# Wax/Polish Your Bike?



## ACSN (Dec 10, 2009)

I am just curious, do you all polish or wax your bike? Easy to keep it looking like new or does mud and rock debris will pretty much make it a lost cause. Just curious cos I know you will say a bike is meant to be well used...


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## tphitterlude92 (Oct 8, 2009)

i dont wax mine it does that with the tree limbs...its a bike not a car


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

I wax mine. Makes cleaning it easier since the dirt doesn't stick too well to the paint.


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## 006_007 (Jan 12, 2004)

only if i try to sell it. Even then i sometimes dont.


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## emptybe_er (Jan 15, 2006)

Buffing with polishing-compound, then waxing works out well enough for me when performing semi-annual servicing... it's a lot easier when the wheelset is off along with the rest of the parts.


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## ACSN (Dec 10, 2009)

Cool, I thought if I did it, it might be easier to clean. However, I also think that a bike might be pretty scratched up if ventured all over trails and rocks.... which I hope to.... soon....


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

I don't wax my bikes but I suppose it might help with the cleaning.

Rule 1 : YOU cause the first scratch on YOUR bike...


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## Joel. (Aug 16, 2009)

I sometimes polish it.


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## LaLD (May 18, 2007)

i sometimes use captain richards polish (it's my boss's Harley poish) easy to use and it'll make a turd sparkle.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Guilty


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## Dremer03 (Jun 19, 2009)

To make it simple you could try a spray on car wax. I would think you would want to at least remove your wheels or protect the braking surface from getting wax on it.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

I wax my bike once a year when I do the big clean up as I spray the bike down with all purpose cleaner and clean the chain with simple green degreaser.

The painted surface of a bike is so small compared to a car that it literally takes me a minute do the whole bike.

The type of wax is not that important as in auto since bikes are not constantly exposed to the elements and UV rays.

Polish is not the same as wax. Wax protects while polish only cleans and provides no protective layer.

I use Collinite 476 wax which is the most durable auto wax I've tried. On cars it lasts 8-12 months so you can imagine how much longer it will last on a bike. The stuff is detergent proof too since I have to wash my application pads at least 3 times in the washer to get the wax off of them. It's that durable.


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## ACSN (Dec 10, 2009)

Wow... so it is more common than I thought. Glad I asked.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

ACSN said:


> Wow... so it is more common than I thought. Glad I asked.


Some might consider it as being over protective, but really you are actually providing some protection for the paint and makes cleaning the bike much easier in the long run.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Dictatorsaurus said:


> Some might consider it as being over protective, but really you are actually providing some protection for the paint and makes cleaning the bike much easier in the long run.


I do it out of love.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

This is mountain biking, Fred....detailing your bike is like bringing sand to the beach.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

Zachariah said:


> This is mountain biking, Fred....detailing your bike is like bringing sand to the beach.


You missed the part where I mentioned easier to clean later. I would hardly call a 3 minute wax job detailing.

On the other hand a full detail job on my joy ride takes me two days!


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## Starkonian (Dec 31, 2007)

Unless someone hates their paint job why would they be so lazy #ss to not wax it at least once or twice a year. Takes 5 minutes, bike stays cleaner and looks better. It's uncool to wax your bike? The weight weenies and tech snobs can have that attitude.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

Starkonian said:


> Unless someone hates their paint job why would they be so lazy #ss to not wax it at least once or twice a year. Takes 5 minutes, bike stays cleaner and looks better. It's uncool to wax your bike? The weight weenies and tech snobs can have that attitude.


Dirty bikes must be the new fad. Like ******* monster trucks...the more mud the more hardcore!


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## JayTee (May 10, 2009)

Since we're kinda on the subject, I'm curious how often you guys just _wash_ your bikes? Do you use a hose and spray the whole bike down or is this bad? Some people have told me its not good to wash your bike like that too often because of rust/corrosion the water may cause and that water may get in the bearings. Is this true?


