Im looking for any advice or product recommendations for cleaning a bike with a matte paint finish.
Ive tried Silca’s bike wash and graphene wax on my ‘24 Orbea orca but a lot of grime seems to stick even after multiple passes with soap and sponge.
Muc off makes a matte finish detailer and there are automotive options but I’m always hesitant using automotive products on my bike.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have a matte frame and just wipe it down with a baby wipe to good effect. If it’s really dirty I use regular car wash from the supermarket with a brush and hose.
That said, @Dave_Rome has recommended Maxima as a good matte cleaner option.
I’ve had good results with Chemical Guys meticulous matte car wash soap on some matte painted bikes. I’ve heard that car soap isn’t the best for bike components as well and would be interested in hearing more if that is true. So far I haven’t had any issues….
Really two separate answers…first step is how you protect the frame. I would recommend any of the popular automotive options…I think Adams Advanced Graphene spray works well on matte finishes. It will put a little bit of a sheen on the surface, but it will make it smoother and brake dust and dirt will not stick. You have to make sure the frame is very clean before you apply these products…. Nothing gets the micro contaminants removed better than a clay bar.
Once you have a good protective layer down, the cleaning becomes much easier and you can use a gentle soap.
Curious as to why? Both industries use the same paints and materials (steel, carbon, alu etc.), so as long as you’re making sure not to get the stuff on your brake pads & rotors there should be zero issue.
I have the same issue on a matte black Giant Revolt. Normally I use regular car wash/wax. Looks great when its wet and i think ive done a super job. When its dries, not so much.
Watching this thread for inspired ideas!
On my part, I’d day that isopropyl alcohol has a more aggressive impact on matte finishes. Had someone come in with a bike (Tarmac SL6) adorned with liberal applications of paint markers. Took quite a bit more finesse and care to reduce the effects of those markers than when I had to work on removing nastier stains on gloss paint finishes.
Haven’t had the chance to figure out why…
Surprised no one has mentioned the old reliable - Pledge. It isn’t going to clean dirt off a gravel or mountain bike, but for a road bike or a final treatment on an off-road bike, it works great.
I use Muc off Detailer . SL7 matte black. Works pretty good at keeping some dirt from sticking on like glue. Even made it easy to use dawn soap to get some oil/tar come offf my wheels.
I don’t put anything on my matte black bikes after a wash using Dawn, but always keep packs of Pledge wipes in the shop for a quick wipe down between washes. I did have one of my frames Cerakoted in matte black and the frame refinisher recommended this when i picked up the bike and I watched him apply it before taking it home. It works good but once the novelty of the new frame wore off, I just got lazy and reverted to the Dawn wash and Pledge touch ups.
Team Unscented Baby Wipes
After having washed + detailed a decent number of bikes, I’ve landed on:
It’s pretty quick and has given me good results on matte/satin paint from most brands.