[819]

So I'm looking at cleaning up my bike to sell it. A friend has suggested car polish. He claims it helps lift out the dirt in the small scratches in the bike.

Is this true? Is this a good idea? Is it actually bringout the dirt or just taking off a layer of paint. Will it damage the paint, or frame? Is there a particular property I should look for in a polish?

I would be doing this to an Intense M6. I believe this is powder coat.

Comments, Answers, Insults....

 

[Huck Banzai]

So I'm looking at cleaning up my bike to sell it. A friend has suggested car polish. He claims it helps lift out the dirt in the small scratches in the bike.

Is this true? Is this a good idea? Is it actually bringout the dirt or just taking off a layer of paint. Will it damage the paint, or frame? Is there a particular property I should look for in a polish?

I would be doing this to an Intense M6. I believe this is powder coat.

Comments, Answers, Insults....

If the bike is bare/stripped - yes! I have used mothers mag polish with great success in the past!

If the frame is scuffed/scratched steel wool in increasing fine grades is superb - My Iron Horse ARS (Circa 97) was a mirror until I snapped the headtube off. It is also a good idea to seal with some kind of wax, heavier is better. Less frequent polishing, and sweat drops onto frame wont result in white streaks!

 

[819]

If the bike is bare/stripped - yes! I have used mothers mag polish with great success in the past!

If the frame is scuffed/scratched steel wool in increasing fine grades is superb - My Iron Horse ARS (Circa 97) was a mirror until I snapped the headtube off. It is also a good idea to seal with some kind of wax, heavier is better. Less frequent polishing, and sweat drops onto frame wont result in white streaks!

The bike is not bare/ stripped, it is powdercoated white. Still a good idea or no?

 

[yuroshek]

If the bike is bare/stripped - yes! I have used mothers mag polish with great success in the past!

If the frame is scuffed/scratched steel wool in increasing fine grades is superb - My Iron Horse ARS (Circa 97) was a mirror until I snapped the headtube off. It is also a good idea to seal with some kind of wax, heavier is better. Less frequent polishing, and sweat drops onto frame wont result in white streaks!

clearly you dont know how to read. you must have hucked yourself on your noodle or something...

819, have you ever polished your car/truck?

by polishing you dont take a layer of paint off... you can polish it if you feel like it. test it out in a small spot on the frame and than move on if you think your time is worth while.

 

[Kanye West]

I like Pledge or Plexus. Both can make that sucker shine, and wont damage the paint. Just follow the directions on each one carefully, and be thorough. Don't use Simple Green or Acetone/BrakeCleen. Both will eat the paint to some degree.

 

[Metal Dude]

They also make a thing called bike luste or polish specifically for bikes.
check the L B S!
Pledge is about the same though, I have used it before and it doesn't leave
funky residue like wax.

 

[IH8Rice]

i use car polish on my frames when i feel like putting some elbow grease into making it sparkle.
like yuroshek said, you arent taking anything off when you are polishing it.
if you want to take out some swirls or some light scratches, you could wet sand the clear...but dont do this unless you know what to do

 

[Huck Banzai]

clearly you dont know how to read. you must have hucked yourself on your noodle or something...

819, have you ever polished your car/truck?

by polishing you dont take a layer of paint off... you can polish it if you feel like it. test it out in a small spot on the frame and than move on if you think your time is worth while.

No, I don' reed gud - I didnt really bother to read that (silly ADD). I hyper-focused on the word polish and thought 'shiny metal', then skipped over the paint part, and it was all downhill from there. I'll have to review future assigments before submission.

If you're just cleaning it up, that pink crap from finish line actually does a pretty good job of cleaning and leaving a shine.

Auto polish would definitely smooth out very light scratches (moreso scuffs & uneven tones) - if worse, then a rubbing compound pass followed by polish might be the answer. It all depends on how far you want to go to spruce it up.

 

[Jim Mac]

Bike lust or armor all works well (esp armor all for ano frames). I use Mothers Mag for my raw frames.