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

I hose it down to get the dirt off and use a rag to dry it.

Been doing this since I bought my hardtail new in 2001. Zero rust so far.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Washing:
the main thing is: don't point anything pressurized at anything that has bearings.

If it is not dirty, I don't wash it.
If there's mud, sand, grass, pine needles, etc. on the bike, I clean it using water and a brush. I am not too worried about a spec on the frame but I like to get my drive train and brakes relatively clean.

*** the scratches on my bikes are a sign that I have used them for their intended purpose ***


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## zarr (Feb 14, 2008)

Pings and scratches are seasonings.


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## louisssss (Jun 24, 2009)

whats the consensus on just hosing down the bike with low pressure?

whats the affects of that much water on: the rotors/calipers, the chain, the chainrings, the cassette?

i'm aware those are all steel and are prone to rust...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

you all overthink things yo


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Last week the weather would not have been quite right for washing the bike outdoors: temps were around -15 to -20 Celsius (both sides of 0 Fahrenheit). No mud either, though.


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## 006_007 (Jan 12, 2004)

I never hose my bike. I gently pour luke warm water over it with a juice pitcher.


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## mrgto (Sep 28, 2008)

I take mine thru the car wash in the back of my truck!


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

In the shower with me...
I use herbal essenses 'All Mountain Blossom'
-She seems to like it
And it keeps the finish glossy and manageable


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## JPark (Aug 12, 2009)

highdelll said:


> In the shower with me...
> I use herbal essenses 'All Mountain Blossom'
> -She seems to like it
> And it keeps the finish glossy and manageable


For some reason, I can't help but think you really do this


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## Starkonian (Dec 31, 2007)

louisssss said:


> whats the consensus on just hosing down the bike with low pressure?
> 
> whats the affects of that much water on: the rotors/calipers, the chain, the chainrings, the cassette?
> 
> i'm aware those are all steel and are prone to rust...


My local bike mechanic says it's ok to wash with low pressure but avoid the fork seals and the entire shock in general. Use a soft brush and rag to wipe those components down.
I've found if I don't dry the bike off after rinsing rust pops up very quickly on any bare metal, non-aluminum part. Rinsing and bouncing the bike a few times to knock off the water drops doesn't do it. Gotta dry it off. At the very least I also cycle the chain with a dry rag wrapped around it too.


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## net wurker (Sep 13, 2007)

Starkonian said:


> ...Rinsing and bouncing the bike a few times to knock off the water drops doesn't do it. Gotta dry it off...


Use a leaf blower ot get out all of those hard to reach water droplets.


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## J.Mc. (Aug 24, 2007)

JPark said:


> For some reason, I can't help but think you really do this


What's wrong with doing that? I actually do use a spray on wax to clean mine and I probably do it a little more than it needs it. Oh well, I like my bike clean. I use Nano wax made by Eagle One and use it on my truck as well...


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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

i have never cleaned my bike, its never gotten too dirty though.


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## JayTee (May 10, 2009)

highdelll said:


> In the shower with me...
> I use herbal essenses 'All Mountain Blossom'
> -She seems to like it
> And it keeps the finish glossy and manageable


_LOL!_ "All Mountain Blossom" now that is funny.


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## ae111black (Dec 27, 2008)

wash every two weeks wax twice a year....................


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## mudlover71 (May 20, 2006)

I clean the drivetrain, pivots, fork stanchions, and rear shock periodically but never wash my bike. It rains enough around here that it gets clean on the top of my car to and from the trails.
I figure it's a mountainbike afterall, not a road bike!!


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

i prewash mine, wash with a pure wool mit, dry with a chamois, glaze and buff, then apply 3 coats of zymol, and then do sheldon browns individual link chain lubing procedure. daily.


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## Hangingchads (Jun 30, 2009)

Its not good to wax a bike too often cause it takes the clear coat off over time. My father owned a full service car wash for 50 years and I learned allot about cleaning products over the years and allot about wax. You can cause more damage to clear coat and paint by waxing too often. People that wax their car allot will slowly take the clear off and then get into the paint. Cars however have a much thicker clear coat than bikes so a bike will wear through the clear allot quicker.

