cleaning inside of carbon frame
#1
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2009
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From: NYC
Bikes: Felt AR1, Cervelo S2
cleaning inside of carbon frame
I picked up this used BMC frameset in a trade. there appears to be some dirt/dust/whatever inside the frame tubes. i'd like to clean it out.
the tubes are carbon joined by BMC's wackadoo aluminum lugs.
could i just run water through it with some dish soap, then leave the frame outside to dry? my concern is that i end up screwing up the resin inside the frame, so i hesitate to use any real chemical cleaner.
the tubes are carbon joined by BMC's wackadoo aluminum lugs.
could i just run water through it with some dish soap, then leave the frame outside to dry? my concern is that i end up screwing up the resin inside the frame, so i hesitate to use any real chemical cleaner.
#2
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 46,226
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From: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix
I am no guru but I would leave the inside alone, unless there is a bunch of loose debris that you can get out just by inverting the frame.
#3
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Awesome, Austin, TX
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix, Interloc Impala, ParkPre Image C6
+1. Shake out whatever you can. Any dust might be CF dust and is better off inside.
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#6
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Bikes: 2026 Crumpton T5, 2016 Richard Sachs, 2010 Carl Strong, 2006 Cannondale Synapse
"screwing up the resin"??? "CF dust"???
Spray it down w/ Simple Green, rinse w/ the garden hose, leave it outside to dry (or, if you're somewhere where the weather sucks...which means pretty much anywhere in the USA...in a warm room), badda-boom, badda-bing. Don't overthink this crap.
Spray it down w/ Simple Green, rinse w/ the garden hose, leave it outside to dry (or, if you're somewhere where the weather sucks...which means pretty much anywhere in the USA...in a warm room), badda-boom, badda-bing. Don't overthink this crap.
#7
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Joined: Oct 2009
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"screwing up the resin"??? "CF dust"???
Spray it down w/ Simple Green, rinse w/ the garden hose, leave it outside to dry (or, if you're somewhere where the weather sucks...which means pretty much anywhere in the USA...in a warm room), badda-boom, badda-bing. Don't overthink this crap.
Spray it down w/ Simple Green, rinse w/ the garden hose, leave it outside to dry (or, if you're somewhere where the weather sucks...which means pretty much anywhere in the USA...in a warm room), badda-boom, badda-bing. Don't overthink this crap.
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
From: Jersey
Bikes: Cervelo R3
I picked up this used BMC frameset in a trade. there appears to be some dirt/dust/whatever inside the frame tubes. i'd like to clean it out.
the tubes are carbon joined by BMC's wackadoo aluminum lugs.
could i just run water through it with some dish soap, then leave the frame outside to dry? my concern is that i end up screwing up the resin inside the frame, so i hesitate to use any real chemical cleaner.
the tubes are carbon joined by BMC's wackadoo aluminum lugs.
could i just run water through it with some dish soap, then leave the frame outside to dry? my concern is that i end up screwing up the resin inside the frame, so i hesitate to use any real chemical cleaner.
The bike isn't made of cardboard and elmer's glue. Water and dish soap won't screw up anything.
#12
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,783
Likes: 5
From: NYC
Bikes: Felt AR1, Cervelo S2
You're going to use water and dish soap and are concerned with screwing up the resin? This is dish soap we're talking about. The same stuff you put your bare hands in. And probably ingest a little bit of it too if you don't rinse fully.
The bike isn't made of cardboard and elmer's glue. Water and dish soap won't screw up anything.
The bike isn't made of cardboard and elmer's glue. Water and dish soap won't screw up anything.






