How to Care for Your Gear

This page covers the gear we sell that needs regular care: clothing, gloves and socks, helmets, bags, lights, grips and bar tape, brakes, and chains. Each section says whose instructions it gives. Where we couldn't find the maker's own, we say so, and anything that is our own advice is labeled standard practice.

The care label on the item, or the instructions that came with it, always win. If they say something different from this page, follow them.

Something wore out sooner than it should have? Email support@breaktimebicycle.com. We'll help you start a warranty claim with the maker and tell you what they need.

Rain jackets and pants (Showers Pass)

Why washing matters: Showers Pass says sweat and oil from skin and hair break down waterproof membranes, and a soaked face fabric stops breathing.

How often: Showers Pass says to wash it after you have been sweating heavily in it, when it is visibly dirty, or when water stops beading. Wash it before you put it away for a long stretch.

Washing:

Close every zipper and empty the pockets.
Machine wash cool or cold on a gentle cycle (Showers Pass gives 30°C / 86°F as the target), or hand wash.
Use a liquid "free and clear" detergent or a wash made for technical gear. Showers Pass recommends Granger's Performance Wash.
No powdered detergent, fabric softener, bleach, oxygen stain removers, or detergents with whitening or stain-fighting additives. Showers Pass also says to avoid shared laundry machines where those products get used.
For a stubborn stain, Showers Pass says to spot clean with "liquid dishwashing detergent (not dish soap)". Never bleach.

Drying: hang dry. Newer garments can tumble on low if the tag allows; Showers Pass suggests hanging older ones. Keep the gear away from high heat, and that includes a hot car dashboard.

When water stops beading: the outer finish (DWR) is wearing thin. It may not leak yet, but the face fabric soaks through and the jacket feels clammy. In this order:

Wash it as above.
Tumble dry on low, if the tag allows. Showers Pass suggests trying this, or reapplying DWR.
Still soaking in? Reapply. On a freshly washed, still damp jacket, spray a PFAS-free DWR on the outside from 4 to 6 inches away, wait about 5 minutes, and wipe off big drops with a towel. Let it air dry, or tumble low if the tag allows; if the DWR bottle calls for heat, follow the bottle. Showers Pass recommends spray-on over wash-in, because wash-in coats the inside and cuts breathability. Products they name: Granger's Performance Repel Plus, Nikwax TX Direct, Gear Aid Revivex.

Test: drip a little water on the outside fabric. If it beads for a few minutes, you're good. If it darkens the fabric, it's time to reproof.

Zippers: don't yank them. If one sticks, rub a little paraffin wax or pencil graphite on the teeth.

Storage: fully dry, hung or laid flat. Don't leave it balled up in a pannier or bag for weeks.

Warranty and repairs: Showers Pass guarantees rainwear for two years and all other accessories and apparel for one year. For gear bought from a retailer like us, it asks for dated proof of purchase (your order confirmation) and repairs or replaces defective gear at its discretion. In-warranty gear damaged in a crash can be repaired, or you get a 30% discount toward a replacement. Wash gear before sending it in. Showers Pass also does basic repairs in-house on older and out-of-warranty gear; out-of-warranty repairs may carry a fee. Email us first and we'll walk you through it.

Rain hood, cap, helmet cover, shoe covers and neck gaiter (Showers Pass)

Gen III rain hood: Showers Pass says hand or machine wash with gentle detergent in cool water. Hang dry or tumble dry low. Showers Pass's general care page says to avoid products with fabric softening formulas.

Elite Cycling Cap, Helmet Cover and Club shoe covers: we couldn't find care from Showers Pass specific to these. They are made from waterproof fabric, and Showers Pass's general care is written for its waterproof gear, so follow the rain jacket care above and the tag.

Neck gaiter: we couldn't find gaiter-specific care from Showers Pass. Its standard apparel care is to machine wash cold, then hang dry or tumble low, and to hang dry to avoid shrinkage.

Jerseys, shorts, bibs, jackets and warmers (Voler)

Voler's general care for its cycling apparel is below, with extra notes for chamois and its reflective vest.

