Polishing Spokes
#1
Polishing Spokes
I like the look of spoked wheels but dang the work to floss them. Has anyone come up with any idea of how to clean the spokes without having to sit for hours and I mean hours (6 to be exact) running a shoestring with cleaner over the spokes? Mine seem to have light rust on them.
An answer of trade them for non-spoked wheels is not an option. Tell me what you do to keep your spokes shiny and bright.
An answer of trade them for non-spoked wheels is not an option. Tell me what you do to keep your spokes shiny and bright.
#2
Granted, I only have one spoked wheel but geez... 6 hours! It takes me about 20 minutes MAX to 'floss' my front wheel with shoe laces and some wax. A little less time if I use a 1" strip of micro fiber cloth. I only need to do it about once a month. Do you use a wax on the shoe string, or just wipe the spoke off?
#3
#4
I just completed the spoke cleaning about an hour ago. That would be at 11:30 PM. I started at 6:00 PM and had put in about an hour or so last night before i had to go to a house fire. So that is yes 6 and 1/2 hours minus a meal and any other interruptions. I burned through 2 - 1" ribbons just cleaning the back rim and one shoelace on front rim. I used Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. When I got finished cleaning them I polished them with Nu Finish. Tomorrow I will put a little Turtle Wax on them to hopefully protect them from needing flossing so soon. The last flossing was about 6 months ago.
I put my bike up on the jack and then while sitting in a rolling shop chair, I floss the spokes. I have close up pictures of the spokes and the minute rust particles (brake dust) on them. The spokes are rough to the touch in the before condition and smooths after flossing. I wrap the shoelace or whatever I use around the spoke 2 times so that while I am flossing, I am flossing all around the spoke. When I am on the inside spoke I cross over and around the overlying spoke as I come to it. The outside spokes are relatively easy.
I tried the Mother's $23 foam cone this time before flossing but it was a no go on removing the rust even with cleaner. I am going to try the cone on my triple trees and some other easier to reach areas. I may even try to put the wax on the spokes with it.
In the pictures you can see one horizontal spoke clean and one dirty, then both cleaned and finally the rear wheel cleaned and polished.
I put my bike up on the jack and then while sitting in a rolling shop chair, I floss the spokes. I have close up pictures of the spokes and the minute rust particles (brake dust) on them. The spokes are rough to the touch in the before condition and smooths after flossing. I wrap the shoelace or whatever I use around the spoke 2 times so that while I am flossing, I am flossing all around the spoke. When I am on the inside spoke I cross over and around the overlying spoke as I come to it. The outside spokes are relatively easy.
I tried the Mother's $23 foam cone this time before flossing but it was a no go on removing the rust even with cleaner. I am going to try the cone on my triple trees and some other easier to reach areas. I may even try to put the wax on the spokes with it.
In the pictures you can see one horizontal spoke clean and one dirty, then both cleaned and finally the rear wheel cleaned and polished.
Last edited by Sharpie; 01-20-2014 at 02:01 AM.
#5
I thought that I was a bit obsessive about my bike. As much as I like my bike to be clean, I'm not sure that I'd spend that much time cleaning the spokes. lol
Do you live by the ocean? How about brake pads, what kind are you using? I switched to the Lyndall Z+ pads a couple of years ago and most of my brake dust problem disappeared. With a solid rear wheel the brake dust was a big problem. Especially after I chromed the wheel. As long as I wipe the wheel(s) down once a week with spray detailer it's a two minute job to clean them. Plus, the brakes perform better than the OEM.
http://www.lyndallbrakes.com/for-har...n-motorcycles/
I tried the Mother's polishing wheel but it didn't work too well for me. I couldn't get it in between all the stuff on the rear wheel (rotor, caliper, etc). It works well on my cars wheels though.
Do you live by the ocean? How about brake pads, what kind are you using? I switched to the Lyndall Z+ pads a couple of years ago and most of my brake dust problem disappeared. With a solid rear wheel the brake dust was a big problem. Especially after I chromed the wheel. As long as I wipe the wheel(s) down once a week with spray detailer it's a two minute job to clean them. Plus, the brakes perform better than the OEM.
http://www.lyndallbrakes.com/for-har...n-motorcycles/
I tried the Mother's polishing wheel but it didn't work too well for me. I couldn't get it in between all the stuff on the rear wheel (rotor, caliper, etc). It works well on my cars wheels though.
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