Paint Protectant for Bikes
#26
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A night out at a strip club with your club brothers probably also would cost a pretty penny and may be worth every pretty penny spent, but some of us boys still wouldn't call anything that costs a pretty penny an "investment" because we must have a different dictionary than used in your neck of the woods.
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#27
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Geez, you guys can sure make a mountain out of a mole hill...
I just want a decent paint sealant to protect my bike paint from UV rays, dirt and grime! Yeah, who doesn't like their bike to look good, but my concern is to preserve my $5,000 investment to the best of my ability for a while. Maybe some of you don't give a rat's azz and just ride one until the wheels fall of ...then simply buy another. I don't know.
You boys sure can be absolute jerks sometimes.
I just want a decent paint sealant to protect my bike paint from UV rays, dirt and grime! Yeah, who doesn't like their bike to look good, but my concern is to preserve my $5,000 investment to the best of my ability for a while. Maybe some of you don't give a rat's azz and just ride one until the wheels fall of ...then simply buy another. I don't know.
You boys sure can be absolute jerks sometimes.
#28
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Thread Starter
A night out at a strip club with your club brothers probably also would cost a pretty penny and may be worth every pretty penny spent, but some of us boys still wouldn't call anything that costs a pretty penny an "investment" because we must have a different dictionary than used in your neck of the woods.
It's said tongue-in-cheek, slightly sarcastic, for something that "stretches the rubber band a little too tight" (another one of 'em).
I'll forgive your ignorance of southern slang.
#29
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A clean machine is a happy machine and a waxed, clean bicycle will shed dirt snd water. No not all of it but it will not get dirty as fast and will be easier to clean afterwards.
#30
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Thread Starter
I live in Southern California and had bikes for twenty years that have not suffered any UV rays. I assume you're not storing your $5000 bike in the sun for 12 hours a day. There is no polish, sealant, or wax that's going to protect a bike from dirt. Wipe it down after your rides. Some bikes are pretty, but they're meant to be ridden. If you want to keep it pristine, hang it on a wall, but in my opinion THAT would really devalue it.
The question is, why not?
#32
Senior Member
There's nothing wrong with taking care of your things. I'm just saying a bike is a tool and I hope you spend more time riding it than polishing it. Good luck with your search for an effective product.
#33
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But you make a good point, that I'd imagine might hit home for someone.
#34
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any automotive wax will work just fine on a bike.
a former co-worker applied for a job painting trek project one paint jobs. they use the exact same paint on those bikes as in a body shop. the biggest difference is they use a different clear coat that sets up much faster than on a car.
a former co-worker applied for a job painting trek project one paint jobs. they use the exact same paint on those bikes as in a body shop. the biggest difference is they use a different clear coat that sets up much faster than on a car.
#36
Senior Member
Don't think so.
My wife's car needs a new paint job after about a dozen years sitting outside in all weather. My oldest bike, about the same vintage, is protected at least half the time (inside a shed or garage). The bike's enamel paint has suffered more from dings and rubbing against fenceposts, light poles, benches, etc. than it has from the sun. If it were powder coated, it'd look much better.
But how many people will keep one bike for 12 years or more? To read these fora you'd think you needed to look for dinosaur eggs to find 9-speed parts that were state of the art that long ago.
My wife's car needs a new paint job after about a dozen years sitting outside in all weather. My oldest bike, about the same vintage, is protected at least half the time (inside a shed or garage). The bike's enamel paint has suffered more from dings and rubbing against fenceposts, light poles, benches, etc. than it has from the sun. If it were powder coated, it'd look much better.
But how many people will keep one bike for 12 years or more? To read these fora you'd think you needed to look for dinosaur eggs to find 9-speed parts that were state of the art that long ago.
Back to bikes - keep it clean, wax once in a while. My 31 year old bike is starting to get some rust mostly from sweat and may get either painted or powder coated this winter. I commute and ride in wet and hot weather. Aside from usage nicks and dings it has faired well.
#37
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What's wrong with regular car wax? I don't know what car wax has good protection from UV, but if it's going to be available for a bike I'd think it would be available for a car.
