Biodegradability

Squirt Cycling Products manufacture biodegradable Chain Lube and Bike Cleaner that are eco-friendly and will not harm the environment. 

What is biodegradability?

Biodegradability means that organic substances and materials can be broken down into their basic, simpler components by micro-organisms in the environment. These micro-organisms use enzymes to convert the substances and materials into simple inorganic molecules such as water, carbon dioxide and methane.  

CHAIN LUBE

Why is using an eco-friendly and biodegradable chain lube important?

Cycling often takes us into pristine natural areas, whether it be for exercise or leisure. It is here that using an oil-based chain lubricant can negatively impact water sources.  If only one millilitre of oil-based lubricant washes off your chain during a stream crossing, it can contaminate up to 1000 litres of water. This effect is multiplied during large day or stage racing events. If a 1000 bikes cross a stream 5 times, the stream would  suffer 1 million liters of contaminated water in total!

That is why all Squirt Chain Lubes are wax-based. It sticks to the chain in solid form which does not wash off easily. It is also readily biodegradable and will not cause long term contamination.

BIKE CLEANER

Why choose Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner?

Most cyclists wash their bikes outside in their yard or driveway. During big cycling events, especially stage races, bikes are washed in the field after each day’s racing.  Run-off water from bike cleaning contains detergents and usually ends up in the municipal or natural water system.

Squirt Bike Cleaner is a mild and environmentally safe water-based alkaline degreaser free of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO), nonylphenol (NP) and phosphates. Although phosphates are not harmful to humans, man-made inputs of phosphorus are well known to have a significant impact on ecosystems and can damage the health of rivers and lakes through eutrophication.

Squirt Bike Cleaner is biodegradable according to EEC Objectives 73/404/EEC (biodegradation of surfactants with a Prim.Degra. of > 90%) and does not contain any paraffin solvents, glycols or glycol ethers. The foam stabilisers used in Squirt Bike Cleaner is non-carcinogenic and biodegradable.  It is safe to use on steel, aluminum, rubber and garments.

Squirt Biodegradable Chain Lube and Bike Cleaner in a stage race
Use Squirt Biodegradable Chain lube and Bike Cleaner together for eco-friendly bike care.

We feel proud to be a manufacturer of eco-friendly,  biodegradable Chain Lube and Bike Cleaner. If you are interested to learn more about the science behind biodegradability, folllow the link to the Science Direct Page on studies about the subject.