Do you Polish or Wax your Bike?

[Senior_Cruiser]

I Live in New York where they Salt the roads in Winter like they are putting icing on a cake! which will rust out your car in a few short years if you don't wash and wax your car.

Was wondering if anyone here waxes their bike?

There are some really good easy to use spray on waxes available.

 

[addertooth]

If your roads are salty, and your bicycle parts are Aluminum, a nice rinse to get the salt off is a good thing.
I have seen pitting from salt on aluminum, it is not pretty.

 

[biknut]

I live in Texas and hardly ever ride in the wet so my bike stays pretty clean for long periods. I usually do a very thorough wash and wax on my bike once a year, and the rest of the time just a minor sponge bath mainly on the rims, and forks, will do. Today just happened to be that day. I start off with a light spray of water from the hose. Then I use a sponge in a bucket of water with car wash soap to get the dirt off, but for greasy grime, electrical contact cleaner works well, and won't hurt the paint. Next rinse off the soap, and towel dry. Then I like Meguiars spray on hybrid ceramic wax, but I spray it on a towel, and wipe it on the paint. This is the result. My bike is 10 years old, and has over 25,000 miles on it.

 

[Smaug]

I rarely even wash it, much less wax it.
Here in Wisconsin, we use salt when it gets bad, sand when it's not so bad. I do ride in the winter, but I figure my fenders do the job well enough for the salt dust and occasional little spray from a puddle. I don't ride when it's snowy or slushy.

 

[Mysery]

No problem with salt but sand can be an issue where I live. I'll wipe the it down with a soft cloth once in awhile or something like a clorax wipe if really dirty. I also wipe off the chain with a oily rag.

 

[Rambo_Of_PA]

I've had my 26" Diamondback Apex since '89 and only used water on it....I've ridden it in the dead of winter from Brooklyn to Manhattan when I worked at a photography store on 20th & 5th Ave.....never had a problem with it.....

 

[HumanPerson]

if i'm not gonna sell it, i only wipe the chain off once every year

 

[m@Robertson]

Well, from a philosophical standpoint, the bike has earned its coating of dust thru hard work and perseverance. When I wash the bike, it gets clean but doing that to it makes me feel dirty.

All kidding aside, I live in a coastal area (less than a mile of the Pacific) where I ride seaside almost every day. That means I also go thru a fair bit of sand that drifts across the bike paths.

In this area, just let a bike sit in your garage... No need to take it out and ride it. Come back in a couple of months and everything that is not stainless steel is at least a little rusty. Give it a year and its a lot rusty. The plan for this area is

1. Every nut and bolt, bracket or widget that is not already upgraded to stainless steel... make it so if it is possible.
2. After a ride, as often as you think you should without insulting your bike too deeply, use a low-pressure bug sprayer (the cheap kind from Home Depot or similar of about 2 gallons' capacity) and hose the bike off everywhere but the handlebars. The pressure will be strong enough to dislodge sand and wash away salt, but will not be so strong you risk testing the '5' in 'IP65' on your electrical/electronic components.

I actually use two bug sprayers. One has a strong mixture of water and Simple Green detergent. The other is plain water. The Simple Green goes on first and the water-only is the separate rinse cycle. I may concentrate some higher pressure on the derailleur pulleys on both sides to try and de-gunk them without expending any real effort, like I should.

I don't dry the bike by hand, towel it off etc. Spa day for a bicycle is a simple affair.

 

[HAWK57]

I live in Texas and hardly ever ride in the wet so my bike stays pretty clean for long periods. I usually do a very thorough wash and wax on my bike once a year, and the rest of the time just a minor sponge bath mainly on the rims, and forks, will do. Today just happened to be that day. I start off with a light spray of water from the hose. Then I use a sponge in a bucket of water with car wash soap to get the dirt off, but for greasy grime, electrical contact cleaner works well, and won't hurt the paint. Next rinse off the soap, and towel dry. Then I like Meguiars spray on hybrid ceramic wax, but I spray it on a towel, and wipe it on the paint. This is the result. My bike is 10 years old, and has over 25,000 miles on it.
View attachment 12219

Great looking bike, what is the brand and model?

 

[LightningP38]

I Live in New York where they Salt the roads in Winter like they are putting icing on a cake! which will rust out your car in a few short years if you don't wash and wax your car.

Was wondering if anyone here waxes their bike?

There are some really good easy to use spray on waxes available.

Yes, I use a spray on wax, called BikeLust. I have also used Paste Turtlewax. I think the paste wax lasts longer.
But the spray is easier to use.

 

[biknut]

Great looking bike, what is the brand and model?

It's a 2013 Stealth Bomber, still in production in Australia, but mine is extensively customized.

 

[Pinhead]

I do clean my bike but that is because I like it and look after things apart from muc-off wash that is it and chain lube

 

[studebakergringo]

i use HONDA Moter bike spray cleaner & polish works well with a rag ,cuts grease well too last a long time too !use very little

 

[JerryB]

I asked my wife to wash my ebike last August.....she told me to "F-Off"......it's still dirty....hoping she changes her mind this year.