How to clean spoke wheels?
Club Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 3
From: Idaho Falls
RE: How to clean spoke wheels?
Do you mean clean or polish? If clean, just use a S-100 Wheel Cleaner (there are others too). If polish, forget it - the spokes are cadmium plated and will never stay bright, just the nature of that plating. Once the wheels/spokes are clean, I just give them a spray with a spray wax, with a towel buff them dry, and go ride. I too was concerned with how the wheels/spokes looked, especailly the rear ones, but finally learned, there isn't much I can do with rear spokes to keep them bright. Front ones tend to stay cleaner/brighter longer and are easier to clean to start with. I've thought seriously about buying aftermarket sets of polished, stainless-stell spokes, and then relacing wheels. But haven't done so yet. I just try to keep them as clean and bright as reasonable. Hope this helps.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 437
Likes: 16
RE: How to clean spoke wheels?
try using the s100 or other wheel cleaner....once dry i use mothers chrome polish with anold t shirt torn into strips to buff..
It's pretty time consuming but they look great and the shine will last along time until you hit rain....
p.s. get a bike jack it makes it allot eaiser!!
It's pretty time consuming but they look great and the shine will last along time until you hit rain....
p.s. get a bike jack it makes it allot eaiser!!
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 59
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From:
RE: How to clean spoke wheels?
I silicone glued an off cut piece of sheep skin onto a wooden dowel rod, wrapped the stick complete, it works fine and quicker than any other elbow method I tried prior. I may be inclined to go a thinner diameter than the 3/4" rod I used or maybe something similar to aruler or a product with a bit of flexibility. As spoke nipples vary in gap size.
Sheep skin is great but the tool is the tricky bit.
Can be used well around engine lines, fins etc.too.
Sheep skin is great but the tool is the tricky bit.
Can be used well around engine lines, fins etc.too.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 449
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From: Crown Point Indiana
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2008
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RE: How to clean spoke wheels?
Ihave the same bike as you 95, same colors exactly, i use mothers powerball, alot of elbow grease, and a few terry towels i keep wet with polish on them, and just start with one, and work my way around. It helps to have the bike up in the air, as you can spin the wheel to get to the next spoke, instead of moving where you work.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Upstate NY...Southern Tier
RE: How to clean spoke wheels?
I use the California(small) Duster once a week to get the brake dust off and ezdetail brush (ezdetailbrush.com) when I wash the bike about once a month or when I get caught in the rain.........Seems to be working pretty good.