New Bike, Winter, Bike Spray

Andrew_J

Hi all i have brought a Bianchi 928 c2c (in white !!!) at christmas, I love the bike but when I get back and clean it i find i cannot get all the road muck off until i spray it with bike spray at then end, even Fenwick's do-sent seem to shift the mix of salt and grime and oil, is this normal / any suggestions?

I thought bike spray was supposed to add a protective layer (like wax on a car) but it seems that now i have started to use it I will have to every clean until summer ££££

cougie

Normal soap and water doesnt get the muck off ? Thats odd.

I use car shampoo and a sponge and that does most of the muck - then rinse off and then I'll take a cloth to the bike for any bits i've missed. No need for expensive sprays.

Failing that - baby wipes clean everything - but they will make your saddle froth in the rain.

cougie

Normal soap and water doesnt get the muck off ? Thats odd.

I use car shampoo and a sponge and that does most of the muck - then rinse off and then I'll take a cloth to the bike for any bits i've missed. No need for expensive sprays.

Failing that - baby wipes clean everything - but they will make your saddle froth in the rain.

Slow Downcp

Fenwicks or similar will not put a protective coating on - it just cleans and degreases. I use neat Fenwicks on the chain/cassette to clean, and either diluted Fenwicks or AutoGlym Car Shampoo to wash down frame/components.

Try a couple fo coats of good quality car wax on the frame - that should help stop dirt/grime sticking.

Condormoment

I've got a Condor Baracchi and it's white too. I know what you mean about the last residues of the cack from the roads in winter. Try this (it works for me).

After getting as much off with a cloth/sponge using the usual weak Ecover or whatever wash, let it dry and then get a clean dry cloth and spray a bit of WD40 onto it, wipe the frame and bingo! it takes off all the rest and makes the paint gleam. It may even stop as much build-up of new cack next time you are out as it displaces liquid. It's fine on bare carbon too.

A bit goes a long way.

BTW. No, I don't have shares in WD40.

Andrew_J

Thanks "Condormoment" at least its not me then, its like a light orange film thats left i assume it must be trafic grime and salt mixed.
I think we are both doing the same then, I use "bike spray" from muc off after i have cleaned the bike with water and fenwicks, Bike spray is a PFT based spray which is very similar to wd40.

100%

Hi,

Sorry if I'm jumping on this thread, but I'm just about to order one and I've been wondering about the same issues with cleaning the carbon frame, and will it "corrode" in some way with the weather?

It seems to me that carbon (not necessarily the paint) should be pretty resistant to these conditions?

Cheers,
Steve

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Its not the carbon frame you should worry about, its the salt/mud/grime that can rapidly corrode unloved chains; cassettes; mechs; chainrings!

NaB

My advice would be buy a winter frame and fit mudguards! Surely carbon's too good for this time of year.....shame to ruin a nice bike.