove more widely useful, helping to justify the expenditure.

Multitools represent a bit of a balancing act between having something portable, which doesn’t do much and may not have useful sizes of Allen key, and a chunky beast which does everything but is weighty and uncomfortable to carry. And often tools with lots of functions get to be quite pricy too.

The Fabric 16 in 1 tool attempts to square the circle, being slim and reasonably lightweight while packing in plenty of tools, including a chain tool and an 8mm Allen key – items you usually only get on heavier and more expensive tools.

>>> Lights, pumps, tools: Fabric extends its range

The Sixteen is a bit of a boast as there are four different sizes of square spoke key and a Mavic spoke key cut into the chain tool body and a bottle opener secreted somewhere that – rather like those tools for getting stones out of horses’ hooves which you get on boy scout penknives – many users are unlikely to find useful.

But nevertheless you get seven Allen key heads from 2mm upwards and they’re all easy to use, with the tool body’s flat design and rounded side plates giving good, comfortable leverage. The 6mm head is within the 8mm, which you need to pull off to get at it. The removable 8mm collar fits firmly though and has a small ball bearing to keep it in place, so it’s unlikely to accidentally get mislaid.

>>> The best multitools for 2017

As well as the Allen keys, there’s also a single size 25 Torx bit and a Phillips screwdriver head in the tool. The flat-head screwdriver that appears in Fabric’s shots on its website has been replaced by a 2.5mm allen key.

>>> Fabric CO2/lever kit review

Watch: How to rejoin your broken chain

The Torx and Phillips heads should let you fix most things on most bikes, although Torx heads are getting to be more common and some bikes have more than one size, so it’s worth checking if there’s anything essential you won’t be able to sort using the Fabric tool.

>>> Fabric Chamber tool review

The chain tool is nice to have and reasonably easy to use. But it doesn’t fit as solidly into the body of the multitool as the other heads and is inclined to rattle. And although the tool is flat and light enough to be relatively easy to carry, you might find the weight a bit obtrusive as the Fabric 16 in 1 bounces around in a jersey pocket.

Most cycling kit is made from technical manmade fabrics. These have a tendency to get pretty whiffy and the smell tends to build up in them over time too. Many have washing instructions which recommend 30°C maximum, which means there’s limited opportunity to get them really fresh.

>>> Ten things you should know when you first start cycling

Merino wool reduces the odour problem but is expensive and also needs to be washed carefully, so a laundry product which helps keep odour at bay even when washing at low temperatures is very useful.

>>> 11 things you absolutely have to do after cycling

Halo ProActive is designed to kill off odour-causing bacteria that feed on the sweat we produce when exercising. Halo says it also removes skin particles from clothing which are rubbed off the skin and lodge in your clothing’s fibres. Rather than the sweat and skin particles themselves, it’s the bacteria feeding on them that make your clothing smell.

>>> How to look after your chamois

Halo says that as well as washing out sweat and skin and killing off bacteria and viruses in the wash, its active ingredient stays around in the clothing and continues to suppress bacterial growth and hence whiffiness.

Watch: How to wash cycling kit

I’ve been using Halo ProActive on my cycling kit for a few months now. It’s certainly effective at cleaning up dirty, sweaty clothing. It’s only faintly scented, so if you want your kit to smell like spring blossom after washing it will disappoint. But it does suppress other odours effectively. You still won’t get away with wearing the same synthetic baselayer for a week, but it might just smell a little less lived-in when it comes out of the drawer ready for action.

>>> Embarrassing cycling problems and how to prevent them

Sainsbury’s sells Halo ProActive Sports Wash in its larger stores and you can find it in some sports retailers, or buy online directly from Halo.

If you’ve been wearing your cycling shoes under overshoes all winter, chances are they’ve spent at least part of the time damp and unventilated. If you’ve not been careful how you dry them after rides, you may find that they’re smelling a bit lived-in as spring comes around.

That’s where Stink Free spray comes in. It contains a couple of antibacterial agents which zap those bugs living on the sweat in your shoes and other gear. Because they also have detergent properties, they wet out the fabric and penetrate its pores to reach the smell-forming bacteria lurking there, treating the cause rather than the effect.

>>> Embarrassing cycling problems and how to prevent them

I’ve been using the spray on a set of dubious cycling shoes and some distinctly unsavoury walking shoes with an internal membrane. It’s been effective, although you do need to persevere and keep spraying multiple times before it fully takes effect. 2Toms recommends initial treatment two or three times a day, followed by a couple of times a week thereafter, allowing the spray to dry between applications.

>>> How to wash your cycling clothes

Watch: Shoe buyer's guide

With a bottle containing 237ml and an effective pump-operated spray, a bottle should last for ages. I’ve used around a tenth of a bottle to treat a couple of pairs of shoes.

>>> Are stiffer soles better?

2Toms says that you can use Stink Free on canvas, leather and denim and a lot of other smelly kit besides shoes: gloves, lockers, clothing and bags. It doesn’t recommend using it on helmets and headgear, where sweating could result in the active ingredients getting in your eyes and causing irritation.

