Cleaning Carbon Frames

Gerry Attrick

Hi Lads and Lasses,

I've recently bought a full carbon road bike, a Cannondale. In their handbook, they issue all classes of dire warnings should you even show the frame a bottle of solvent. They say solvents can irreparably damage the carbon resin bonding. The thing is how am I supposed to clean off chain lubricant splashes from the tubes? Ordinary car shampoo is not particularly effective. What do you use?

Burton

I was told to use GT85 on a rag and just wipe it over. My Bianchi hasn't dropped apart on me yet.......

Anonymous

Has been said on here that 'baby wipes ' are the panacea of carbon cleansing.
Don't know if it's true but judging by the number of ugly kids around it probably is.

giant_man

Baby Wipes! Nothing comes close!!

Brian B

If you take you bike out on the road in the wet your bike will get splashed with petrol which is a solvent and is always present on our roads albeit in a diluted form. I use GT85 and have done for a while and have had no hassle with carbon.

Gussio

A big +1 for baby wipes. Picked up the tip from here and have never looked back. Choose the natural ones without moisturiser, scent etc. Will leave less residue behind. Polish up nicely with a dry, clean cloth. Job's a good 'un.

Monty Dog

I use Mer car polish which removes the oily marks and then leaves a nice protective shiny finish. The warning over some organic solvents are very real - petrol's not really strong enough but prolonged exposure to paint thinners, white spirit etc can damage unprotected composites - fortunately most carbon frames have a protective clear lacquer to minimise the risk.

Kléber

The advice is just to stop some fool in the USA pouring industrial grade graffiti solvent onto the frame to clear up a speck of oil, and then use wire wool to wipe it down. Our fool might get himself an ambulance chasing lawyer and then sue Cannondale...

Any degreaser will work ok, apply to the area and rinse off. Many are cycle-specific, like Finish Line's citrus range.

Aidocp

I've been removing the chain for cleaning and using baby wipes too on my my carbon frame, it seems to doing the trick.

Gerry Attrick

Thanks to all who have replied it's much appreciated. The mention of babywipes reminded me that a friend suggested using them to clean off squashed flies from the front of a motorcycle I then had. Never got round to trying them though. Looks like a trip to Boots.

dennisn

Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to have read that you can use just about anything on
carbon, including acetone. The only no -no is paint remover as it will destroy the carbon bonding. I seem to remember Steve Hed making the comment that it's ok to use acetone
to remove tubular cement from carbon rims. However, using some of these solvents
on paint is not the best of ideas. Anyway, that's what I seem to remember hearing.
Key words there being "seem to". I have used acetone on carbon rims with no
problems.

Dennis Noward

giant_man

[quote="Monty Dog"]I use Mer car polish which removes the oily marks and then leaves a nice protective shiny finish. The warning over some organic solvents are very real - petrol's not really strong enough but prolonged exposure to paint thinners, white spirit etc can damage unprotected composites - fortunately most carbon frames have a protective clear lacquer to minimise the risk.[/quote]
I haven't used Mer on my carbon frame cos just using it on your car results in it leaving a chalky white residue, which i really can do without.

SteveR_100Milers

So long as the solvent doesnt react with epoxy / polyester then its fine. Google should be enough to provide this data. Personally I use car shampoo and a hose pipe.

Garybee

The issue with solvents and Carbon Fibre is wildly exaggerated. I work with composites and during a repair will use some pretty agressive solvents (including acetone and MEK).

SteveR_100Milers

I think that most bike frames are made from either polyester or epoxy composite, both of which are chemically inert to oil based solvents. IIRC some of the organic acids will corrode the resin, and they are ultimately combustible, though at a temperature at which so would the rider long beforehand. Its expensive because it takes so long to produce the carbon weave, and then to mould into the final composite. Laying up and autoclaving is a lengthy process that doesnt easily lend itself to mass production. In many ways its just a fancy version of glass fibre.

ademort

I use WD40 it works a treat, my bike is ferrari red/black and gleams like new every time.