I've decided to sell one of my bikes, obviously it will get a thorough clean and once over in prep. but...
Over the years I've seen various cleaning/shinyifying spray things but can't actually think of any, are they any good, can anyone recommend one.
More importantly would you feel duped if a bike had been polished to a spangly shine for sale or would you be fine with (or even expect) much beyond soap and water. Half of me thinks it's like making sure there are flowers in vases before the in-laws come round as opposed to just running round with the hoover like i do for everyone else. The other half of me thinks it's a bit like filling a gearbox with sawdust.
I'd personally want it spotless... but i VERY rarely get it when getting 2nd hand things to do with MTBing.
SDOC100, GT-85, Citrus degreaser, all very good in their own way.
That sdc stuff looks the part thank you
I was bought a can of this as part of a birthday present and it does make your bike nice and shiny and it also smells nice. When it's finished, I shall buy another can.
That's a completely serious post pp. I am disappointed in you.
That's the sort of stuff i was thinking of certainly but if that sdoc stuff works half as well as suggested to clean round the dropouts and the like I'll be chuffed (more so if it means i don't need to remove the swingarm to clean round the bb to a fairy-green-clean shine.)
That’s a completely serious post pp. I am disappointed in you.
I'm sorry. I'm feeling a little light headed today as I have been heavily sniffing Muc-Off.
Another vote for the muck off spray . It really does leave a bike lovely and shiny 🙂
https://www.aldi.co.uk/muc-off-protect-lube-%26-shine-485ml/p/065753038107103
Helps to prevent mud sticking too so cleaning is easier.
some fine resin polish to buff up hazy or scratched areas and then autogylm car shampoo (and it smells nice) and to clean it all up.
Too late for prevention regretably as I'm not a shiny bike type generally, sparkly mountain bikes seem a bit like a gleaming tractor to me. Equally i wouldn't expect to find a filthy one in a showroom.
some fine resin polish to buff up hazy or scratched areas
That i wouldn't be comfortable with, it is what it is and i don't want to hide that, just make it look a bit more "new to me" than "someone else's old bike."
I wash mine with Mucoff and rub on GT85 with kitchen towel afterwards. It makes the scratches disappear and it looks (sort of) like new again.
"More importantly would you feel duped if a bike had been polished to a spangly shine for sale"
Not me, but I had a HELL of a ding-dong with a guy on eBay, I sold a "well used Mountain bike all all the normal wear marks from normal use" with pictures showing it, well as it is when I'm not using it. Buyer called me all sorts (he was a trader hoping to make a quick quid) demanding a 50% partial refund. I offered to accept a return but he didn't want to know, was going to call in the police and all sorts.
In truth, the guy was a chancer, his 'positive feedback' was littered with people saying his MO was the partial refund, but still - if you're going to do it, I'd make a note of it just so there' no ill feeling.
Nothing special, some oil on a cloth will make anything look good in photos. Ditto I usually take the chainstay wrap off to photograph heel rub and chain slap, then re-wrap it.
50/50 about how honest it is, I usually write the description really pessimistically, take honest photos of the main bits of damage, then polish it for the glamour photos (DoF shot down the chain, against a fencepost somewhere nice, those pics are selling someone a dream of owning your bike not the scratches).
Basically make the buyer feel like they got a bargain and more than they were expecting.
50/50 about how honest it is, I usually write the description really pessimistically, take honest photos of the main bits of damage, then polish it for the glamour photos (DoF shot down the chain, against a fencepost somewhere nice, those pics are selling someone a dream of owning your bike not the scratches).
Nice approach, I'll follow that if I can ever get round to selling anything!
If you’re going to use a spray it’s generally better to spray it onto a cloth then wipe on the bike to avoid accidental contamination of discs, pads, clothes, cat etc..
If you’re going to use a spray it’s generally better to spray it onto a cloth then wipe on the bike to avoid accidental contamination of discs, pads, clothes, cat etc..
A bit of sudocrem will fix the cat and oily brakes will make you more fasterer.
GT85 sprayed onto a cloth/rag if it's any alloy or steel frame
Missus won a competition for some Kingud cleaning products and there was a little pump thing with gel inside. Makes the frame look brand new! Really nice stuff and help with preventing mud sticking to the frame.
Did my CdA with it before the for sale photos 😉
I’ve used the car detailing products I’ve got in the garage on bike frames I’ve bought before. At the end of the day it’s paint much the same as on a car so the results are similar.
Some sort of cutting compound works well to bring things back to life. If you’re reducing the appearance of mild scratches and scuffs by effectively removing them I don’t think I’d feel cheated buying a bike off you. As long as you supply some decent res photos in the ad it’s on the buyer really; they can always decide not to buy.
Just a quick thanks on the above - that sdoc stuff is like magic and a quick spray with that protect and shine (since they had some in aldi) has done wonders.
Heck it looks good enough i want to buy it now!
I transferred the Thule aero bars from my old car to my new car at the weekend and they were looking a bit tatty even after I had cleaned them thoroughly.
A quick spray with the Muc-Off Protect and Shine before fitting them and they look like new again despite being nearly ten years old.