The Chamber Tool is a novel approach to the multi-tool, a concept as old as time itself (in the modern cycling world, anyway).

It's a sleek cylinder atop which sits a ratchet mechanism. Within the body – the chamber of the name – sit the 13 tools that can be used in it.

There's a good spread in terms of tools, with everything from 2mm through to 8mm Allen keys. There's also two Phillips screwdrivers and two flathead screwdrivers, plus Torque 10 and Torque 25 keys.

>>> Park Tool MT–20 multi-tool review

These are double ended and sit within a honeycomb-shaped holder within the body. The 8mm adapter is stored in the middle, held in place by a rubber bung.

Happily, the pieces do sit tight, although the removable base is prone to falling out of the bottom. The clumsier riders among us could well find themselves losing parts.

>>> Find the best cycling multi-tool: a buyer's guide

Conspicuously by is absence is a chain tool: it would be good to see Fabric factor this into the next edition of the tool to really make it a full house.

Watch now: Cycling Weekly's March tech of the month 

So, as novel as it is as an idea, there's still room for improvement.

For starters, the ratchet mechanism doesn't work when a bolt is quite loose. The fact that the body then sits at 90 degrees to the tool can make turning it, as you would a conventional multi-tool quite difficult.

A solution is to remove the tool from the head and use it with fingers until the bolt is tight enough to engage the ratchet mechanism.

>>> Fabric CO2/lever kit review

However, once the bolt is tight enough to use, the shape and angle of the tool can then make it a little difficult to use on cramped places on the bike.

I've also found it to be not particularly well built. Sadly, dropping it resulted in a dent to the thin outer body which now affects how well the inner body and outer body tighten together. It still remains together but the two don't sit flush any more.

>>> Topeak Mini Ten multi-tool

Similarly, the keys sit quite loosely in the ratchet mechanism and are prone to wobbling about.

As with everything Fabric produces, it's a good-looking design that sits comfortably in a jersey pocket. However, it does smack a little of form over function right now, and it would be good to see the company resolve the wobbly ratchet mechanisms as well as finding a way to include a chain tool.

2Toms is a US brand of sports products, based in Texas, which majors on sorting out those pongs which seem to linger in your kit after prolonged use. The brand is owned by Medi-Dyne, a larger company that produces a wide range of products to prevent and treat pain and injuries, both for athletes and health care applications. 2Toms also produces a roll-on chamois cream and other stuff to stop you being rubbed up the wrong way by your sports kit.

It says that its Stink Free sports detergent contains a high-end cleaner and residue lifter that helps to restore clothing performance and breathability. It’s safe to use on GoreTex and Neoprene garments as well as the usual Lycra. 2Toms also says it’s colour safe.

>>> Hot weather cycling: five tips to help you keep your cool

It’s worth using a specialist sports detergent on your cycling kit as standard laundry detergents can damage the performance of technical apparel, either its wicking ability for hot weather gear or its water repellency for technical shell garments.

Watch: How to wash cycle clothing

Stink Free can be used in a washing machine, with a recommendation to use around 25ml for a full load. With a bottle containing 887ml it will do around 35 loads at this dosage. 2Toms quotes 30 loads, but this is assuming you use the one fluid ounce (everything’s in US measures) suggested for medium loads. Since US top-loading machines use a lot more water than European front loaders you can probably get away with less than this – the UK site suggests half that quantity.

>>> Embarrassing cycling problems and how to prevent them

I’ve found that Stink Free has been effective at cleaning mud and road dirt from my cycling kit. It has also managed to sort out the usual smells that accumulate in synthetic baselayers after a ride.

At £16.50 for a bottle, 2Toms Stink Free is quite pricey, but it lasts a long time and if it maintains the performance of your cycling kit, it’s a worthwhile investment. You can also buy a two-wash trial pack for £2.25.

No Quarter is a custom paint company born out of a passion for detailing that began in the automotive industry in No Quarter director James Langton's father's workshop.

>>> How to clean your road bike in seven minutes

The eight-piece cycle kit is designed to clean and protect your frame – and frame only. It will struggle to remove dirt and grime from your drivetrain and doesn't come with a degreaser, so if you're the type of rider that goes some time before cleaning your bike then the No Quarter kit might not work for you.

Video: How to clean your bike in seven minutes

However, if you take pride in your bike and want to bring out the best of its paintwork then do consider No Quarter's cleaning kit. Within it you'll get shampoo, wax, microfibre cloths, a detailing brush, a fine-pore detailing sponge and a waterproof pouch to keep it all in.

No Quarter's shampoo is specifically designed to be kind to your bike. I was initially worried that it wouldn't be powerful enough to remove typical road scum. However, as little as four small cupfuls is sufficient and with a bit of blasting with the hose produces a lot of foam and does smell very nice indeed. Slapped on the bike with the supplied sponge it soaks and foams nicely and without much effort the dirt quickly comes off.

The detailing brush helps to reach obscure areas and loosens grime so it can easily be washed away with a bit of water.

