Cleaning the back wheel,advice please guys.

[Anotherbikerbabe]

I know that some of you are experts on cleaning, and I have tried a few things, but my wheel is painted (not sure how it was done etc) and I tried a solution which works brilliantly on alloy etc but it looked like it was taking a tiny bit of the paintwork off So what do you guys suggest for cleaning the crap off a back wheel that's colour coded...It really annoys me as I like my bike looking good..

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

[sirch345]

ABB,

I only use soapy water for the wheels when I wash the bike. If I find I still have some oil from the chain on the back one, then I spray some WD40 onto a cloth and wipe the oil off with that. Once the oil has been removed use a clean rag to remove all traces of the WD40. Don't get the WD40 on the brake disc. Next I give it a polish with ordinary car polish (triple wax iirc). This job is best done on a paddock stand.

But whatever you do don't be tempted to start the bike and use the engine to turn the back wheel, as it's all to easy to get your fingers caught in the chain and rear sprocket you can imagine the rest

Chris.

EDIT
PS. I see great minds think alike eh Tim

[Anotherbikerbabe]

ABB,

I only use soapy water for the wheels when I wash the bike. If I find I still have some oil from the chain on the back one, then I spray some WD40 onto a cloth and wipe the oil off with that. Once the oil has been removed use a clean rag to remove all traces of the WD40. Don't get the WD40 on the brake disc. Next I give it a polish with ordinary car polish (triple wax iirc). This job is best done on a paddock stand.

But whatever you do don't be tempted to start the bike and use the engine to turn the back wheel, as it's all to easy to get your fingers caught in the chain and rear sprocket you can imagine the rest
I'D NEVER DO MY BACK WHEEL LIKE THAT,but thanks for the advice. My bike is always on the stand when cleaning it, so I can easily turn the wheel, and I have quite slender hands and fingers so can get right in there..Thanks guys! Will try that soon.
Chris.

EDIT
PS. I see great minds think alike eh Tim

[Jbrebel]

Too right Chris, seen some nightmares with the back wheel running...ouch...

I generally use a bit of WD or parrafin to get the shatty stuff off-BUT-I wash it off with soapy water straight away and polish the paint back to luster. Leave it on and it will feck the finish up.

If not-just keep it covered in ACF50 or Scotoiler 361 (or whatever its called) and rinse the bugger off!

The SP is going to get the works over the next 24-day off-

[matt1966]

Believe or not furniture polish does the job just as good as WD40 its cheaper and it smells nicer
Matt.

[benny hedges]

cif bathroom mousse. fkin ace stuff for cleaning dirty bits, like around the shock and stand etc.
the shite just drops off and it rinses nice.
amazingly, you can spray right over it once it's rinsed off so it must be a good degreaser

re having the wheel turning, a mate of mine when we had peds, sunday used to be cleaning day religiously...
he decided it would be a good idea to grip a rag full of grease around the chainwith the bike idling in 1st....
need i continue??
ok. cue sickening scream as he got his hand pulled round the back sprocket, lots of mess, lots of surgery and left with all the fingers the same length on his right hand.

don't do it!

[sirch345]

I'D NEVER DO MY BACK WHEEL LIKE THAT,but thanks for the advice. My bike is always on the stand when cleaning it, so I can easily turn the wheel, and I have quite slender hands and fingers so can get right in there..Thanks guys! Will try that soon.

ABB, I didn't mean to sound like I was trying to teach you how to suck eggs, I just didn't want you to have an accident if you weren't aware of what can happen using that method. I felt it was better to mention it rather than you come back with fingers missing,

Chris.

PS. JB, yes paraffin is just as good as WD40 I agree, as I have used before too.

[bazza696]

After cleaning I use a polish from chemical guys that I use on my cars alloys that stops the crap sticking, so all I have to do is hope the wheels down. But if they get really bad parafin

[Stratman]

I use Gunk. Brush it on, leave it, hose it off.

[marravtr]

paint your wheels black! only need cleaning twice a year

[tony.mon]

Get 'em powder-coated, then jetwash.
Much easier.

[Jbrebel]

paint your wheels black! only need cleaning twice a year

SP1 wheels are good for that Marra

[vtrbarmy]

Either WD40 and wipe off (if not too bad, spray WD40 on the cloth and wipe over, as opposed to spraying WD40 on the wheel and wiping off).

or as mentioned earlier, something like Mr Sheen - spray on, leave about 10 mins and wipe off.

If you are getting a lot of 'grease throw' from your chain, either you are over oiling your chain, or try changing the brand of chain lube you use.