Bike cleaners and chain oils are now available like sand on the beach, but unfortunately not every manufacturer considers the environment when developing new bike care products. But it can be done differently, F100 shows how!
Proper care ensures that you enjoy your bike for a long time and that the flawless function of the components is guaranteed. Unfortunately, cleaners and care products inevitably end up in the soil or water. Not nice for the environment!
Bike Cleaner – Do's & Don'ts
Aggressive and acid-based cleaners are not only bad for the environment, they can sometimes also corrode the material. Even dishwashing detergent (the go-to before the invention of special bike cleaners) is a no-go today! Bike cleaners are tailored to the materials, they are also available for specific components, you can buy brake cleaners for the brakes, there is carbon care and so on.
Environmentally Friendly Bike Cleaners
Many manufacturers today pay attention to environmentally friendly cleaners and care products. The new F100 Bio Bike Cleaner and Bio Chain Oil consist of at least 90% natural and renewable raw materials – we tried both bike care products. Here are our experiences:
Information about F100
↪ What does the manufacturer do differently?
F100 has taken a resource-saving approach with its Bio Bike Cleaner and Bio Chain Oil. Both products consist of at least 90% natural and renewable raw materials – not perfect, but definitely good for the environment. That wasn't enough for the manufacturer, even the packaging of the bike care products is produced ecologically sustainably. Both the bottles and the labels are made from recyclable material.
The F100 Bio Bike Cleaner
The biological bike cleaner consists of more than 97% natural or renewable raw materials. It is also free from fragrances or dyes and guaranteed PH-neutral. Since it is completely acid-free , the material compatibility is ensured even with sensitive materials such as carbon or matte paint. The composition of the cleaner is intended to ensure that dirt (dust, mud, or oil) can be easily removed from the bike. The bike should simply be sprayed on ht and after a reaction time of 5-10 minutes, rinsed off with a garden hose.
F100 Bio Chain Oil
The lubricant – the bio chain oil – is also biodegradable to protect nature and groundwater. Its environmental compatibility is even certified according to the OECD 301 (F) standard. This is a real advantage for nature, and the material (aka. "your bike") benefits from the functional advantages.
F100 promises not little here, namely
- high smoothness of all components
- high wear protection
- high lubrication performance
- corrosion protection
- a high creeping and adhesive effect
- noise reduction of moving parts
- long lubrication or maintenance intervals
The F100 Bicycle Care Products in the Test
From the perspective of nature, both the bio bicycle cleaner and the bio chain oil score points. But do the products also deliver what they promise? We wanted to know if the bio bike care products also convince in practice. To determine this, we first conscientiously completed the fun part of bicycle care: messing up the bike. Here is our test report:
Our Test Bike & the Instructions
Our Octane One OMG test bike was sufficiently dirty after some test rides in the wet autumn and was therefore the perfect candidate for our F100 bicycle cleaner test.
| Here's how to proceed: Spray the cleaner on the dirty bike, wait 5-10 minutes. Then you can rinse off dirt and cleaner with a strong jet of water. |
Sounds doable. So let's get started!
The F100 Bio Bicycle Cleaner in Use
The pump head of the spray bottle is easy to operate and sprays the cleaner thoroughly, so the bike is quickly and efficiently covered. A light foam forms on the surfaces immediately, and after a few seconds, dust, cleaner, and even thicker mud run downwards. The F100 bicycle cleaner visibly ensures that dirt is removed from the surfaces.
In stubborn areas where the mud was thicker and hard-dried, we helped a bit with a wet sponge after the cleaner's exposure time. After that, the garden hose (not a high-pressure cleaner!) was completely sufficient to rinse the bike spotlessly clean. Even in awkward corners, the F100 bike cleaner did a great job, the bike is really tip top clean! We used neither a sponge nor a brush, except on a few stubborn crusts, and still achieved a very respectable result, so the initial question is clearly answered for us: Away with chemical cleaners and towards biological products like the F100 cleaner!
Info on bike care in the Bike Blog
Clean & Maintain Bike in Winter | Proper Bike Care | Proper Bike Cleaning
Biological Chain Care with F100
After the wash is before the chain care, so the next product went directly to the test.
| Here's how to proceed: The biologically based chain oil is first shaken and then applied thinly to the chain. |
Our Experience with the Eco-Friendly F100 Chain Oil
Since the oil is nice and thin, it is very easy and quick to apply. Despite the relatively thin consistency, the oil adheres well to the chain, as promised in the description, and does not drip - a clear plus point.
With the freshly lubricated chain, we were of course immediately on the road again. The chain runs smoothly and quietly, and even after a longer ride in rain and mud, the chain was still adequately covered with an oil film. From our point of view, it brings no advantages to douse your bike chain with chemicals.
Eco-Friendly Bike Care from F100 – Our Conclusion
Both the bike cleaner and the chain oil from F100 have done an excellent job. They not only convinced us on the functional side, but the application was easy and did not take more time than using chemical clubs. The biological facts of the products clearly speak for disposing of chemical clubs in the bike workshop and instead opting for sustainable products like those from F100.
Bicycle care & the tested products in the online shop
F100 brand shop | Bicycle cleaner | Lubricants | Cloths & Brushes | Bicycle care