 

[MrPlow]

i use car polish on my frames when i feel like putting some elbow grease into making it sparkle.
like yuroshek said, you arent taking anything off when you are polishing it.
if you want to take out some swirls or some light scratches, you could wet sand the clear...but dont do this unless you know what to do

When you polish you are definently taking paint off, sorry if I misunderstand what your saying, but your wrong if you think otherwise.
As a rule I never polish unless it is the last resort (removing marks scratches)
On my cars I only wax them from new.
Use any fine grade polish, they vary in grades otherwise they are all the same, and I would not waste my time on bike specific crap! Comon, apart from the paint on bikes being cheaper quality than auto why would it be any different! Regular waxing also means you dont need to use those harsh muc off (truck wash) paint killers too.

 

[819]

Thanks to all for the advice. I've had mixed expereinces with bike specific products. I've used the old pledge trick. I've found that sticker remover works well for scratches. I'll look for a fine polish and give it a shot.

I've never had a car worth waxing or polishing so I am really not familiar with any of those products.

Thanks again.

 

[freeridefool]

Polish most certainly does remove a small amount of paint. Thats why you can burn through car paint when buffing a car. Way just makes it shiny and protects the paint.

 

[yuroshek]

Polish most certainly does remove a small amount of paint. Thats why you can burn through car paint when buffing a car. Way just makes it shiny and protects the paint.

when was the last time you burned thru the paint while waxing your car by hand?

you dont remove a small amount of paint because the paint is under the clear coat. if you use sand paper to polish your car than yes you might remove some paint. do research before you act.

i use to work in a body shop, i know how to burn thru paint. its happened to me once or twice on corners/edges. but that was useing a buffer at about 1200rpms. can you do 1200 rpms with your hand?


sorry for the rant im just kinda fed up with ridemonkey lately. its really getting to me. i need to go to AA meetings for RM.

 

[MrPlow]

when was the last time you burned thru the paint while waxing your car by hand?

you dont remove a small amount of paint because the paint is under the clear coat. if you use sand paper to polish your car than yes you might remove some paint. do research before you act.

i use to work in a body shop, i know how to burn thru paint. its happened to me once or twice on corners/edges. but that was useing a buffer at about 1200rpms. can you do 1200 rpms with your hand?


sorry for the rant im just kinda fed up with ridemonkey lately. its really getting to me. i need to go to AA meetings for RM.

LOL I here you! I think you need to read his post a bit better, Polish certainly DOES remove paint. Wax does NOT.

 

[IH8Rice]

can you do 1200 rpms with your hand?

when i was single i could

LOL I here you! I think you need to read his post a bit better, Polish certainly DOES remove paint. Wax does NOT.

yes, polish would remove paint if there was no clear coat on it....but since everything has a clear coat on it, you wouldnt be removing paint, just the clear

 

[DirtyMike]

Eagle one Nanowax works wonders when paired with a Microfiber cloth, pledge works great. Personally I cant see spending the money on Bike lust.... Its the same ****, well not exactly, but your splitting hairs when looking for the difference.

 

[MrPlow]

when i was single i could



yes, polish would remove paint if there was no clear coat on it....but since everything has a clear coat on it, you wouldnt be removing paint, just the clear

And clear coat is what?? Paint
Not all cars or bikes have clear coat either.

 

[demo 9]

I take armor all and put that on my frame when i clean them. i have yet to burn through paint, it makes it shine like crazy, enough said. This is a 2005.

 

[Konabumm]

My Gunnar recommends using Carnauba wax every time the water stops beading up. About once a month

 

[Kntr]

I use Mequires Cleaner Wax 2-3 times a year. My bikes always look new... well except for rock chips and deep scratches. Here is pic after 1250 miles and 2 years of riding. I use to manage a high end car detail shop and cleaner waxes are the easiest to use with the best results. Use it.

 

[DirtyMike]

I take armor all and put that on my frame when i clean them. i have yet to burn through paint, it makes it shine like crazy, enough said. This is a 2005.

I would stay away from using armorall, unless you like your bike looking dirty after each run. The idea of most of the polishes is that they look good, and help to repel the dust from sticking.