You'll need to use one of the cloths to dry your frame after a rinse to prepare it for the wax, which is applied using the applicator provided. This wax helps bring the shine back to your frame and although this isn't something I'd usually do, it helped highlight any missed areas and enabled me to thoroughly check for any damage too. Something I'm sure many do anyway, but I can be a little slapdash.

The wax, like the shampoo, smells good and is applied easily enough. The excess is then wiped off using the second cloth. The wax really helps the frame sparkle. Whether it helps keep dirt away I can't confirm, though the bike does look lovely after using the kit.

Rock "N" Roll Gold lubricant is recommended for road and mountain bike use, which is great because I’ve needed to use this lubricant on my cyclo-cross bike's chain as well as a couple of road machines over the winter. Before use I noticed the contents tend to separate out within the bottle with a waxy layer falling to the bottom, so you need to give it a good shake to mix everything up before starting.

Rock "N" Roll tells you to apply a stream to the chain as you turn the cranks, then rotate the chain backwards for around five seconds. This should be enough time for the lube to penetrate the chain and wash out any grime. It has a pretty standard nozzle so application is easy.

>>> Wet or dry: which chain lube should you use?

After this, you need to wipe any excess off the chain. Rock "N" Roll tells you to do this very thoroughly, so that the chain is left shiny and you'll need to. It also says that you should clean excess lube off the chainwheels.

>>> How to clean your road bike in seven minutes (video)

And that’s it. You can ride straight away, although it’s better to leave the chain overnight before riding.

Watch: How to lube your chain

The net result is a very shiny chain that stays that way. I’ve ridden a good few miles on road bikes without needing to reapply, with Rock "N" Roll saying that you can just wipe the chain down after a ride.

>>> This device can make your bike 12 Watts more efficient

It’s also shrugged off muddy rides on a cyclo-cross bike without the chain getting clogged up or going rusty, although Rock "N" Roll makes an Extreme formulation that it says is more suitable for mountain bikes and wet road rides.

At £9 for just under 120ml, Gold is reasonable value compared to other chain lubricants, and is effective and long lasting.

Some clincher tyre-rim combinations can be a real pain to deal with, whereas with others the tyre can go over the rim wall with minimal effort. Difficult combinations are becoming more common with the rise of tubeless systems where the tight junction between the tyre bead and the rim is what keeps the tyre inflated and there needs to be a close connection between the tyre and the spoke bed to get the tyre to seat at all.

>>> How to puncture proof your tyres (video)

So the bit of extra leverage the the Lezyne Power Lever XL offers is useful – you definitely don’t want your tyre lever snapping if you need to repair a flat out on the road, something which has happened to me with other levers.

At 168mm in length, the Lezyne Power Lever XL is significantly longer than a standard lever, so there’s a lot more to get hold of, allowing you to exert more force. It also feels a lot sturdier than most standard levers, with central ribs to add rigidity and a curved upper surface to make it more comfortable to use.

>>> How to repair a punctured tube (video)

Watch: How to fix a puncture

The business end of the lever is sufficiently thin and curved to get under most tyre beads, even those which are a tight fit. Lezyne sells the Power Lever XL as a pair for £4.99 and they fit together to stop them getting separated. A set of these levers is likely to last for years and won’t add too much weight to a saddle pack or pocket. So they should be a good investment for trouble-free tyre maintenance and repair.

If you want to keep your pride and joy in tip top condition, then a wash and clean should be part of your post-ride ritual, particularly with damper, saltier conditions on the roads.

>>> How to clean your bike

Buy now:

• Oxford Products triple brush set from Oxford Products for £9.99
• Double Stubble Wheel Brush from Oxford Products for £3.99
• Tyre Scrub Brush from Oxford Products for £3.99
• Claw Brush from Oxford Products for £3.99
• Wheely Clean Brush from Oxford Products for £4.99
• Prong U Shape Brush from Oxford Products for £3.99

Oxford Products has come out with a comprehensive and reasonably priced range of brushes to wash pretty much every part of your bike. My favourite is the Double Stubble, which is made with two different stiffnesses of bristles. This means that you can use the softer ones for less mucky parts of the bike and switch to the harder ones when you have some really stuck on – well you know what is usually really hard to shift. The brush is also sufficiently small to get into trickier parts of the bike’s anatomy, such as between the bottom bracket and the wheel. It comes in at £3.99.

If you prefer a broader brush, then the Big Softie at £4.99 might be for you. It’s got bristles with softer ends to avoid scratching and will deal with larger areas at a time than the Double Stubble.

>>> Bike cleaning kit group test

£4.99 also buys you a Wheely Clean wheel brush. It’s got quite stiff bristles and a narrow design to get between spokes and hubs, while for £3.99 the Claw Brush tackles drivetrains, with a claw at one end to get between the cassette sprockets and a small bristle brush at the other to deal with derailleurs.

Watch: How to clean your bike in seven minutes

The range is completed by the Prong Brush with a U-shape which is useful for wheels, forks and stays and the Tyre Scrub brush at £3.99 to get your side walls shiny – although this looks more suited to motorcycle and car tyres.

All the brushes are made of blue plastic and have comfortable easy-grip rubber handles.

