very cool. what does the rest of the bike look like?

Have a look here viewtopic.php?f=10&t=59781&p=953229#p953229" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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It's online again:The Machinist

Given the fact that most of us rub our feet up against the crankarms as we are pedaling, I think it would be best if you apply a tough clear coat. Polyurethane might be the best. In most instances, it proves to provide the most resilient finish.

My face when I read that people still use, and recommend, 303 to protect their raw carbon frames:


Why use a product that does not last, costs a lot, and needs to be re-applied?


OptiCoat 2.0, kids. It will last permanently. A "box" is one syringe and an applicator pad, enough to cover two cars... which is enough to cover more than a few frames and components.

Cleaning?
I use this after cleaning with an IPA mix.

Expand your minds!

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Exp001

Thanks for the advice... I will certainly look in that direction, when it is time to re-apply protection on my crankset.

PS. No need to do the ... if you (e.g. me) don't know better, you recommend whatever have worked for you in the past.

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2012 Canyon Aeroad CF 8.0 Di2 (6.250 grams)
2010 Canyon Grand Canyon F6
2012 (2013?) Canyon Speedmax Evo (is ordered)

The wasn't at you specifically!
But yes, you are correct, it was not necessary.

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Exp001

No pun taken...

Now back to the subject. In what part of the process do you use the Chemical Guys stuff? Before applying the OptiCoat, or for day-to-day cleaning after having applied the OptiCoat?

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2012 Canyon Aeroad CF 8.0 Di2 (6.250 grams)
2010 Canyon Grand Canyon F6
2012 (2013?) Canyon Speedmax Evo (is ordered)

I only applied the Opticoat once, that's all that is needed. I applied it to all of my carbon parts (all were sanded to matte with 3M 2601 pads) to ensure that they all had the same level of protection. You can hear it "squeak" a little bit when you rub it on with the applicator pad, then the super thin compound quickly dries to clear with hardly any noticable addition to the part's finish. I've found that if you use it on glossy finish, the result is glossy. If you use it on matte, the result is just barely between satin and matte (but more matte). Apply opticoat to clean parts, so you need to clean them very thoroughly first to ensure there is nothing held between the opticoat compound and the surface of the actual material.

Day-to-day cleaning... maybe a quick wipe with a rag and one of the spray bottle mixes I describe below if the dirt is enough to make me want to clean it off.

I'm a bit thorough on my bike cleaning (and have been requested to make a thread about how I go about it by several people, just haven't gotten around to it), so I clean the bike about once per week on average, at most three weeks between a good cleaning. While the drivetrain bits are sitting in the ultrasonic cleaner, I clean the everything else. I use a simple IPA solution (approximately 50/50 mix of clean/distilled/filtered water and rubbing alcohol) sprayed onto the bike & parts, wiped down with a rag. This will dry clean without any trails and pretty quickly, too. It's also cheap and I can attack clumps of dirt fairly easily with it. Grease spots are very rare, but in case I also have a spray bottle of diluted dish washing soap and distilled water. Then I spray & rub on a coat of the Matte Detailer. It helps, in my experience, to minimize dirt as matte finishes tend to show dirtiness quicker. It also makes the next quick wipe easier to clean. And I think it smells pleasant.

That's about it, really. The drivetrain on the other hand... that's some obsessive territory.


[ If you live in an area where the city's infrastructure provides good water, then using distilled water isn't necessary. Unfortunately Los Angeles has fairly bad water coming from the tap compared to most modern cities, so I use the water from my filters. ]

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Exp001