Wash it right after the ride, or at least hang it up to air out. Never leave it balled up in your bag.
Turn inside out to protect prints, logos and reflective details.
Hand wash, or machine wash on a gentle cycle in cold or lukewarm water, no warmer than 30°C / 86°F, with a neutral, non-aggressive detergent. Voler says to avoid scented detergents and Woolite, and suggests a garment bag.
Don't wash it with open Velcro, jeans, towels or anything else that could rub the fabric.
No fabric softener and no bleach. Both damage technical fabric and hurt wicking.
Air dry, flat or hung, out of direct sun. Don't wring it, and avoid the dryer. Heat and sun fade and weaken the fabric.
Store cool and dry, out of the sun, and don't fold it tightly.

Chamois (shorts and bibs): Voler says wash them after every ride, inside out, on the delicate cycle at 30°C / 86°F with a neutral, non-aggressive detergent and no softener, which can flatten the pad's foam. After a muddy ride, hand wash the chamois first. If you can't wash them right away, don't wad them up in the hamper. Line dry; Voler allows a dryer on no or low heat as a last resort.

Reflective Wind Vest: Voler gives it its own rules. It doesn't recommend machine washing it after every ride; air it out instead, and don't put it away wet or sweaty. When it needs a wash, turn it inside out, put it in a garment bag and wash cold, then hang dry out of direct sun. Protect the reflective material from rubbing.

Warranty: Voler repairs or replaces gear with a manufacturing or material defect for the original owner, up to one year from purchase. Normal wear and tear, pilling from contact with a rough surface, saddle bag or race belt, improper care, crashes and skin chafing aren't covered.

Gloves and socks

Handup: turn inside out and machine wash cold (warm cleans deeper but can fade colors). Lay flat, palm up, to air dry for 24 hours. Never use a dryer. That includes its Cold Weather gloves. Its ColdER Plus and ColdEST pages give no wash steps; for winter gloves, Handup's glove-washing guide recommends hand washing and air drying. If a glove has a water-repellent finish, Handup says to use a tech wash, not regular detergent, and to reapply the finish afterward.

Showers Pass Cross Point gloves and socks: machine wash cold. Showers Pass says to tumble dry low or hang dry, and to hang dry to avoid shrinkage.

Thousand leather gloves: we couldn't find care instructions from Thousand. Standard practice for leather: wipe the palm with a damp cloth, let it air dry away from heat, and don't put it in the washer or dryer.

Helmets (Thousand)

This one is about safety, not just looks, so here is what Thousand's owner's manual and help center say:

Cleaning: mild soap and water only, on the shell, pads and straps. Don't submerge it.
No solvents, paint or decals. Thousand says they can damage the helmet, and not to use a helmet that has been exposed to them.
Keep it out of heat. A dark car or a storage bag can get hot enough to damage it. A bubbly or uneven surface means heat damage: replace it. Store it somewhere dry and temperate, out of direct sunlight.
After a crash or a hard hit, replace it, even if it looks fine.
Lifespan: Thousand's manual gives a normal lifespan of approximately three years when properly cared for and not subjected to impacts, and its help center recommends replacing your helmet every 3 years from the start of use.

Crashed in a Thousand helmet? Thousand offers an accident replacement program: with proof of purchase and a photo or description of the damage, they replace it free with a helmet of equal or lesser value, or you can pay the difference to move up. Email us with your order number and we'll check with Thousand and help you file it. Thousand helmets also carry a 1-year limited warranty.

Bags

Outer Shell: for a quick clean, empty the bag and hose it off along with the bike (not on an e-bike: see Washing the bike), then take it off, open it up and hang it to dry. For a deeper clean, mix warm water with a soap of your choice (dish soap or Dr. Bronner's), scrub with a soft brush, and rinse with a wet sponge. No bleach, solvents or harsh chemicals. Open it up and hang it to dry. Outer Shell says regular cleaning makes a bag last much longer, and that its bags are not submersible and won't hold up to pressurized water.

KOM and Wolf Tooth: we couldn't find washing instructions from either maker, so this is standard practice: empty it, shake out the grit, scrub with a soft brush, lukewarm water and mild soap, rinse, and air dry open, out of direct sun. No washing machine, no dryer, no bleach. Wolf Tooth says its TekLite roll-top isn't classified as waterproof (dunkable), though it is very water-resistant.

Standard practice for any bag: brush grit out of zippers and buckles.

