There are six days left until the start of the Tour of Italy and in the team warehouses the last ones were used to review the list of materials. Yesterday the trucks set off for Bari, from where they will board ferries to Durres. Albania joined the ATA Carnet in 2013, the international customs document that allows the temporary introduction of goods intended for special events: Customs must be informed of every item entering the country. Even trucks and the well-known bus of the Polti-VisitMalta Team are already on their way.
This article was born almost by chance a few days ago, chatting with the team's Spanish mechanic – Ivan Moya – the day after the sensational blackout that literally shut down the countryAnd so, while talking about bikes and wheels, we ended up talking about the lubricants the team uses.
A technician in retreat
In fact, Moya started to tell about when, in Oliva's first retreat, Team Polti-VisitMalta he found himself in interact with Massimiliano Brivio, research and development man of Arexons: the house that produces the Svitol lubricantsFaced with the need to deepen his knowledge of cycling, the technician took note of every need and property required for the products to be supplied to the team. And when the boxes containing the new supplies arrived in the warehouse, The mechanics realized that everything had been done almost to the letter.Solvents and oils are also studied: when it comes to restoring the bike to efficiency and then polishing it up, nothing can be done by chance.
"I came here to Spain to rest a bit," says Moya, originally from Barcelona but living in Vigo. "But I ended up here during the mega blackout. It felt like we were back in the Middle Ages, only with candles.. An incredible mess. People without phones, without internet, and without batteries. Then, fortunately, everything went back to normal. Anyway, back to us, Brivio came to develop the product, understand our needs and work together to fine-tune it.It's all constantly evolving, they're working on something I can't tell you about. We're talking about dirt removal products, but They also have brushes, sponges and different types of rags to clean any part of the bicycleThey come from cleaning the interior and exterior of cars, so they have a lot of products that can be adapted to the world of cycling with small modifications."
So do they also give you cleaning products?
We use a degreaser, which is given to us in two formats. There is that spray which is great for anyone who wants to keep their bike in good conditionIt allows us to degrease the chain, for example, but it's also a greasy product. You apply it to the sprockets and the chain, let it soak in, and it's very effective. We also use it to clean some smaller parts.
Do you do everything with spray?
It also exists the liquid version, which comes in a five-liter bottle, which we use every day. But first of all, bikes need to be washed and for this we use a concentrated soap, which has an almost ceramic consistency which we also use to clean the frame and leaves a really good finish.
Soap that is diluted with water?
It's a bottle and you only need to use one cap, because it is a very concentrated soap, so that it foams and can be applied with a sponge.
Do they also supply lubricants?
There are two versions of the oil. That Dry, for dry conditions. And also Wet oil, when wetWe choose them depending on the situation, and for now they seem to work well. It's not wax or graphene, it's an oil. Then, aside from everyone else, We're experimenting with a ceramic grease, but I don't know when they'll bring it to market yet. For now we do the bulk with a white grease that contains ceramic particles.
Do chain products also need to be washed after use?
Always. Apply the product on the chain and leave it on for 15-20 seconds, no longer than a minute. Then give it water to remove the excess product.
What do you do with brake discs?
The product we use the most is an isopropyl alcohol-based cleaner that cleans anything and doesn't leave it wetIt evaporates quickly and is very good for discs and any other part of the bike that can get dirty with oil. We had to think about this product after having tried others. For example, in the car catalog they would have a very good solvent, but it damages the brake padsThe bike brakes well, but it makes too much noise.
Specific products are needed, of course…
You have to be careful, must be bicycle-specificCars don't have these same problems, but bikes are a different story.
Do you use the same soap for the carbon wheels as for the frame?
Yes, but also various brushes and sponges. And finally, when the bike is clean and lubricated, we have a spray that works like a polish, both for racing bikes and for spare bikes that go on the team car. It is a spray already mixed with water and It is used to make the bike shine more brightly.
Do you feel like the team is the testing ground for the users who will buy the products?
It's a certainty, not a feeling. The idea came when we spoke in their offices. It was immediately clear that they wanted use sponsorship to develop the product and enter more deeply into the bike market. For them it's quite new and the fact that we're not a huge team, makes the feedback they receive quicker and more precise.
Are all these products on the truck or will they be replenished during the Giro?
We usually carry everything we need in the truck. Since we're going to Albania, we need an ATA Carnet. You can't bring some goods and leave with others due to customs, so the truck must be loaded with everything we needAnd usually it goes well like this, because in a Grand Tour I always start with something more than what is really necessary.
