Wax On, Wax Off
 

With the approaching riding season I get caught up in the pleasure of prepping the bikes. Wheels are trued, brakes adjusted, new tires mounted, just a lot of getting caught up in this little thing of getting things just right.

Today, I have some free time that is given to waxing. The '88 Cannondale Criterium has been neglected in this act of shining joy. I built this from a frameset, hand sanded and repainted to perfection. It's crazy how little the concern over this bike's shine until late winter. Ahhhh, that's better. Next!

How often do you wax your bike(s)?

Not nearly often enough - but my car is the same way. Sometimes (ok, basically almost always) I take car in for a detailing and wax special that's $89 at the local car wash. And I've taken my bikes in for the same kind of service a few times in the past few years at various bike shops.

The WaxAddict on the wife's frame seems to last ~4 months between applications.

Nu-Finish and then a coat of liquid wax. Easy and effective especially on older frames or frames with oxidation issues.

I don't have any schedule for cleaning and waxing, but if I've got the wheels off for some other maintenance, I try to take advantage of the opportunity to wipe the crud off of the frame and put some wax on it.

Of course, this is easier to do with my "sunny day, go fast" bikes. The work bikes, with fenders, racks, lights, etc, are much harder to clean properly, much less put some wax on them.

I agree that there is something therapeutic about getting the bike shiny and clean again! Very satisfying.


Steve in Peoria

I'm glad to see this level of dedication. I myself work diligently to maintain my bike in tip top condition, mechanically as well asthetically. I saw no mention of polishing your spokes though.:)

I'm glad to see this level of dedication too . . . even though I don't ever wax a frame myself. I try to keep my bikes reasonably clean and (of course!) mechanically sound and noise free.

The exception is my commute bike which is always some level of dirty; or so it seems. It's been many months since the last time that one was adequately cleaned.

With all the rain we've had lately (and resulting mud-splatter on my bikes) it's been more work that usual just to keep the bikes clean.

Waxing a frame just never enters my mind.

Rick / OCRR

I use Meguiar's wax on all my bicycles. A bottle lasts for years. Easy to wipe on and off. Even my daily commuter is kept immaculately clean and waxed. People at the local bike coop always comment on how clean my bicycles are. It really doesn't take very long and I enjoy doing it. On the other hand, my car might get a wash twice a year.

Thanx! I have taken steel wool to spokes that are looking dull. Some of the C&V rides have dull spokes that make me wish were stainless steel.

I use it, too. Great stuff.

I try not to. The turtle wax gets caught in the lugwork and I have to dig it out with a q-tip.

This is why I'm a fan of the WaxAddict Frame Coating-- no white residue. The cost per mL is obscene, but it appears to go a very long way, and last quite a while between applications.

It takes a minimum of 2 applications to determine a frequency so I don't know.

My road bike has a ceramic glaze finish. No need to wax to get it shiny. Pledge and a cloth is all that's needed. Couldn't give a rat's behind what my Surly LHT looks like since I use it form commuting, gravel rides and fully loaded touring.

Uhh, I've never waxed my bike. Am I a bad bike owner?

Taking wax a step further...

Paint sealant looks spectacular on my car, even more so with a coat of wax on top so I'm going to use it on my bike.

Sealers are not waxes. Waxes dry while sealers cure or polymerize. The molecules form long chains or even three dimensional structures during the curing process. The result is more durable and reflective than wax. A coat of wax on top puts it over the top.

So yeah, I have a bottle of Wolfgang's sealant in the garage...



This goes even beyond sealer. Where did you get the ceramic coating? May I ask how much it cost?


-Tim-

Same here. The last time I waxed anything was probably back in the 80's. Lemon Pledge on things ever since. It leaves just enough residue to make rinsing off crud a little easier. But only abuse for this one.

I use Liquid Gold furniture polish on my bikes several times throughout the riding season after a wash. It keeps them looking a brand new kind of shiny, and smooooooth.

It's not an addition to paint or powder coat. It's the actual covering itself. It's called Cerakote:

https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com

While the primary commercial application is as explained on the website, it's also used on bikes. The issue is that the colors are a matte finish, but if you mix them with glossy white you get the pearl finish you see on my frame.

It's cheaper than paint since it requires less labor. You spray on one coat and bake it. No priming. No multiple coats. Strong or stronger than paint. Lighter than paint. Can't find the receipt at the moment, but IIRC, it was about $350 for the new, bare frame. Work done by Paint by Todd

Home Page

I used Duracoat (similar to Cerakote) and did it DIY-- total cost including all prep and priming materials came to about $80. Nothing sticks to Duracoat. Catalyzed finish, so the frame went from bare to being re-assembled in about 6 hours. Outlasted the frame, as it turns out.

Never liquid or paste wax but spray wax after every ride during check out and clean-up. Interesting tid-bit is that the 150 miles on the Giant and the 157 miles on the Paramount during this past weekend's Bike Sebring 12/24 Hour Race had both bikes cleaner than a 40 mile ride back home here in SW FL.

OK, I understand now. It is actual color. Thanks.

I asked because I contacted one of the big ceramic paint protection companies to get a quote for my car and couldn't get them to return my calls or emails. Yours is not paint protection through. Thanks again.

@DrIsotope, very interesting.


-Tim-

Well, you could Duracoat a whole car for around $600 in material, in whatever color you'd like. ;)

Last time I wax a bike of mine was my Paramount back in the 1960s – teenagers needed to look sharp on the road back in the day. I do wax my wife’s tri bike before her big races. It’s important to have a shiny sparkling clean bike with a color coordinated tri outfit to psych the competition.

The mountain bikes will get a wash only. The road bikes are C&V and kept in top condition with various treatments to make them shine. The C-Dale Crit has a hand rubbed acrylic lacquer black with subtle gold metal flake. Being the main roadie it will get about 2-3 waxes a spring/summer.