Lights

KOM Quick Release Lights: KOM rates them IPX6 and says they are weather-resistant but not completely waterproof, so don't submerge them. Charge at 41 to 104°F (4 to 40°C) with a 5V USB adapter, and unplug when full. Store them fully charged somewhere cool and dry, and charge every 3 months if you're not using them.

Thousand Traveler 2.0 and Magnetic Helmet Light: Thousand rates both IP54. Thousand's manual for its Traveler lights, written for the original Traveler, says to clean the light with a damp cloth, never submerge it, skip harsh detergents and solvents, and not store it fully drained.

Standard practice for any light: let the charge port dry before you plug in.

Grips, bar tape and bolt checks

ESI grips: ESI recommends cleaning them often, since sweat and sunscreen sit on the silicone surface. Use a soft brush or rag and whatever you clean your bike with.

Bar tape and other grips: Wolf Tooth calls its Supple bar tape washable. Standard practice: mild soap and water, and let it dry before you ride, since wet tape and grips slip. Keep chain lube off them.

Bolt checks: standard practice is to check that grip clamps, bottle cages, seatpost clamps and bells are still snug every few weeks, tightened to the maker's torque spec (on the part, the box or the maker's instructions). For example: Timber's bolt-on bell, 2.3 to 2.9 Nm on the bar bolt, and the Wolf Tooth Ultralight Stem Cap with Integrated Spacer, 2 to 3 Nm with light grease on the threads only.

Brakes, pads and rotors

Aventon notes that contamination on the pads or rotors can cause squealing, not just worn pads.
Tektro says isopropyl alcohol is the best choice for cleaning its disc brakes, and the Tektro-TRP rotor manual says to clean the braking surfaces with it and a clean towel or rag. Or spray on SILCA Ultimate Brake + Drivetrain Cleaner, which SILCA designed to be safe on pads and rotors (SILCA calls it a 3-minute process), and rinse well.
Tektro says pads and rotors must be kept free of oil, lubricants, hydraulic fluid and solvents. Keep skin oil off them too; that part is standard practice.
If pads or rotors get contaminated with oil, Tektro says to discard and replace them, and TRP's rotor manual says to replace the pads and the rotor together, or the contamination can carry over. Aventon says 91% rubbing alcohol and a clean towel can remove most fresh contaminants, and if that doesn't fix it, to replace both the pads and rotors of that brake at the same time.
After new pads, a new rotor or cleaning, bed the brakes in before your normal ride. SILCA recommends this after using its cleaner. For Tektro and TRP rotors, TRP's rotor manual: from moderate speed, brake down to walking speed 15 to 20 times, then from higher speed, harder, 10 to 15 times, never coming to a complete stop, and let the brakes cool. On an Aventon, follow Aventon's steps in our brake guide below.

Step by step, with photos: Aventon brake pads: when and how to replace. Not sure which pads fit? Email a photo of your caliper and we'll help you match it.

Chain

Wolf Tooth WT-1: shake for 30 seconds. Put one drop on each roller, on the top side of the chain where it runs between the chainring and the rear derailleur, just in front of the derailleur's lower pulley wheel. Backpedal 20 to 30 times, then wipe with a microfiber cloth until the chain has a light sheen. It will look dirty for the first few rides while it pushes grime out, so wipe it after those. Reapply as needed, at least every 400 miles, depending on your riding conditions.

SILCA Synerg-E: email us and we'll get you SILCA's directions.

Standard practice: wiping the chain down and lubing it regularly is the cheapest maintenance there is, and a worn chain wears out your cassette and chainrings with it.

Washing the bike

SILCA Ultimate Bike Wash: SILCA says to mix 3 fl oz with 5 gallons of warm water, scrub with a sponge or soft brush, and rinse with clean water.

E-bikes: for its e-bikes, Aventon says to use a bucket and sponge: no hose and no pressure washer. A wet rag on the frame is fine. Aventon also says to keep the battery contacts clean and dry to prevent corrosion, and to clean and lube the chain after a lot of moisture. Standard practice: on an e-bike, rinse SILCA's brake cleaner off with a sponge and bucket rather than a hose.

Tools, mounts and other hardware

For tools, pumps, tubeless gear, mounts, cleats and small parts, follow the maker's instructions, in the box or on the maker's website. Email us if you can't find them.