#39
Senior Member
My research show they are just starting and yes they are trying to sign up and train bike shops to do the procedure, which has two options, a three or six year warranty. Seems they only will sell some "maintenence/cleaning" products I believe, bike needs to be stripped down to the frame to apply. No idea of cost but suspect it to be pricey...........
#40
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Geez, you guys can sure make a mountain out of a mole hill...
I just want a decent paint sealant to protect my bike paint from UV rays, dirt and grime! Yeah, who doesn't like their bike to look good, but my concern is to preserve my $5,000 investment to the best of my ability for a while. Maybe some of you don't give a rat's azz and just ride one until the wheels fall of ...then simply buy another. I don't know.
You boys sure can be absolute jerks sometimes.
I just want a decent paint sealant to protect my bike paint from UV rays, dirt and grime! Yeah, who doesn't like their bike to look good, but my concern is to preserve my $5,000 investment to the best of my ability for a while. Maybe some of you don't give a rat's azz and just ride one until the wheels fall of ...then simply buy another. I don't know.
You boys sure can be absolute jerks sometimes.
Regardless, just wasnt and clean your bike after a dirty ride and then every few rides or so during dry periods. Sure, apply a wax too if you feel the need. Any auto wax/polish works fine. Imron and HoK paints, which have been commonly used for decades on bikes, are used on cars and motorcycles. Auto wax is fine.
If wax were to be commonly advertised as specific for bikes, it would just cost more per weight/volume and come in smaller containers.
#41
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Perfect for the BF Cycling Enthusiast who takes his investment seriously, unlike the riff-raff just riding around on dirty, soiled bicycle shaped objects without $$ provenance.
#42
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If I ride on a particularly messy or rainy day, I will give the bike a wash. In drier conditions I may do a quick clean every couple weeks, maybe once a year I will use something to shine up the paint. That something is usually some Pledge or car "Quick Detailer" if I am too lazy to walk into the house to get the Pledge.
My bike is 18 years old, and with the exception of one blemish, the powdercoat paint looks the same as it did when I took the frame from the shipping box in 2001.
So, my point is, clean the bike as often as you wish for vanity/maintenance/OCD purposes, but there's really no product IMO that will "protect" your frame's paint over time.
My bike is 18 years old, and with the exception of one blemish, the powdercoat paint looks the same as it did when I took the frame from the shipping box in 2001.
So, my point is, clean the bike as often as you wish for vanity/maintenance/OCD purposes, but there's really no product IMO that will "protect" your frame's paint over time.
#43
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Yeah, nobody sells specialty cleaning and care products for bicycles.
However, currently for a finishing product with UV protection you will have to go to motorcycle products, another "niche" market. Your frame won't care that you are the motor.
Or you could get an automotive finishing product with UV protection.
(BTW, no, you don't have to refinish every time you wash your bike. Who told you that?)
Finally, if you have a bike frame with neon paint (aka highvis or dayglo) you have to make a choice.
Put on a finishing product with UV protection and lose most of the neon (aka highvis or dayglo) effect.
Or don't put on a finishing product with UV protection and your bike color will fade over time.
-mr. bill
However, currently for a finishing product with UV protection you will have to go to motorcycle products, another "niche" market. Your frame won't care that you are the motor.
Or you could get an automotive finishing product with UV protection.
(BTW, no, you don't have to refinish every time you wash your bike. Who told you that?)
Finally, if you have a bike frame with neon paint (aka highvis or dayglo) you have to make a choice.
Put on a finishing product with UV protection and lose most of the neon (aka highvis or dayglo) effect.
Or don't put on a finishing product with UV protection and your bike color will fade over time.
-mr. bill
Last edited by mr_bill; 10-09-19 at 09:40 AM.
#44
Newbie
Have two bikes both over 30 years old. First, I suffer from OCD about my bikes so I started waxing it as soon as I bought it. Because I was young and poor, I bought the cheapest crappy brand wax I could afford. A few years later I bought another bike, had a little more money and purchased a very expensive carnauba based wax and started waxing that bike with that wax. Since I was ignorant and naive, I feared using the different wax on my older bike that already many coats of the cheaper wax. So, throughout all these years I have used the the same brand of wax on bike 1 and the the different (same brand) of wax on bike 2. I probably wax each bike over 10 times per year.......(told you I suffer from OCD). Anyhow, any guesses as to which bike paint has held up the best over 30 years? Any takers on the cheap wax? Most of you going with the expensive carnauba based wax?