If something goes wrong out on a ride, chances are it will involve the wheels or drivetrain. Pedro’s RXM multitool is well appointed to deal with either of these eventualities.

For starters, it’s got a neat removable all-metal chain tool which slots into the plastic multitool body. This uses the multitool’s 5mm allen key as a handle. It also integrates three different widths of spoke key into its base, with these being deep enough to reduce the risk of burring the nipple’s facets.

>>> Multitool buyer's guide

Also in the mix is a Mavic M7 spoke wrench, incorporated into the multitool itself. So you’ve got pretty much everything you need to sort out a broken chain or true up a dodgy wheel packed away in there. There’s also a flat bladed screwdriver – but no crosshead one.

Having covered all that lot, there’s a relatively sparse set of allen keys: six in total from 2.5mm up to 8mm, with the largest being a push-on cap over the 6mm version. There’s no torx head either, which may or may not be a problem dependent on how your bike is bolted together.

Watch: How to change your chain

The body of the tool is made of plastic, but seems sturdy enough and it’s shaped so that it’s comfortable to use. It also incorporates a stop which means that you can turn your allen keys out to 90 degrees to the body, but no further, so that you can get leverage without the heads slipping around.

>>> Seven essentials you need to take on every ride

The RXM tool is well thought out and contains pretty much everything which you might need to keep going if you have a mechanical when out riding, with the exception of a crosshead screwdriver and a torx bit. It’s quite heavy though at 160g, although it does mean you don’t have to carry a separate chain tool as well. But it’s a good price for such a comprehensive multitool.

Made in the UK, Juice Lubes claims that its Viking Juice is good for both wet and dry conditions. It’s a lightweight lubricant which is very easy to apply and penetrates the chain well without leaving a lot of excess on the plates. This means that it doesn’t attract junk and muck.

>>> Winter cycling survival guide

Juice Lubes recommends applying the lube to a cleaned and degreased chain in advance of setting out, to allow the time for the lube to penetrate the chain and the carrier to evaporate. It also suggests applying it up to four times to get the full effect, but I’ve found that once, followed by rotating the chain for a bit to encourage spreading before leaving it to dry out is adequate.

>>> Wet or dry: which chain lube should you use?

As well as on road bikes, I’ve been using Viking Juice on a cyclocross bike which has been ridden through the vagaries of a British summer. The chain has stayed pretty clean and shiny despite riding through muck, dust and high water. A quick reapplication after washing down has also stopped the chain from going rusty between rides, suggesting that it’s pretty resistant to washing off.

>>> How to clean your bike

Watch: How to lube your chain

Juice Lubes says that Viking Juice was formulated with the help of 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt – a Swede, hence the name – to keep his bike running throughout whatever conditions that race had to offer. It’s supplied in a 130ml bottle which, since the lube is so light, lasts for ages if you’re careful how you apply it.

Most bikes nowadays feature a selection of allen key bolts, so a good set of home workshop allen keys is important to have available. They should be long enough to provide a decent handhold and leverage is important for the larger tools, as bolts on chainsets and pedals in particular can be quite tough to loosen. It’s also useful to have a round end to the keys so that you can tackle bolts which are awkward to reach from different angles.

Pedro’s Hex Wrench Set satisfies all these requirements. It’s got nine allen keys sized from 1.5mm up to 10mm, including a 2.5mm, so it caters for pretty much any sized bolt which you are likely to encounter on a modern machine. The wrenches are made from steel alloy, so they’re robust too.

>>> How to look after your new wheels

The keys come in a plastic holder, so with a bit of self-discipline they shouldn’t end up scattered or lost in the toolbox or shed either. The holder has an in-built hanger if you want to hook it to your wall and it will rest on its side as well as flat, which makes it easier to see which wrench you are selecting.

Watch: How to change your handlebar height

At 22cm and 20cm long respectively, the 10mm and 8mm allen keys provide plenty of leverage to tackle larger bolts, while even the finer keys are long enough to get a firm grasp of. All the keys down to 4mm have their size stamped on the shaft too, so you can select the right one for the job at hand.

>>> Six things you forgot to buy with your Cycle to Work voucher

As a workshop toolset, the Pedro’s Hex Wrench set is hard to fault. Look after it and keep the tools together and it should keep your bike well fettled for years. But with torx heads increasingly making an appearance, you might need the corresponding L Torx Wrench set from Pedro’s too.

The Fenwick’s Stealth Road Bike Kit includes all the basic products needed to give your grimy bike the TLC it deserves. Coming in a decent sized plastic tub that can double up as a wash bucket, it includes the typical range of degreaser, cleaners, lubricants and cleaning sponges.

All Fenwick's products are labelled as environmentally friendly, which is good to know when you are hosing your bike down in the garden and not wanting to kill your plants. The other good thing about Fenwick’s formulas is they are free of corrosive ingredients that could damage delicate parts, especially your carbon frame.

