About Us & Donations
Building the VonBuckinator
For me, cycling has always meant freedom.
My first set of wheels provided early independence. Bicycle touring opened up exciting new experiences, meeting interesting people, taking in the sites. Even now, later in life, riding on a recumbent tandem with your favorite stoker, immersed in the moment, taking you away from the humdrum rumble of life. Freedom. Until you have to clean the chain on that long wheelbase recumbent!
The thing is about as long as a school bus and uses five regular bike chains. One day, after riding the sand laden trails of western Michigan, the chain had to be deep cleaned and relubricated. I knew it would be a monumental and messy task and thought there had to be a better way to deep clean the chain while still on the bike, in an environmentally smart way, and then lubricate it precisely. And while I’m at it, provide a way to apply hot wax to the chain – all done in minutes with no mess.
The Buck Brothers’ Bike Trip
What would compel two brothers to bike 4,500 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Fairbanks, Alaska? The answer is a lifelong dream, 11 weeks on gorgeous open road, and fundraising for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For years, Todd and Bob Buck dreamt of bicycling from “The Windy City” to “The Gateway to the Arctic.” Read the story and follow their journey as nomads away from work, family, and the comforts of home.
Where We Started
It began as a garage project. By utilizing left over bits, some industrial surplus, and the little machining knowledge I possess, I created an initial chain cleaning prototype. And it actually worked really well – both on my bikes and the ones in the neighborhood. But would it work on all the other bikes out there? And would this concept be accepted in the bicycling community? To find out, the company Von Buck was created, and the prototype loaded up and taken to any Midwest bike event that would let us set up and clean chains. The response has been extremely positive. But what to call the device? At an early event, the Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival, one of the racers quipped (after a few trips to the beer tent) that a name is easy- “It’s the VonBuckinator” And the name has stuck.
What is the future for the VonBuckinator™? The current prototype can deep clean a chain and apply a liquid lubricant or hot wax a chain on over 90% of the bicycle types out there without removing the chain. Further development is underway to make the process more efficient, address use on single speed bikes, and enhance manufacturability. Additional work is also being done to create the next generation of wax formulas.
Donate to the Support the Project
The development of the VonBuckinator™ concept has been driven by passion and whatever funds we have been able to find to support our efforts. The VonBuckinator™ can solve a critical need for bike shops, professional cyclers, avid hobbyists, and budding enthusiasts. This chain cleaning machine offers a simpler and more effective way to clean, lubricate, and hot wax bike chains without removal, eliminating hassle for everyone. Help us make it a reality. Please visit our GoFundMe page.
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