Well the results are.................................... no difference at all. Each bike I ride when I show up at the groups rides, they say, "hey there's the guy with the shiny bike", or someone will say, "yup that's the guy with the great looking old bikes". My point, Its not so much the product as to the frequency and diligence of the process. Continued maintenance has kept both of my old vintage bikes to appear as brand new after over 30 years. And no, they are not hanging on my wall in a climate controlled room. They are ridden constantly and both of them have over 20,000 miles on them.
Well the results are.................................... no difference at all. Each bike I ride when I show up at the groups rides, they say, "hey there's the guy with the shiny bike", or someone will say, "yup that's the guy with the great looking old bikes". My point, Its not so much the product as to the frequency and diligence of the process. Continued maintenance has kept both of my old vintage bikes to appear as brand new after over 30 years. And no, they are not hanging on my wall in a climate controlled room. They are ridden constantly and both of them have over 20,000 miles on them.
Last edited by Greyhounds; 10-09-19 at 12:18 PM.
#45
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Thread Starter
Have two bikes both over 30 years old. First, I suffer from OCD about my bikes so I started waxing it as soon as I bought it. Because I was young and poor, I bought the cheapest crappy brand wax I could afford. A few years later I bought another bike, had a little more money and purchased a very expensive carnauba based wax and started waxing that bike with that wax. Since I was ignorant and naive, I feared using the different wax on my older bike that already many coats of the cheaper wax. So, throughout all these years I have used the the same brand of wax on bike 1 and the the different (same brand) of wax on bike 2. I probably wax each bike over 10 times per year.......(told you I suffer from OCD). Anyhow, any guesses as to which bike paint has held up the best over 30 years? Any takers on the cheap wax? Most of you going with the expensive carnauba based wax?
Well the results are.................................... no difference at all. Each bike I ride when I show up at the groups rides, they say, "hey there's the guy with the shiny bike", or someone will say, "yup that's the guy with the great looking old bikes". My point, Its not so much the product as to the frequency and diligence of the process. Continued maintenance has kept both of my old vintage bikes to appear as brand new after over 30 years. And no, they are not hanging on my wall in a climate controlled room. They are ridden constantly and both of them have over 20,000 miles on them.
Well the results are.................................... no difference at all. Each bike I ride when I show up at the groups rides, they say, "hey there's the guy with the shiny bike", or someone will say, "yup that's the guy with the great looking old bikes". My point, Its not so much the product as to the frequency and diligence of the process. Continued maintenance has kept both of my old vintage bikes to appear as brand new after over 30 years. And no, they are not hanging on my wall in a climate controlled room. They are ridden constantly and both of them have over 20,000 miles on them.
Well, thank you for not only having pride and good work ethic, but for showing you don’t have to “hang them on your wall”...“wrap them in bubble wrap”...”try to impress people” or any other of the snide, sarcastic things thrown out here, to want to take care of your bike(s) and preserve them for as long as possible.
Also, *NEWS FLASH* ...ride the hell out of them too.
Last edited by one4smoke; 10-09-19 at 01:26 PM.
#46
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#47
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That is what is known as "investment grade" wax, the only kind suitable for proud bicyclists with good work ethic.
#48
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#49
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I use Meguiars quick wax that I can get from Walmart. It's cheap and works great. I like to take care of my stuff with maintenance and I also like to keep them clean so they look good.
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...24-24-oz-spray
It says it protects from the sun but it also works great after getting home from a ride. I spray it on and wipe off with a microfiber towel. It helps to remove the really fine sand/dust here in AZ.
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...24-24-oz-spray
It says it protects from the sun but it also works great after getting home from a ride. I spray it on and wipe off with a microfiber towel. It helps to remove the really fine sand/dust here in AZ.
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