Where to wash your bike in Barcelona

For anyone without a garden hose or a garage, the answer is the same as it is for muddy car windscreens: a self-service jet wash. There’s a handful scattered across the city, they take coins, and they turn a thirty-minute clean-up into about three.

We’ve pinned the ones that work for us, see the map below.

How to use one

1. Bring coins. Most don’t take cards. €1 and €2 coins are the currency; €2 buys a thorough wash on most machines.
2. Stand back. The jets are powerful - too close and you’ll force water past the bearing seals at the hubs, headset, and bottom bracket.
3. Bring degreaser and a chain brush if you can. High-pressure water shifts mud off the frame fast but won’t move the dark stuff off a chain.
4. Hose your shoes while you’re there. They pick up the same red clay as the frame, and the bay’s a lot kinder to your bathroom drain.

If you know a wash station the list is missing, drop it in the comments - we’ll add it.