Going through the usual routine of applying degreaser to the chain first, I found you only needed a tiny squirt of the Foaming Chain Cleaner as it foams up incredibly quickly and expansively. So much so that you need to make sure you apply precisely, otherwise your bike, patio and everything in a large radius is covered. In conjunction with the ingenious chain sponge it cleans everyday grime quickly. When facing older, heavier grease and oil it did struggle and a lot of black residue was left.

>>> How to clean your bike

The FS10 cleaner has a pleasant odour (always important) and works well to clean road grime off the frame and components, clearing brake dust easily. Where the Fenwick’s Stealth Road Bike Kit is unbeatable on value is the inclusion of a bottle of FS1, this being the concentrated version of FS10. It can be diluted to make a further 11 litres of cleaner so should last an incredibly long time.

Multi-purpose lubricant is always an odd one, being more useful for general maintenance than at cleaning time. I would much prefer to see a water dispersant type spray that could be used immediately after washing.`

The Fenwick's Stealth chain lube is some of the smoothest I have used and a small application kept the chain quiet for a couple of weeks without picking up too much dirt.

When using the kit and cleaning a properly dirty bike I did miss the inclusion of some specific brushes like those found in other kits to make the job just a little easier.

For more details visit the Zyro website.

The Park Tool MT-20 multi-tool offers the main think that you’d expect from Park Tool: quality. However unfortunately that quality has to come at a price that makes this tool look like a bit of a lightweight alongside its competitors.

>>> Buyer's guide to cycling multi-tools

The thing that first impresses you about the Park Tool MT-20 multi-tool is its size. Just 6cm long and 3cm wide, it’s absolutely tiny, and should be small enough to fit into even the most compact of saddle bags. That also means that it’s fairly light too at 93g, so if you’re struggling for space in your saddle bag then you can put it in your rear jersey pocket without it beginning to sag. The only downside of its size is that it doesn’t offer much leverage if you’ve got an overtightened bolt although  to be fair to Park Tool that’s not really what this multi-tool is designed for.

Watch: Secrets of the Toolbox with Team Sky

Despite its compact dimensions, the Park Tool MT-20 multi-tool manages to pack in a fair number of functions: eight in total (as long as you count the key ring holder as a function). You get the standard set of Allen keys (3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm) plus a flat head screwdriver, a T25 Torx key, and a CO2 adaptor. That final function is probably my favourite of the lot, working very well, and meaning you don’t have to carry around a separate adaptor.

>>> Seven essentials you need to take on every ride

All of the tools are very well made, and I never had any problems using them even through a few months of having the Park Tool MT-20 multi-tool stored in a very un-waterproof saddle bag.

That means that there is nothing wrong with the multi-tool itself, but it’s impossible to ignore the price. At a penny under £30, this is at the upper end of what you should be paying for a multi-tool, and yet offers relatively few functions. For the same price or less, you can easily find multi-tools such as the Topeak Pro 20 multi-tool that offer 20 or more functions (even if some of those might be a little surplus to requirements), so the eight on offer from the Park Tool MT-20 multi-tool is a figure that is significantly below par.

For more details visit the Madison website.

The clue’s in the name: the Mini Ten is very compact and incorporates ten tools. It’s not quite top of Topeak’s Mini tool range which starts with the Mini Six, with pride of place going to the Mini 18, which somehow manages to fit in allen keys up to 10mm, a chain tool, a tyre lever and a bottle opener.

Here's how to sort out your rear mech

The Mini Ten is designed to take with you on your travels and comes in a neat padded pouch. At only 7cm long it will easily fit into a saddle pack or disappear into a jersey pocket. But it’s quite heavy at 92 grams, as all the tools are made of steel. This does mean that they’re super-durable though and it would be hard work to round them out.

>>> Secrets of the toolbox: Lotto Soudal

>>> Multi-tool buyer's guide

The tool selection is comprehensive, including a Phillips head, four different torx drivers and a range of small allen keys. These are useful for items such as seatpost and saddle clamps and stems, as well as the tiny bolts in gear mechs and brake levers. But the largest allen key is only 5mm, so you may find you’re lacking wrenchability for some of the larger bolts on your bike such as pedals and rear mechs. And I found it hard to discover any bolts which needed the full range of torq drivers (although these are becoming more prevalent on new bikes and components) or the 1.5mm allen key.

>>> Topeak Tool Monster Air review

Despite the Mini Ten’s diminutive size, the different heads are easy to use as there’s plenty of comfortable leverage from the aluminium tool body. And the small size means that you can get at awkward bolts easily, such as those on bottle cages.

As it name suggests the Topeak Mini Pro 20 multi-tool includes 20 different functions within its sleek black anodised body.

Carried neatly in an easily accessible neoprene sleeve to protect the tool and stop it rattling in your bag the Mini Pro 20 features a full repertoire including tools most road riders will never need.

>>> Find the best cycling multi-tool: a buyer’s guide

The Allen keys come in sizes from 2mm to a massive 10mm adapter that slides onto the 8mm so crank bolts can be tightened if needed.

There are both flat head and Phillips screwdriver for tweaking gear limits and Torx T25 and Torx T10 bits mostly used for hydraulic brakes.

