Polish ( putting a shine back)

howiejmidlands

ANy ideas on the best product to use to bring the shine back to a lack lustre frame.

I regularly use MUCK OFF and soapy water, but the frame paintwork is now dull, and i can not get it back to the original shiny new look. Any ideas?

bobpzero

muc off miracle shine?

W5454

I use Holt's T-cut and plenty of elbow grease.

RC21

Sorry to jump in but what would you use for a Ti frame?
Thanks
RC

The Spiderman

If its a raw ti finish,baby oil is reccomended.For painted frames,use any good car wax.Go careful with t cut and any cutting compund,best to try a plain wax first,which will bring back the gloss and disguise fine scratches.

sibx

I just used some Muc-Off Miracle Shine on my bike yesterday. Highly recommended! Its a bit expensive but it'll last for many uses. My frame looks brand new after using it.

giant_man

I used Pedros Bike Lust polish on an old aluminium frame last year and it is wondeful stuff. The shine and lustre is better now than when it was new.

bombdogs

Apparently, Terry Dolan swears by a bit of mr sheen if it's a carbon bike - can't argue with someone like him, he knows his stuff. Tried this the other day after I cleaned my Trek madone and it works a treat!!!

sazzledazzle

I've got the same problem - the black parts on my frame have started to look dull in a few places.
A friend told me off for using Muc-Off and he reckons that this could have caused the dullness. I always wash it off pretty quickly and never leave it to dry on the frame - has anyone else heard this about Muc-Off?

sibx

Yep. Muc-Off tends to leave it dull after you've washed with it quite a few times. The polish stuff does wonders though. My bike looks brand new again!

howiejmidlands

Well i went to Halfords and got some car polish, the organic stuff.....you have to do your little bit to save the planet. Total rubbish.
Think i will get some T Cut instead.

gkerr4

howiejmidlands wrote:

Well i went to Halfords and got some car polish, the organic stuff.....you have to do your little bit to save the planet. Total rubbish.
Think i will get some T Cut instead.

please - don't use T-cut - you might as well use a brillo pad - it's that aggressive.

Muc-off is highly acidic and will dull matt objects - it shouldn't really be used to be honest - makes a good degreaser - too harsh on paint though

sazzledazzle

Is plain old diluted fairy liquid safe to use instead of something like Muc-Off or is that a total no no?

gkerr4

fairy is a good degreaser also - it contains salt which will dull paint finishes too - that said, there will be plenty here that will swear by it!

W5454

please - don't use T-cut - you might as well use a brillo pad - it's that aggressive.

Utter rubbish!
Just give the bottle a good shake and apply a small amount to a soft dry cloth then rub onto the paintwork.Leave it for a minute until it goes white then buff with a soft cloth.

HarryB

W5454 wrote:

please - don't use T-cut - you might as well use a brillo pad - it's that aggressive.

Utter rubbish!
Just give the bottle a good shake and apply a small amount to a soft dry cloth then rub onto the paintwork.Leave it for a minute until it goes white then buff with a soft cloth.

Mmmmmm! One of you must be wrong. Whatever. No way I'd use T Cut on my bike frame.

What's wrong with cleaning with cheap baby wipes and polishing with Mr Sheen or Pledge? A cheap solution and as safe as it's possible to get. I find it hard to believe that anyone gets a road bike so dirty that it has to be cleaned with Muc Off

robbie the roadie

I've found that GT85 sparyed onto the frame then rubbed with a cloth gives a pretty good shine to my bike. Painted aluminium frame.

jenster88

On the frame, rims and chrome bits I Use Mer, On white Bar tape I've found that leather cleaner works a treat. For chain etc the best thing I use is metholated spirt and a tooth brush.

HAPPY CLEANING

giant_man

Geez Mer just leaves a chalky residue, it was bad enough on my car let alone my frame lol

Rich Hcp

I polish my frame with the same Autoglym car polish I use on the car

I clean it with car shampoo, when I clean the car and it still looks great, as does the car!

I only use Muc off on the oily bits

celbianchi

robbie the roadie wrote:

I've found that GT85 sparyed onto the frame then rubbed with a cloth gives a pretty good shine to my bike. Painted aluminium frame.

I use GT 85 as well as a frame polish. comes up very nice.

gkerr4

W5454 wrote:

please - don't use T-cut - you might as well use a brillo pad - it's that aggressive.

Utter rubbish!
Just give the bottle a good shake and apply a small amount to a soft dry cloth then rub onto the paintwork.Leave it for a minute until it goes white then buff with a soft cloth.

ok - maybe not brillo pad - but it's very harsh stuff - the abrasives in it don't break down in use so it stays at the same grade of cut as you use it. there's no way i'd let it anywhere near my bikes or cars anyway!

howiejmidlands

It seems that Muc Off leaves a residue, or dulls the paintowrk. Good old fairy liquid is a good degreaser but again leaves salts reisdue, T Cut is too abraisive.

Looks like a wash down with possibly a car shampoo and and then a polish with AutoGlym or similar car polish.

I will let you know the results.

popette

hey Howie J
I did the same (http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... dull+paint)
I polished it with Mer but it's still dull on this one little patch. I've hosed it down a few times (very low water pressure) but NOT given it a good wash since then. :oops:

Edited to add the important word - NOT!

rjeffroy

I use car shampoo and then polish with Finish Line pro detailer, keeps my bikes looking like new after years of use.

Nuggs

I use car shampoo (Meguiar's NXT) and then Pedro's Bike Lust. Brings it up lovely

No way I'd go near a bike (or a car for that matter) with T-Cut...

Mog Uk

If you need to restore the finish then use something like Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner.

I use Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish followed by Meguiars NXT Tech Wax

Gets the frame spotless and rain water just beads of the frame due to the wax, also makes future cleaning a doddle....

Panter

Crystal glo is extremely good, you can get it from motorcycle shops but it is pricey.

It leaves a nice finish whicj protects your bike ad makes it far easier to keep clean.

Mer is pretty good too though, if you get a chalky residue you're not doing it right IMO?
Are you using a damp cloth and applying it sparingly?
Cheers

Chris

Keithp88

i think some folk have waaaayyyyyyyyyy too much time on their hands............you need to get a proper hobby like riding bikes or something

gkerr4

Panter wrote:

Crystal glo is extremely good, you can get it from motorcycle shops but it is pricey.

It leaves a nice finish whicj protects your bike ad makes it far easier to keep clean.

Mer is pretty good too though, if you get a chalky residue you're not doing it right IMO?
Are you using a damp cloth and applying it sparingly?
Cheers

Chris

crystal glo is excellent - leaves an acrylic finish behind which looks amazing - hard to get hold of now for some reason.