My bike stinks!

[palinurus]

About 9 months ago I lent my old MTB to an acquaintance who wanted to borrow it to get to work. Since the guy hardly ever has any work I thought: why the f*** not. He suggested that maybe he could buy it after a bit.

He got kicked out of his room a couple of weeks ago for non-payment of rent and spent a couple nights kipping under a bridge. In the snow.

As a result i've got my bike back.

While he had it he stored it in his room. The room where he'd sit chainsmoking roll-ups with the windows closed.

I've washed it but it still stinks. Makes me want to puke. The whole shed stinks too. Even if I leave it outside I can smell it from several metres away. Back when smoking was allowed in pubs my bass combo used to stink the place up when I brought it in after a gig, but it was nothing like this.

I only use it to pull the trailer to the dump, even so I don't want to be riding a stinky bike. I also want to book it in to the LBS so they can do the headset, and i'd rather not take it in as it is.

Anyone got any bike-deodorizing tips?

Maybe it's covered in a sort of oily condensate which the bike wash won't get at but which I could remove using solvents, might give that a go first.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Are you sure you're not being a little oversensitive here?

 

[fossyant]

Mr Sheen.....you prob won't get the smell out of tyres, frips and the saddle though....

I know what you mean - if we ever leave stuff an the in-laws for any time, it smells bad - FIL is a heavy smoker....

 

[palinurus]

No. It really reeks. I don't feel that I'll have properly reclaimed it until it smells like a normal bicycle.

 

[palinurus]

Right: Experiment 1, Mr Sheen. I'll report back on the results.

 

[DJ]

I think you must have a very good sence of smell! I don't think I have ever been able to smell my bike!

I presume you have tried washing it?

Then maybe rub something that has a nice smell all over it, maybe soap, coffee, a scented candle or maybe spray it with a smelly aerosol?!

Just some thought's!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I think you must have a very good sence of smell! I don't think I have ever been able to smell my bike!

That's what I thought. I have no idea what my bikes smell like, it's not something that had ever crossed my mind.

 

[fossyant]

Good car polish...hmm that smells nice.....

You can't normally smell your bike, cos it doesn't smell.

Tobacco smoke penetrates all porous surfaces, so I think tyres, saddle, grips might have to go !

If you don't smoke, the smell of stale tobacco is stomach wrenching.....

 

[Dave5N]

GT85

 

[palinurus]

I did smoke. A number of my friends do. Not normally bothered about stale smoke- this is another level entirely.

Probably right about the tyres, grips and saddle. The grips need doing anyway. The tyres have a lot of life in them. Forgot about the saddle- an old Brooks!.

I can only normally smell a bike if it has new tyres (mmmmmm.)

 

[bonj2]

lynx africa
or java
alternatively ride it through a cloud of fabreeze.

 

[palinurus]

So many options, so few stinky bikes..

 

[longers]

Lemon juice? There's plenty in the shops at this time of year.

 

[hubgearfreak]

poor you and poor bike. you should book both yourselves in at an expensive detox hotel. it's a disgrace.

honestly, i often think that it's a shame that you lot didn't live in the 20s, 30s or 40s. when everyone smoked everywhere all the time.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Neatsfoot oil will take the tobacco stink out of the leather saddle.