Ultra-Ever Dry: Never wash your bicycle again

A new chemical coating repels water, oil and dirt to such an extent that if you apply it to your mountain bike, clothes and shoes you will never again need to hose it down after a winter ride.

Washing your bike after a muddy ride keeps it looking good and helps extend the life of your components, but it's a time-consuming ritual when all you want to do is put your feet up and have a cup of tea. Ultra-Ever Dry is a super-hydrophobic (water) and oleophobic (hydrocarbons) coating that uses nanotechnology to create a barrier of air that repels water, oil and other liquids unlike any coating seen before.

Ultra-Ever Dry is a two-part spray that can be applied with a paint gun or simple trigger atomiser. It's particularly well-suited to mountain bikes because at present it is available only in a translucent white finish - it will cover a gloss paint with a dull, matt finish that might not be welcome on a spanky-looking road bike.

Two litres of Ever Dry cost about £100 but bike cleaning products and lubricants are not free and that's enough coating to keep your bike, clothes and shoes protected from the worst winter can throw at them for perhaps a decade of winter cycling.

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What is nanotechnology?

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study, application and manipulation of matter at a molecular level and can be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and engineering. Nanotechnology is not just a new field of science and engineering, but a new way of looking at, studying and producing useful products. Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the ability to see and to control individual atoms and molecules. It’s hard to imagine the scale of nanotechnology. One nanometre is a billionth of a meter. a sheet of newspaper is about 100,000 nanometres thick, a human hair is approximately 80,000 - 100,000 nanometres wide. Ultra-Ever Dry is based on nanotechnology and is what allows it to achieve its unique characteristics.

What do the terms 'super-hydrophobic' and 'oleophobic' mean?

Ultra-Ever Dry creates an angle of 160-175 degrees. Car windscreen water repellents are closer to 110 degrees and are referred to “hydrophobic”. Oleophobic refers to the ability to repel oil and other hydrocarbons.

How long will Ultra-Ever Dry coating last?

The formula’s longevity is subject to environmental conditions (UV / abrasion). The coating will generally last 2-8 months in direct sunlight and outdoor conditions before re-coating of the top coat would be required. Other formulas are being developed that will provide years of useful life before any re-coat is required.