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Schwalbe is not only a pioneer in the recycling of bicycle tyres; the company from Reichshof in the Oberberg district of North Rhine-Westphalia is also developing ideas in other areas to harmonise ecology and economy. This includes, for example, the bicycle cleaning soap, known in the industry as "Bike Soap". Schwalbe deliberately sees the product as an alternative to the countless industrially produced bicycle cleaners filled in colourful bottles. Schwalbe Product Manager Peter Krischio explains how the idea for the soap came about.
Our product, testing and marketing team ride and test tyres all year round. So we have to wash and maintain a lot of bikes. Refilling the cleaning products is a good approach. However, we then looked at all the cleaning products on our shelves over a beer after the tour and the bike service and started to think about other solutions. Not a bottle, but a product that lasts a long time, works easily and is completely environmentally friendly.
Bike Soap: made from natural substances in Germany
According to Schwalbe, the soap is made entirely from natural substances in Germany. It is dermatologically tested, vegan, microplastic-free and 100 per cent organic biodegradable according to the OECD standard. It also contains no colourants or fragrances, which are added to many industrially produced cleansers and tend to worsen their eco-balance. However, if you look at the data sheet, you will see that the soap contains palm oil - like almost all soaps and countless other (cosmetic) products as well as a number of foods.
The vegetable fat from the flesh of the oil palm fruit very often comes from monocultures for which large areas of rainforest have been cleared. When asked about this, Schwalbe Product Manager Peter Krischio, who has been a strong advocate of the product, replies: "That was also a small problem for us at the time. That's why we are glad that we have found a producer who is committed to the sustainable production of palm oil." The company Kappus from Heitersheim, with whom Schwalbe developed the bike soap, is a member of the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), which has set itself the goal of establishing the sustainable production of palm oil. According to Peter Krischio, the palm oil used for the bike soap comes from certified sustainable production.
Bike Soap Kit: cleaning your bike with a practical brush and aluminium can
Schwalbe has added an attractive and practical aluminium tin with a drip tray and a horsehair brush with a wooden handle to the practical Bike Soap Kit. We have now used the soap several times and followed Schwalbe's instructions when cleaning the bike: Rinse the bike once from top to bottom with a gentle jet of water from the hose and remove coarse dirt. Then lather up some soap with the damp brush and brush the wheel with it. The brush with the long handle is very useful for getting to the hard-to-reach areas and for lathering even the most awkward parts. Then put the soap back in the tin can, where it can dry on the draining board without getting wet. Finally, rinse the wheel again with clear water.
Result: The bike is sparkling clean - with one small blemish; even after repeated spraying with the water hose, the soap leaves streaks, so you can't just leave the bike to air dry. However, if you dry it with a soft and absorbent cotton cloth, you can easily wipe away the streaks. Conclusion: good and effective cleaner, practical cleaning brush - and an uncomplicated small contribution to more environmental protection.
Schwalbe Bike Soap Kit
Thomas Musch
Publisher