>>> How to fix a puncture (video)

The chaintool is of a more practical removable design and functions very well, it also has a neat wire chain hook to de-tension the chain, nipple keys and another Allen key to tighten the main body.

The tools themselves are made of hardened steel and the sizing is very accurate. In use the short length of most of the tools prevented full, effective use, especially the screwdrivers whose position in the middle of the tool made it difficult to access front derailleur screws.

The chaintool worked well and overall it will get you out of most spots of bother.

Park Tools have approached the multitool concept from a different angle creating the unique looking Park Tool IB-3 multi-tool.

Rather than having the tools inside a retaining body the IB-3 has a central body anodized in the familiar Park blue with the tools either side.

This makes functionality considerably better than some as being on the outside makes getting into tighter areas much less of a hassle.

>>> Find the best cycling multi-tool: a buyer’s guide

Made of the same materials as their workshop tools you know the IB-3 will last a considerable time and the additional weight compared to some gives you that reassurance.

The IB-3 includes Allen keys from 1.5m-8mm (on an adapter), Torx T25, a flat head spanner, a ‘proper’ chaintool and a slide off tyre lever that is also the chaintool handle and also includes spoke keys.

The slide off nature of the tyre lever is probably the main worry with this tool as it could be very easy to forget to put it back on after use, especially as it is black.

The IB-3 is not the most aesthetically pleasing of the tools in this test and the central I-beam construction is not the most comfortable to use but the great practicality and durability make it stand out.

Never one to pander to modern trends, Brooks’s approach to a multi-tool is as you would expect, functional and durable.

Nestled in-between two thick black anodized aluminium retaining plates lie 10 practical tools fashioned from steel that are suited to most roadside repairs. Included are 2-8mm Allen Keys, a Torx T25 plus flat head and Phillips #1 screwdrivers.

>>> Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic groupset and Shimano Ultegra mechanical groupset (video)

Most of the tools are full length, barring the 8mm, so the Brooks MT10 multi-tool is equally suited to workshop use.

The tool performed very well but there are a few issues: the body has sharp edges due to the machining process so can be a little uncomfortable in the hand and could scratch delicate surfaces.

>>> How to fix a puncture

The Phillips head is the smaller style and can damage limit screw heads if not used carefully. Finally, a small niggle, the leather sleeve is very hard to get on and off so you may want to ditch it in the winter.

Overall, however, a classy offering.

The Crank Brothers M10 Special Edition multi-tool offers a lesson in functionality by including the 10 most commonly used tools to cover most eventualities out on the road. All of the tools are of a sufficient length to comfortably tackle the job of loosening or tightening stubborn bolts and are made of 6150 high-tensile steel.

>>> Birzman E-Version 15 multi-tool review

The retaining body is made up of two slim yet comfortable knurled alloy rods. The M10 comes complete with 2-8mm Allen key sizes, including a 2.5mm, plus Phillips and flathead screwdrivers and a Torx T25 for disc rotors, all of which fitted well, while the slimmer size of the tool allowed good access in restricted areas.

The only issue with choosing the M10 as your only multi-tool is the lack of a chain tool;  for this you will need to look at the M10’s bigger brother, the M17. This apart, the M10 is a great little tool to use at home or on the go.

New from Muc-Off comes Bio Grease. This product is a thick grease designed for bottom brackets, headsets and threads. Not to be confused with a less viscous lube designed for chains. Properly lubing your bike is even more important during winter, as the grease stops water entering bearings.

Muc-Off have produced this handy video that demonstrates application of the lube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gXlYorHV_k

This grease is amongst the most hydrophobic we have encountered, meaning it is very good at repelling water. It also smells really nice, sort of like children's strawberry toothpaste, so nice that we would advice keeping out of reach of children who might be tempted to taste it.

This product is also biodegradable and eco-friendly – containing no petroleum based oils. We would be more than happy to pay the £10 retail price considering a tube will last a long time, the product works and is eco friendly. A smaller nozzle on the tube would be preferable as would allow for precise application in certain areas, but this isn't a major criticism.

For more information head over to Muc-Off.

Getting a puncture is pain in the rear, all the faff followed by what seems like hours of pumping to get some air back in the tyre. The SKS Airbuster eliminates the latter, which is great when in a rush or if you’ve had to stop on a cold day.

After an initial confusion as the SKS Airbuster was set for Schrader valves this little inflator was super easy to use. Simply unscrew the canister to release the transport safety catch, re-screw the canister in – ensuring the top cap is turned to closed - push the nozzle onto the valve, turn the top cap to open and hey presto your tyre begins to inflate smoothly. The top cap can be used to control the speed the tyre fills at, but we advise turning it slowly to keep track of how hard the tyre is getting.

Coming with a simple cradle that can be attached to your bike using the bottle cage screws, the SKS Airbuster can be transported and kept on the bike, so it’s there when you need it. A small cap covers the nozzle ensuring no dirt gets in and blocks it. If this isn’t your style the inflator can be stowed in a pocket and with the transport safety clip engaged there’s no worry of leaking CO2 in your pocket.

