Polishing

[Justayellowbadge]

Perhaps a silly question, but are there bike specific detailing products, or does one use the same stuff as for the car?

[TonyHetherington]

Do you actually mean polishing (as in removing scratches) or just as in cleaning?

I use a bike specific muc-off to spray and loosen everything, and agitate it, with normal car shampoo and a sponge to clean. I then use all my normal car stuff for cleaning and finishing (detailing spray, mainly) and it works well.

[Justayellowbadge]

Yep, cleaning.

Also have muc-off, but meant more polishes or waxes, to keep the paintwork shiny.

I know, I'm a ponce.

[TonyHetherington]

Ah I see - yep, car stuff does the job perfectly, and muc off is great just for the degreasing abilities as much as anything.

[MadDad]

I wax my frames etc one a year with good old fashioned turtle wax hard-coat (carnauba stuff), clean them when needed with zymol car shampoo and dry with a chamois.

Once dry I give them a wipe over with Muc-Off protect and shine, it leaves a slightly oily coating on the frame etc and makes it very easy to wipe road dirt off, and when the bike does need a ‘proper’ clean there is no gunk stuck to the frame, so makes it a lot easier.

For degreasing the chain the best stuff I have ever used is petrol!!!

[JuniorD]

I've used Collonite 915 wax on my bikes in the past but find that Dodo Juice soft waxes are handier to apply, you can do the whole thing in under 10 mins. Waxing makes subsequent cleaning so much handier as the roadst and sticky stuff from drinks bottles and gels comes off much so much easier.

[Chicken Chaser]

GT85 works for me.

[Pulse]

Cheers, JAYB. I've now HAD to do mine!

I just used Meguiars Deep Crystal on mine - http://www.meguiars.co.uk/product/207/Step-3-Deep-...

You can just about see the flakes...


DSC00273 by IK-Photo, on Flickr

[khushy]

the best I have found for cleaning and general care is . . . . PLEDGE @ £1 per tin from the local Quick-E-Mart!

khushy

[Justayellowbadge]

CDO

[shalmaneser]

just blast it with a hose and put it in the shed.

[Rolls]

I'm now wondering how long till the first bike detailing thread is on here!!!!

[Laurel Green]

Rolls said:

I'm now wondering how long till the first bike detailing thread is on here!!!!

Wanders off looking for my cycle-clips muttering "I guess it was only a matter of time".

[TonyHetherington]

Rolls said:

I'm now wondering how long till the first bike detailing thread is on here!!!!

I'm not that far away from doing it

[Paul Drawmer]

Just a bunch of polishers.

[JontyB]

I normally spray household beeswax polish on the frame after cleaning and drying!

[yellowjack]

shalmaneser said:

just blast it with a hose and put it in the shed.

Chance would be a fine thing!!!

With most of the North East under a biblical flood, some of us in the South are STILL under a hosepipe ban, due in no small part to the wrong type of rain, would you believe?

ETA:

Autoglym is what I use on my bike - I bought a big bottle of the stuff going cheap at a local auto factors (just before the hosepipe ban came into effect). It's a job best done with most components, including bottle cages, etc removed, the bike thoroughly washed, and an obsessive attention to detail. Then forget about it until you next need to strip the bike down for servicing. The frame gleams for a few days, and be warned, it'll put you off riding it in all but the most perfect conditions, but as soon as the first dirt/fingerprints soil the shiny surface, normal service will resume.

Edited by yellowjack on Saturday 30th June 00:13