TromboneAl

I'm about to do some supercleaning on this Peugeot in preparation for selling it. I want to get it showroom spotless. Any tips?

I don't want to use Simple Green because I hate the smell. I was thinking of using WD-40 and windex.

I'll clean the chain in mineral spirits -- what should I lube it with so it will look shiny and clean?

Thanks!

bicyclridr4life

Warm soapy water, rinse well, dry, then wax. Use something like Never-Dull to polish the aluminum. Windex will leave a dull film over everything. If there is grease on the chainrings, etc, use WD to remove it.

purevl

What would you do to clean your car? Do that. WD-40 and Windex (wth?) will just leave you with a big mess. Use a wax based lubricant for the chain if you want it to attract minimal dirt.

miamijim

Clean the frame and fork, bar tape nad hoods with SoftScrub with bleach. Clean the seat with diluted idsh detergent. All of the aluminum and chrome you can clean with Mothers mag wheel polish.

Charles Wahl

The smell of citrate cleaners like Simple Green is not good for you, I was told in a hazardous materials seminar -- check out the MSDS. I don't like these for another reason: they rely on salts, and that can't be good for a steel bike.

I am a soap-and-water followed by auto wax devoté, and I do keep my bike clean. If there's any crud that the soap and water doesn't remove, auto wax with some cleaner in it can usually do it, with a little bit of elbow-grease. The wax has a somewhat petroleum base, which removes greasy stuff, and replaces it with clean waxy stuff.

Grand Bois

Windex will not "leave a dull film over everything". It would be useless for cleaning windows if it did.

RobbieTunes

How much? I like dirty French things, sometimes.
PM me.

gridplan

As far as paint goes, I wax my bikes with Lemon Pledge (yes, the furniture wax). It was recommended on the CR list and works well. I often follow up with Meguiar's detailing clay and their "Final Inspection" spray. The clay is like silly putty. It picks up stubborn grime and little particles of dirt you may not even have known was on your paint.

USAZorro

I'd use an allen wrench to clean that Bio Pace ring off the bike.

TromboneAl

All done, thanks for the tips. I left the chain bare, but will put on chainlube if someone buys it.

I'm including regular round chainrings along with the biopace chainrings. I have to say that when I rode it with the biopace rings, I didn't notice any difference.

I've listed it for $290.

It really cleaned up well:

golfer007

Wow, the bike looks great man. I really wish you were closer to me lol. GL with the sale. YOu shouldnt have any problems!! I love the pearl.

skyrider

Looks great, what did you use to clean it (what was the process)?

cyclotoine

I think you're selling the wrong bike

Ablaut

Beautiful.

cycleheimer

Try a toothbrush to scrub around the headset and other tough to reach areas.

Noam Zane

This thread was started to try to get around the rule of not posting For Sale items in this forum. The O.P. didn't need advice on cleaning products, just look at the timeline. I suspect the bike was cleaned up and ready for sale even before the thread was started.

TromboneAl

Not so, Noam. I am selling it on Craigslist locally, and I doubt anyone reading this lives near me (near Crescent City, CA). I've turned down two BF requests to ship it.

I have someone coming to look at it, and someone else who is very interested. I expect it to be sold in an hour.

TromboneAl

I used mineral spirits on all the parts, and soap and car wash on the frame. I soaked the chain in mineral spirits. I then dried the frame and waxed it with car wax. I scrubbed the wheels and tires in the sink with a plastic scrubby thing and soapy water. Spent about four hours (in addition to the initial cleanup that I did when I got it).

TromboneAl

It has been sold -- $290. A very nice grad student purchased it, and she was really, really happy about it. She's taking a course in bike mechanics. It went to a good home.

urodacus

It's cool how you managed to clean all the white dye off the saddle and end up with a black saddle.

501breeze

^^^good point. It's like oven cleaner to take of anodizing.

Sharp bike, friend. I would have had trouble letting it go.
But yeah, sounds like it went to a good home.

JimJ4479

I thought that it looked PD nice before cleaning! I may be a novice re-learning old bike repair skills but for years I have fooled around with sports car restoration and related labors of love. Golden rule #1 is never use anything abrasive or anything which will leave an unwanted residue of any kind. Personally, I would never use WD40 as a cleaner. Except perhaps applied lightly to a clean cloth to remove surface contamination from the likes of brake calipers. Good ole dishwash detergent is effective but don't soak the Lady like she's taking a foam bath. My wife bought some fantastic cleaner which lifts grease stains off kitchen cabinets. I was very dubious but heck it's a real winner. Product name is Johnson Wax "Jubilee Kitchen Wax and Cleaner" and it's a dynamo! Probably, a dilute and much less abrasive version of auto polishing compound? For chrome, alloy and other metals I use only Solvol Autosol in the gold/black tube - and nothing else. Avoid chrome cleaners in cans like the plague! Way too harsh. For a final polish, regular soft Turtle Wax and a clean cloth is as good as anything. Golden rule #2 is to remember that the paint surface thickness on a regular bike is measured in microns. The likes of steel wool will strip that surface to bare metal in seconds. Pressure washers and steam sprayers are for frames only and should never be used on a complete bike because the liquid will penetrate into unwanted areas such as bearings or even into the frame itself.