One thing to be aware of with the SKS Airbuster is that the plasticy, rubber cover on the canister itself doesn’t go quite high enough, meaning it’s easy to end up holding the metal canister itself. This can be an issue and you may end up freezing your fingers, so ensure you wear gloves or be carful not to touch the metal.

This Pedro's ICM multi-tool is on the larger side in comparison to some slimline models available. The main reason for this is that it has nearly every tool you could want for general day-to-day riding and shed fettling.

As well as the standard range of allen key sizes, there's a torq head, flat and phillips screwdrivers, a chain tool and some spoke tensioners. Added in for a bonus treat, a couple of tough tyre levers that didn't break despite the tough tyre challenges we threw at it.

In the hand it does feel quite basic, the materials used and general finish are slightly below what we would prefer after spending £25. It's not the most luxurious of tools, but that isn't a top concern for most cyclists, we wouldn't have thought.

Polished tools don't stay very shiny for long if they're bouncing around in the back of a saddle bag anyway. So despite our initial preferences, we were very happy with what the £25 price tag actually buys you, and that's a great tool.

In use, where a multi-tool shows its worth, the Pedro's ICM was quick to offer up a selected tool, easy to operate and very comfortable in the hand. I do like a small, compact multi-tool, which this definitely isn't, but what I like more is a tool that has everything I might need, and is painless to use. That's what makes a winner, and the Pedro's ICM is certainly that.

They may not be the sexiest piece of cycling kit, but a good chain cleaner is essential to keep your prize steed in good working order and, more importantly, looking nice and shiny. The Muc-Off X-3 Dirty Chain Machine is an innovative offering that should make the job of keeping your drivetrain spick and span that little bit easier.

What sets the Muc-Off X-3 apart from its competitors is the way in which it keeps dirty degreaser away from the clean chain. The included drivetrain cleaner is poured into a small reservoir above the chain, and is then released by pressing a button on the top of the device. This is then forced into the drive train by the rotating brushes before collecting in the bottom of the device, making sure it's not recycled and you're not covering your clean chain in dirty liquid.

In practice the system worked perfectly. The fully biodegradeable drivetrain cleaner was strong enough to remove even the most caked-on grease and grime, while the firm brushes ensured it was well distributed throughout the chain.

The addition of a handle on the side of the Muc-Off X-3 was useful for holding the unit steady, although keeping a hold of the handle and pressing down the button to release the drivetrain cleaner with one hand was a little tricky.

The only other problem we could find was the price, which at £30 RRP may be a little on the high side. Admittedly this includes a 75ml bottle of drivetrain cleaner, but if you're planning on using the Muc Off X-3 regularly this won't last long — we used half a bottle during our test.

We were so excited when the Rap 14 turned up, but sadly the romance came to a crashing end when we tried to use it on a SRAM Red groupset.

Mid-ride, we found the need to tweak the rear mech but, hang on, the high and low screws need a flat blade screwdriver or a 2.5mm Allen key, neither of which is fitted to the Rap 14 — a bit of an omission given SRAM’s place in the market.

The tyre lever sort of worked, but only with serious care. And how about the 4mm to adjust the cable tension? Another struggle as the Allen key was fractionally oversized and had to be forced in.

Essentially (but say it quietly), a bike is a bike. As such, they function in a similar way, and sometimes unfortunately go wrong in similar ways. When you suffer minor mechanicals out on the road, a multi-tool can come to the rescue and see you home, whatever kind of bike you're riding.

Crank Brothers are well known around the mountain bike scene and this tool is their move into the road market. You can see their MTB pedigree from the two Torx tools and both flat- and cross-head screwdrivers, great for mountain bike adjustments and with some use on road bikes.

Crank Brothers b14 multi-tool is nice and solid, and certainly feels worthy of its price tag. The solid feel giving it an assured performance when undertaking repairs.

Unfortunately, this multi-tool does lack some of the extra features we might hope for, such as a chain tool or tyre lever. These are tools that a lot of people may own anyway, and are small when put in a jersey pocket, but to have a does-it-all multi-tool is something a lot of people will look for.

We tested the Pro Minitool 11 multi-tool alongside a number of other multi-tools from rival brands. The Pro wins the competition for the tiniest tool on test, with this super-slimline offering.

As the name suggests, it includes 11 tools, covering all the basics but not the obvious chain tool or tyre lever. As most cyclists will know, chain tools and tyre levers are pretty small and can be wedged in a pocket or saddle bag without much hassle. But with others on the market offering these essentials as part of the package, we were left a bit wanting with the Pro Minitool 11.

However, the small size meant that with a small summer saddle bag on, it slipped in perfectly alongside a spare tube and some change for the cafe stop.

A compromise on usability is made with a design so small though, and you’ll need strong hands to get the firmest of bolts loosened, so keep that in mind ahead of purchase.

Finding an environmentally friendly bike-cleaning product is always music to my ears.

A clear liquid with a pleasant smell of citronella, I initially wondered if it was up to the job.

Dispensing the degreaser via a small 250ml trigger spray bottle, it was easy to apply.

Its low viscosity did mean that it ran off the chain and cassette, which led me to apply a pretty generous dose in order to ensure both were fully covered.

