crklein3 

I cleaned my wife's Cannondale hybrid a few weekends ago and the results were amazing. Her black Continental Gatorskins were browning from UV and dirt. When I was done she had black silky smooth tires. Added grip is a byproduct. Simple all that I did was to hose down the tire, spray liberally with Ru-Glyde, brush with a nylon tire brush, rinse and wipe with a microfiber.
I use Ru-Glyde as a lube to install tight tires, can also be used to make rubber look new again. $16/gallon at auto parts store is a great value.

Bald Paul

I fail to grasp how applying a rubber lubricant to the tires provides added grip.
Did you get any on the brake pads? How good are they now?

zandoval 

A clean bicycle goes faster...

After cleaning my bikes I spray the entire bike with ArmourAll tire foam. I then judiciously wipe it all off...

biker128pedal

I would just worry about and on the tread making it slippery. Take care for a few miles. I use Ru Glide for mounting motorcycle tires. It does seem to dry and not be as slippery as Amour all.

eduskator

Yeah. It looks like OP knows not what he says.

Added grip

rsbob 

Reminds me of a guy with a new sports car that decided to ArmorAll not only the sidewalls but the treads. He immediately took the car out and goosed it around a corner, the car immediately started an uncontrollable slide and totaled it.

Not saying this will happen to the OP, but I would recommend taking a rag with rubbing alcohol and going over the tread areas - just to be sure. Otherwise, the tires look good.

big john

You don't want to ArmorAll your motorcycle seat.

I've heard the stuff on new tires to release them from the mold is slippery when wet.

easyupbug 

I use Aerospace 303 on RV and my bike collection, helps appearance and arrest cracking and no noticeable impact on the tire to road adhesion.

Zaskar

I've used tire shine (ironically the low-shine) liberally on all of my cars/trucks and never felt the slightest bit of traction loss. Okay sure, if you slather up the treads in the pits and hit the track, that may backfire. But come on, who's pulling 1g out of their driveway. That 4,000 lbs car will scrub of any slime in about 50'.

The big concern with adding anything to a bike tire is the brakes - those with rim brakes (like the one we're discussing). I detail my bikes like the car guy I am (yeah, ceramic coating on the frame, shut up) but I stop at the tires.

Reflector Guy

I use the low-shine tire foam also on my show car but never considered using it on my bike (the usual glossy stuff a lot of guys use is much too glossy in my opinion).

But my bike picks up too much dust. I am sure even the low-shine stuff would turn brown soon enough from the dust where I live.

terrymorse 

That brown stuff on your tire sidewalls is evidence that the UV/oxidation protection in the rubber compound is working.

Aggressively cleaning tires can remove this protective material. I would avoid doing much tire cleaning, other than rinsing off the mud.

As for spray on additives, skip 'em.

Alan K

Does that by any chance mean that you need a space suit to ride your bicycle in vacuum? 😉

merlinextraligh

You’re supposed to clean your bike? Personally, I don’t want to destroy the patina

Chuck M 

I used STP Son of a Gun on my bike tires when I was a kid. I hope the OP test rides his wife's bike on some wet surfaces before he sends her out.

Alan K

During the winter time, I simply shake off the snow and whatever else it might have picked in it from the bike before putting it in the garage. Every so often, when it starts looking like it may salt on it, I hose it off with water and dry it with a towel (reserved for bikes only). That’s about it… no shining tires or anything else. I only try to get rid of salt in the winter time.

crklein3 

Its not just a lubricant. Its a cleaner/ rubber rejuvenator. Once dry= very tacky. Spray with a hose= feels like wet new rubber. Not slippery at all.

rsbob 

I use it on my wiper blades to prolong their service life as well on dash and weatherstripping. Since my Conti GP5000s side walls start cracking before their tread is gone, I may just give the sidewalls (only) the treatment.

crklein3 

A lot of posters are missing the point. You don't want any tire dressing on any part of a bike tire. Bicycle/motorcycle tires use their sidewall for traction when cornering. The Ru-Glyde is not a dressing but a cleaner. Leaves nothing behind. No shine, just a clean new looking tire. Remember the last step is to wipe completely with a wet wash cloth to make sure there is no residue remaining..

easyupbug 

I find this unusual as all tires "use their sidewall for traction when cornering." I am aware of issues with motorcyclists that use oil based lubricants like Armor All which attack the rubber molecular structure when used to dress tires. However, Aerospace is water based without any petroleum distillates, alcohol, mineral oil or harmful silicone oils and has been used on our Snowbird RVs in AZ for over 30 years w/o issue.

crklein3 

303 is some great stuff. I have several products in my auto detail kit. I'll check if I have any rubber prep?

cweb99

I use spray adhesive on my tires for grip. Used to use pine tar but it got messy.

crklein3 

There is a disconnect here as well. Auto/truck tires rely on their tread for traction. The sidewalls never are in contact with the road, since they don't lean into a corner. Auto tires do use their sidewall for traction by their stiffness to keep the tread in contact with the road. 303 is awesome stuff. I've used it as well for my cars, haven't tried it on my bike. Should give it a shot.

eduskator

I heard crazy glue does a great job too. Next thing I'm trying is engine oil. A guy on the internets told me it helps with the adherence when climbing.

Camilo

"all that I did was to hose down the tire, spray liberally with Ru-Glyde, brush with a nylon tire brush, rinse and wipe with a microfiber."

zandoval 

https://www.mcgeecompany.com/wp-conte...0_Ru_Glyde.pdf

OSHA may have this product on their hit list for 2024. So far its not listed as a hazardous waste. But in some states the Sodium dichromate, dihydrate and the Ethylene glycol are a No, No.

Many of us remember the days of Tetraethyllead and R22. Rats... Looks like we might loose another one...