The Brand

Crankalicious

Brand Campaign

Handmade in Small Batches in Essex

Handmade in Small Batches in Essex

Crankalicious grew out of car care. Its site says Dom Colbeck decided to make some car wax on his stove at home in 2006, and by 2007 Dodo Juice was being sold online. In 2015 he realised that many of his friends on social media were seriously into cycling and wondered whether the same kind of handmade products could be developed for cyclists. With the help of cyclist Tony, Crankalicious was the result.

Tony Hetherington joined after a long career in IT project management for a large multinational, combining his love for cars and detailing with his obsession for cycling. The team describe themselves as keen cyclists who are often found trying to climb a mountain or riding a sportive, and Tony enjoys the constant battle of keeping his bikes clean in British weather.

The brand takes the word handmade, a key part of its logo, very seriously. Its products are made at its premises in Elsenham using bespoke formulas and high quality raw chemicals, in small batches with a maximum pour of a few hundred litres, so products can be developed from batch to batch. The labels are applied by hand.

Not sure which one you need?

Tell us about the vehicle, surface, equipment or result you are working with. Advice is available before you buy, not only after something has gone wrong.

The Brand

About Crankalicious

Crankalicious makes handmade cycle care in the UK. The brand says it was born from a wealth of experience in car care products, combining a passion for cycling with knowledge and expertise in automotive detailing. It was created by Dom Colbeck, the man behind Dodo Juice, with the help of cyclist Tony Hetherington, and its products are made at its own premises in Elsenham, a small Essex town not far from Stansted airport.

The Drivers HQ stocks a focused selection of Crankalicious bike care. For washing there is Crankalicious Mud Honey Bucket Wash Shampoo, a pH-neutral foaming wash, and Crankalicious Pineapple Express spray wash in concentrate form. Carboniferous Matt Detailer looks after matt finishes, EnduroBike Frame Sealant protects the frame, Epic Hide leather cleanser refreshes saddles, shoes and bar tape, and Gumchained Remedy cleans the chain.

Crankalicious suits cyclists who already look after their car properly and want the same care for their bike, and drivers who carry a bike on a roof or tow bar rack. A simple routine starts with Pineapple Express or Mud Honey to lift road dirt, followed by Gumchained Remedy on the chain, which then needs fresh lube. Carboniferous finishes matt frames, Enduro protects gloss ones, and Epic Hide tidies the contact points.

Buy Crankalicious from The Drivers HQ with tracked UK-wide delivery by Royal Mail, or collect from our walk-in store in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, where Click & Collect is free. Bike care is easy to add to an order of car detailing products, so the daily driver and the weekend bike can both be looked after from a single delivery or a single visit to the shop.

From Bucket Wash to Chain Cleaner

From Bucket Wash to Chain Cleaner

Crankalicious describes Mud Honey as a pH-neutral foaming bucket wash for use on all areas of the bike. Two to three capfuls in a bucket of water, agitated to build foam, are worked over the bike with a mitt, sponge or brush before rinsing with a low pressure spray. Pineapple Express is its rapid acting spray wash for the frame, brakes and contact points, with a tropical aroma, and the 250ml concentrate is diluted with water at 1:3.

For finishing, Carboniferous is a gloss-free detailer that removes dust, light dirt and fingerprints from matt finishes, including uncoated carbon fibre, without leaving residue. Enduro is a nano protectant that seals and shines all surfaces except brakes and rims, repelling water and mud so dirt cannot stick so easily on later rides. Epic Hide is an intensive cleanser for saddles, shoes, gloves and bar tape that works on natural and synthetic materials.

Gumchained Remedy is a strong solvent chain cleaner that removes dirt, grime, old oil residues and sludge, and the brand reminds riders to re-lube the chain afterwards. Aqua Merino is a non-aggressive wash formulated for merino garments, with a subtle mint fragrance to repel moths, designed for hand or machine washing without removing their protective properties.

Browse All Brands