Besides wiping my bike down with a damp rag and on muddy days taking my wheels off and washing them I don't clean my bike. I would not even clean the wheels off if I did not store my bike in my spare room.

Just some info to consider. 

Besides it a mountain bike, it needs to be a little dirty. Its a badge of honor to have dirt, at least for me.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

wax protects your clear.. it doesnt damage or remove it even remotely. compound removes clear, but no ones compounding their bike. 

it'll make your bike marginally easier to clean, but thats about it. wiping it down with a rag more than easily removes dirt. mud just makes a mess no matter what.


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## Hangingchads (Jun 30, 2009)

Wax also removes a tiny bit of clear every time. Just not as much as compound. Wax protects the paint from fading due to elements and UV rays, it does however take some of the clear off every time. The problem is that you really only need to wax a car every 2 to 3 months to keep that protection. The shiny effect fades far before that time and that is why people over wax their cars, cause they want that shine. Wax if used in proper cycles will not take all the clear off in the life of the car. 

Bikes have a vary thin clear coat and waxing too much causes more harm than good.

Wax contains a vary mild abrasives... but don't take my word for it or my fathers 50 years of car washing and detailing experience.


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## Hangingchads (Jun 30, 2009)

Double post.


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## jeff spicoli (Jan 28, 2008)

We talkin cars or bicycles????


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## konakula18 (Dec 23, 2009)

i would def give your bike one good wax at the begging of a season after a wash and jsut keep washing it afer ride. make sure u give it a good wash before waxing so that your ot waxing over dirt. 
a little wax wont hurt once in awhile!


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

Hangingchads said:


> Wax contains a vary mild abrasives... but don't take my word for it or my fathers 50 years of car washing and detailing experience.


you have to understand that wax has changed a LOT in the last 50 years.. hell paint has changed a LOT in the last 5 years. its almost impossible to find non "clear coat safe" wax anymore.. plus a ton of the products on the market now are sealants versus wax. polymer waxes are changing constantly. burning off your clear is pretty much a thing of the past.


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## BunnV (Sep 7, 2005)

*of course*

My bike is 3 years old now. I've crashed and/or fallen off of it dozens of times. It has nicks and scratches.

It looks brand new.

It gets compliments from people who appreciate "clean" bikes.

It gets dissed by people that complain; "it's a bike, not a car!"

My bike is worth _more_ than my car. I wax them both. :thumbsup:


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

the whole bird!


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## dan0 (Oct 12, 2005)

Hangingchads said:


> Wax also removes a tiny bit of clear every time. Just not as much as compound. Wax protects the paint from fading due to elements and UV rays, it does however take some of the clear off every time. The problem is that you really only need to wax a car every 2 to 3 months to keep that protection. The shiny effect fades far before that time and that is why people over wax their cars, cause they want that shine. Wax if used in proper cycles will not take all the clear off in the life of the car.
> 
> Bikes have a vary thin clear coat and waxing too much causes more harm than good.
> 
> Wax contains a vary mild abrasives... but don't take my word for it or my fathers 50 years of car washing and detailing experience.


sorry but you're misstaken
regular car wax does not contain abrasives, you can buy wax that does but not all car wax contains abrasives, youre probably thinking of the cleaning/ scratch remover type waxes.
also most American car paint doesnt have a clear coat, its just a shiny enamel or powder coat
Unless it has an additive it really doesnt stop any UV damage either. Maybe your dad car wash had wax with additives, but what would be the purpose of an abrasive in a car wash(spray on wax) ?

back to the op
I tried waxing my new frame this time, I couldnt tell any difference in mud shedding or cleaning, but I rinse my bike off after a muddy ride so it comes off pretty easily


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## Joel. (Aug 16, 2009)

BunnV said:


> *My bike is worth more than my car. I wax them both.* :thumbsup:


Thats exactly right. In alot of cases this is true, so why not wax it?