With marketing blurb aimed at ?off-road activities, it's easy to overlook Mud Off, but if you've ridden even as much as a centimetre on the road this winter, then you need this cleaner in your life.

The all-over cleaner has a foam-like consistency that clings to your bike and gets down to business straight away. By the time I switched on the tap and hosed it down, the results were verging on miraculous.

It's ?the closest I've ?ever got to a wash and go - even the blackest of road ?crud was removed.

First off, sorry if this looks like an advert, it's not - it's simply that these two Fenwick's products work together brilliantly with ?the company's Stealth lube (above).

>>> How to clean your bike

Chorley-based Fenwick's has created a cleaner that works best with the company's own lube; so if you use the foaming chain cleaner on other lubes it's average, but use it on Fenwick's lube and it works brilliantly. That's also the secret to the cleaning sponge.

Liberal quantities of cleaner and the sponge do 90 per cent of the job done by a ‘proper' chain cleaner with a quarter of the effort, making it so easy you'll want to do it every time you clean your bike.

Now in its fourth edition, this colourful guide takes you right back to basics on home maintenance, carefully explaining the function and workings of various components, rather than just a step by step of how to fix them.

Like For Dummies it's a good one for the total newcomer who'd like to learn their way around the bike as well as the toolbox.

This little book represents great value and is surprisingly detailed.

Its magazine-like format is full of useful extra titbits of information alongside the main text and the step-by-step photos are clear and very helpful.

There's plenty of recognition of various standards by manufacturers too, with instructions for each.

Now, if we were to do the unthinkable and judge a book by its cover we'd assume from the look of the chap on the front that this one was published in the early Eighties.

It actually dates merely from 2007. It has to be said, it's a rather basic manual, briefly covering the parts of all types of bikes, focused on maintenance rather than repair as the title suggests.

The layout isn't the clearest, although it does include both pictures and diagrams.

Most people have a Haynes manual at home for their chosen breed of car - for motor vehicles it's considered the go-to reference guide.

The bike version stays up to date with frequent new editions and the crisp photos and succinct steps with large print make it handy to work from directly in the workshop.

Just like their tools, this manual is costly, but if the quality of the advice matches up to our favourite blue spanners and Allen keys it's a worthy investment. It didn't disappoint.

The information is comprehensive and the photos, illustrated using Park's products, naturally, are very informative.

It's a very dry read though with no surplus jocular frivolity à la For Dummies - although the more experienced home mechanic may prefer that.

The first impression of this weighty tome is that it might be aimed at the more advanced home mechanic.

Get inside it though and it's actually very beginner friendly, with great emphasis placed on initial positioning and bike set-up.

The step-by-step processes can appear a little information dense, however, and not everything gets a diagram, but it's not too drily written.

The illustrations that are included are extremely clear and detailed though.

With genuine DuPont-branded Teflon you can rest assured the raw ingredients of this lube are up to the task despite the budget price.

Housed as they are in this Weldtite Dry product, they are best reserved for race day or if you can guarantee a long spell of dry weather.

It is a very thin lube and noticeably speeds up the drive, reducing friction, but the trade-off is longevity.

Making your bike gleam used to involve elbow grease, but wax on, wax off no longer; a quick squirt of Muc-Off's Silicone Shine works wonders on practically all parts of your bike (and a myriad of other things too) with next to no effort.

Because it dries completely, paintwork, anodising, plastics and carbon parts can be coated and left looking like new again, plus the silicone barrier then repels dirt and water.

It really works, making a noticeable difference to how well grime rinsed off on the next wash.

From the first sighting it's clear that the Pedro's Pro Chain Tool 2.0 is just that - professional.

The flat, ergonomically shaped handle looks rather like a propeller and fits the hand well.

Two sets of teeth to hold the chain in place are aided by a guide for the extracting pin but there's nothing for a stiff link.

With a roughly forged main body complete with two sets of chain-retaining teeth and a secondary set for loosening stiff links, the Ice Toolz is a serious piece of kit.

Fenwick's FS-1 is a versatile cleaner.

Used at full strength it's an effective degreaser, happily shifting thick grime off chains and sprockets.

Diluted, as recommended, one part to 10 parts water, it's not brilliant, still needing plenty of elbow grease with a stiff brush to break up road grime.

A higher concentration has the desired effect - we tried 1:5, which was much better.

No job is worse than cleaning a grimy drivetrain, although Finish Line's Speed Degreaser can ease the pain.

Doing exactly what it says on the tin, spraying on the Speed Degreaser quickly cuts through the grime, as long as it's not too many weeks' worth, and will bring your drivetrain up sparkling (almost) in no time.

There are wet lubes and then there are wet lubes, Chain-L's No 5 is definitely the latter.

A thin coating lasted for ages, spreading throughout the chain, then to the rings, even ending up covering oversocks and chainstays. It does a great job of keeping the chain running smoothly and quietly, and yet doesn't seem to attract a lot of dirt.

We did, though, notice chains showing signs of wear earlier than we felt they should, given the type of riding we were doing.