In Part 1, we covered attitude and technique for muddy riding. In the second and final part, we look at appropriate gear and bike preparation as well as bike care after a muddy ride.

RECOMMENDED GEAR

Teflon cooking spray: You won’t find this at a bike shop, but teflon cooking spray applied to your downtube, bottom-bracket, seattube, chainstays and seatstays will make it difficult for mud to stick to your bike. For a while. If you’re out there for a long time it will eventually lose its effectiveness, but it definitely works. Make sure you avoid spraying your brake discs!

Narrower tyres: Tyre brands can boast all they want about a certain model’s ability to ‘shed mud’, which is fine if it’s a small amount of dry-ish mud. But if it’s loads of slushy mud, the best tyre is actually a thinner tyre – any model. A thinner tyre moves through the mud better and finds some traction on the firmer ground beneath. If you’re going to be riding a lot of mud, consider fitting narrower tyres. 

Rain jacket: To a point, most rain jackets are effective at keeping you a little dryer and warmer. If it’s hard rain you’re riding through, then it’s going to overwhelm the water-resistant qualities of your rain jacket and you’ll gradually get soaked. There are rain jackets that are waterproof and more effective, but they’re not that common in South Africa, are expensive and don’t really have much in the way of ventilation so you tend to sweat more in them. 

Clear eyewear: As with a rain jacket, clear lens (or light-tint lens) eyewear will only be effective to a point. Once you hit serious mud, it splatters on your lenses and you’re better off removing your eyewear. But if it’s minimal or moderate mud, they do help shield specks of mud and grit from hitting your eyes, which can be painful and distracting. 

POST RIDE

Bike wash: A muddy ride should always be followed by a proper bike wash. Your bike cost a lot of money so it’s worth investing in a good quality bike wash detergent to keep it clean. When cleaning your bike after a muddy ride, schedule some extra time because you want to ensure you get all the grit and grime off the bike. If you really want it super clean, drop it off at Lynnwood Cyclery for a wash and lube. They’ll also check for wear and tear of parts.

Chain lube: And of course, a washed bike needs chain lubrication. There’s a range of lubricants to choose from. Most South Africans use a dry chain lube because our conditions are generally dry and dusty. Wet chain lube is better for wet conditions, but if it’s muddy, neither is really going to provide any real benefit on a gritty, muck-covered drivetrain. Stick with dry lube, but try different brands to see which you like best. 

For all your muddy-weather-riding gear, visit Lynnwood Cyclery or shop online here. https://www.lynnwoodcyclery.co.za