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*No....*

I rarely wash my mountain bikes. I keep the mechanically moving parts clean. Once every couple of years, I'll wash them to inspect the frame.

I don't see a functional reason to clean the frame.


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## drag_slick (Sep 24, 2004)

dan0 said:


> also most American car paint doesnt have a clear coat, its just a shiny enamel or powder coat


Huh? What manufacturers are powder coating cars and shooting enamel?


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

dan0 said:


> sorry but you're misstaken
> regular car wax does not contain abrasives, you can buy wax that does but not all car wax contains abrasives, youre probably thinking of the cleaning/ scratch remover type waxes.
> also most American car paint doesnt have a clear coat, its just a shiny enamel or powder coat
> Unless it has an additive it really doesnt stop any UV damage either. Maybe your dad car wash had wax with additives, but what would be the purpose of an abrasive in a car wash(spray on wax) ?
> ...


Wow where are you getting all your information from?

Most car manufacturer DO use clear coat. Only a few cars with matte/flat finishes do not. How do you think they make paint shine so well?

Powder coat? anamel? what?

BTW waxes do not have UV inhibitors. Some do but they provide very little protection if any at all. The way wax protects from UV is by protecting the UV inhibitors which are already in the paint.

Cleaning a dirty waxed surface is definitely easier than a non waxed surface.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

yeah, pretty much everyones using the new super hard clear now. the only thing i can imagine similar to powdercoat is the electrocoat on panels.. but thats different.

but still, its either dust or mud. wax attracts more dust and nothing stops mud!


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## vudu (Mar 24, 2008)

before riding in mudding conditions, i spray my frame down with pam. the mud just slides off... but seriously i wash my bikes after every ride and wax at least twice a year. this bike, at the time of the pic is over 4 years old and ridin regularly. also, shows it is ridden in some nasty conditions.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

vudu- eat some christmas cookies or something...
your bones are showing!!


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## jbsmith (Aug 3, 2008)

First a question - Is there any issue with waxing a carbon fibre frame? Will it cause any issues?

Second - my take on the cleaning:
I clean and/or wash my bike every time I ride. Reason: If I am going to pay over $2K for a bike I want it to work like I just purchased it every ride. Cleaning it gets me up and personal with all aspects of it to inspect for damage, bent/broken spokes, stress fractures in frame (mainly on my carbon fibre), etc. I also use this time to run through the gears and make minor shifting adjustments. This is probably overkill, since it is about every other day, but going months/years is a good way to overlook a minor issue that can turn into a major problem.


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## Hangingchads (Jun 30, 2009)

Waxing carbon fiber is the same as waxing paint so I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't go crazy with the wax... don't listen to me though.

Well if you use most wax products by know companies then they do have mild abrasives in them. Take turtle wax for instance, all except their spray on waxes use mild abrasives and chemicals. Don't believe me then go onto their web site and look at their FAQ's. The chemicals and abrasives are listed in MSDS sheets as well. Some do not and most will not effect the clear coat in a lifetime of a paint job but if over used they can cause problems. Most shine sprays however are not abrasive cause their purpose is to add shine and displace oxidization after washing your car (or anything with paint and clear coat). I am not talking about heavy duty waxes here ether, just plane everyday wax from walmart or the sort.

No one ever believes me but all my information comes strait from the companies and the chemical data sheets. What does all this mean, will it negatively effect paint in a life of a machine? Probably not but there is proof that overuse can cause damage and since there is no real big gain in using wax on your bike i'd rather not take the chance in my "opinion" and I make that clear that it is my opinion based on facts about wax.

The proof is there it just takes work to pull it out of the info that is around cause even the average wax rep will say all waxes, but compound, are clear coat safe.

