Cleaning matt Finished bikes

[Larry]

Would cleaning my bike with alcohol/spirits damage my carbon frame in any way?

[Azonic]

Use something like Handy Andy, the spraying kind. No need for "harder" chemicals.

[Overlord]

Soap and water. Afterwards  Mr Min.

[_Daemon_]

after you wash the bike, lightly spray it with a silicone based spray and rub that in.

[Newboy]

Mr Min. After you cleaned it with soap and water.

[TNT1]

 

Would cleaning my bike with alcohol/spirits damage my carbon frame in any way?

 

Um, you already know it will damage it. Would you ask the same question about cleaning your car with alcohol?

 

What is more pressing is why do you think you need to clean your bike with something so corrosive?

 

[AndreZA]

I'm with TNT, why go to such extreme. Soap and water will be fine.

[Larry]

If i knew it would damage the frame why would i ask this question in the first place? Thanks for eveyones advice.

[Guest Big H]

Why clean a matt bike with mr Min....... it will dull the MATT finish and make it shine. Alcohol/Spirits should not damage your carbon as carbon/resin mix is inert.

 

Do you want to remove someting with the alcahol, road grime, bitumen, dog poo??????

 

Remember Bitumen can be removed with any light oil. Even margarine removes bitumen.

[Larry]

thank you Big H, the reason i want to use spirits is because after i used bike wash there are tiny dots that dont seem to wipe of some sort of residue(probable the bike wash or water) the alcohol evapourates leaving a flawless finish.

[Johan Bornman]

Alchohol is not corrosive. It is a light solvent, which is different from an acid or alkali.

 

However, like Mampara says, it is a bit excessive to wash a bike with alcohol. Rather drink it.

 

Many of the fancier cars on our roads have a special alcohol reservoir for "Intense" washing of windscreens and headlamps. You can choose either soap and water or "Intense" which squirts alcohol onto the windscreen in an attempt to remove that donkey obscuring your view. Clearly it reaches the paintwork and does no harm.

 

Big H is also right, why put that horrible, oily, electrostatic stuff on your frame if you've just cleaned all the crud off in the first place.

 

The poorest advice has to be the suggestion of spraying silicone lubricant on your frame. Imagine that after the first little dust cloud. It'll look like a wet kid rolling in the sand. Next they'll tell you to rub lard on your face to prevent sunburn.

 

Hendrik, nice tip about tar on paintwork. I swear next time I get tar on my car (rhyme not intended), I'm going to apply margarine and report back here.

 

Soap and water is what you need, followed by drying the frame with a plain old chamois.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[XTC OKE]

But silicone makes your bike shiny and if you rub it in or pat it dry it doesnt pick up dust

[Yang]

Use Mr Min. Spray on and rub off. Grime comes off your bike more easily after a ride, even if you don't wash your bike- it will even help you to remove the little oil marks with a soft dry cloth.

 

Now for a matt finish bike- I dunno.

[jagwil]

PEDRO'S BIKE LUST.

 

The perfect way to love your ride
Silicone polish can be used on the bike frame and key parts to protect against UV rays, add shine and buff out scratches. Lust includes a biodegradable cleaner to remove light amounts of grime from frames. Repeated usage builds a protective surface that makes future cleaning easier. Can even be used on tires to help shed mud.

 

http://www.pedros.com/product.aspx?productID=6060121

 

http://www.pedros.com/products_bikecare.htm

jagwil2009-05-11 14:04:27

[Guest Big H]

I really wish you guys would read what the poster asked in his question. He has a MATT bike. You cannot use silicon based polishes, Mr Min etc on these type of finishes. It is a MATT finish and not a glossy finish. A MATT surface is like if you polish a suede pair of shoes...... they will NEVER be suede again!!!!!! Neither can you spray silicon oil on a frame to polish it. DUST MAGNET NUMBER ONE!!!!!!! (JB said that above as well) Mr Min works well on gloss frames. It makes the bike easier to clean and for the Roberts out there, if you use the Spring fragnance it will do well for your feminine side.

 

BUT DO NOT POLISH MATT FRAMES!!!!!!!