Bicycle Mechanics - Clearcoating a Polished Bike Frame

Hello lordly mechanics, I have a question regarding polishing an aluminum bicycle. I have a bike that came with no paint and I would like to make the frame nice and shiny to make up for it. As far as cleaning and polishing it, I don't think I should have too much trouble.

But, my question is; Can I keep the bike polished indefinately by clearcoating the frame after I've polished it? I know that a clearcoat can also be dirtied up, but with a clearcoat on, would I ever need to polish it again? That's pretty much what I'm getting at, since polish can be rubbed off with minimal effort and must be re-applied constantly. I'd like to avoid that!

Thanks!

-Robert

I've used lots of POR-15 products, but never these. You might want to try one of them. These folks specialize in tough metal treatments. [No affiliation, just a fan.]

http://www.por15.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1435/.f?sc=2&category=234 or http://www.por15.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1253/.f

Thanks! That seems like it will work perfectly. I just have a few questions though. Do I have to brush this on? It mentions that it does not leave brush marks, but nothing about whether or not you can spray it.

I'm going to assume that I will have to do the absolute best cleaning/polish job or else I will be encapsulating a flaw beneath the clearcoat.

For polishing aluminum, try Rolite or Nuvite. It's what we use to polish airplanes to a mirror finish.

That being said, if you are going to use a clearcoat, POR-15 or another product, you will have to wipe down the aluminum several times with lacquer thinner or better yet, use prepsol, and that may slightly dull the finish since any oils, wax or sealants, have to be removed from the surface so the clearcoat will adhere correctly. After the clearcoat has hardened/dried, read the label for the recommendated dry times, then it's up to you whether or not to level the clearcoat paint (if you see an orange peel like finish) or just use a wax or sealant (non-silicone and would recommend not using a "one-step" wax (contains abrasives)).

>>> Do I have to brush this on? It mentions that it does not leave rush marks, but nothing about whether or not you can spray it.

I'd give their tech line a ring-a-ding about that. Their main-line products react with the metal of the spray nozzle so the life of the spray gear is drastically reduced. That seems to be the price of a surface that's "hard as a well-digger's shovel in the Klondike". . .hard as "Chinese Arithmetic".

Please let us know how this goes if you go the POR-15 route.