With that said I will no longer bother to argue facts on the issue.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I wipe my chain and fork stanchions with a dry rag after every ride. If the bike's super-muddy, I'll hose it down. Garden hoses aren't pressure washers, but I still try to be careful around bearing seals and the top of the fork lower.

If I cleaned my bike until it was clean, let alone put a coat of polish (I use Bike Lust - supposed to be safer than automotive cleaners) on it, I'd spend almost as much time cleaning as riding. However, keeping the mechanical bits clean effects performance, and how much fun I have riding the bike.

I think that replacing the chain is a good opportunity to do other less-frequent maintenance tasks - makes it easier to get at the right chainstay and bottom bracket, and happens at about the right interval for a "real" clean.


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## simian23 (Aug 13, 2004)

Dictatorsaurus said:


> Some might consider it as being over protective, but really you are actually providing some protection for the paint and makes cleaning the bike much easier in the long run.


Yeah, except you're protecting the only bit of the bike that doesn't need cleaning. I think dried mud may actually be structurally integral to my steel hardtail. The drivetrain, fork seals, headset, and brakes are nice and clean however.


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## herbn (Sep 17, 2005)

i thought waxing carbon fiber didn't really do anything because wax doesn't stay on the epoxy/gelcoat that's over the carbon.It doesn't do any harm and if you wax the metal bits that are attached to the carbon it could seal up the seams and reduce the galvanic reaction between the metal and the carbon.


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## dan0 (Oct 12, 2005)

herbn said:


> i thought waxing carbon fiber didn't really do anything because wax doesn't stay on the epoxy/gelcoat that's over the carbon.It doesn't do any harm and if you wax the metal bits that are attached to the carbon it could seal up the seams and reduce the galvanic reaction between the metal and the carbon.


galvanic reaction is between 2 metals not carbon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_series


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## herbn (Sep 17, 2005)

oops, what it was is the effect on the clearcoat from the reaction of the aluminum rivnut and the bolt i used to hold the waterbottle on.


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## dan0 (Oct 12, 2005)

Hangingchads said:


> Waxing carbon fiber is the same as waxing paint so I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't go crazy with the wax... don't listen to me though.
> 
> Well if you use most wax products by know companies then they do have mild abrasives in them. Take turtle wax for instance, all except their spray on waxes use mild abrasives and chemicals. Don't believe me then go onto their web site and look at their FAQ's. The chemicals and abrasives are listed in MSDS sheets as well. Some do not and most will not effect the clear coat in a lifetime of a paint job but if over used they can cause problems. Most shine sprays however are not abrasive cause their purpose is to add shine and displace oxidization after washing your car (or anything with paint and clear coat). I am not talking about heavy duty waxes here ether, just plane everyday wax from walmart or the sort.
> 
> ...


good , because you're wrong
http://www.zymol.com/zymoldetailwax2oz.aspx no abrasives 
http://www.zymol.com/zymolcreamewax8oz.aspx
http://www.mothers.com/02_products/05550-05750.html

are there cheap car "waxes" with additives? sure are but high quality car wax is Carnauba wax and not turtle wax turtle wax doesnt even make a wax without additives


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## IRONMAN1518 (Jul 19, 2008)

Tokk most everything off the bike and wazed everything with 3 coats of wax to protect everything from some amount of scratching; also washed/wax bike before every race.
Dried chain/deralleurs and then oiled der links and chain. (Habits left over from 11 years motorcycle racing) The waxing of a new frame did help keep some scratching at bay..........Liked going to a race with a clean bike gives feeling of being ready and looking good.........even if I finish dead-*** last, but I always finish!! LOL QWorks for me!!


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## fskywalker (May 5, 2010)

*What about buffing and waxing a carbon frame??*

Nice thread!!

What about waxing and polishing and used full carbon frame? I just bought and used Giant Anthem Advanced frame and would like to removed some stains that seems to be superficial but would not go away with cleaning agents (not dirt or grease marks). I see some people buff and wax frames, but what is recommended for carbon frames?

Thanks,

Francisco


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