I’m planning a new build based around a pretty subtle/non-descript coloured frame which I’m thinking about blinging up with a lashing of Hope anodised gewgaws – purple or orange.

Now I tend to keep my bikes quite a while and they get a good beating – it’d be a shame if in a couple of years time, all the ano bits faded into insignificance. Back in ye day I had a pair of red Ti-glide hubs that went a fetching shade of pink, and on my current bike (6 yrs old) the black headset and BB have gone inky/purply – not really noticeable on an all black build, but still faded none-the-less.

So is it all going to look rather washed out in 3-5 years time…?

Thanks!

Probably depends on the batch/color and how you wash it. Muck-off or anything else alkaline will affect it. I’ve got some gunmetal hubs that are probably 20 years old and still look new, and some gunsmoke brakes that still looked new when I sold them. Conversely I’ve got a ‘inky’ Thompson seatpost, and chainrings and chainring bolts always fade from being doused in chain degreaser.

Also depends on how much sunlight they get. The front light o nmy commuter has gone brown, and the mast on my boat started black but is now almost back to a ‘raw’ color!

Does ACF-50 have a detrimental effect ? Started my fat bike on the beach and use ACF-50 after washing to help keep any corrosion at bay on the Hope hubs.

ACF-50 is just wax isn’t it?

Gentle Car shampoo and water. Or just water.
Don’t use any washing up liquids or bike/car cleaners which advertise as easy to spray on and wash off – most of them are like traffic film cleaners which can be really harmful to anodising.
I’ve got hubs which are 15 years old and look new and never used any proprietary cleaners. Mostly just water.

I think orange lasts longer than purple and certainly the red.

Purple? Aye it lasts well, you’ll still look a right clot in 10 years time. 😂😂😂

anything else alkaline will affect it.

Yep, this. If i had any anodising that I wanted off I used neat TFR.

Gone all silver hope bits on my latest build to avoid this very problem.

I remember purple from the first time around, then how totally unfashionable it become, if I remember correctly an old mate used oven cleaner to remove it all.
I’ve got a red big-un hubshell on my windowsill that’s gone pink on one side over the years. So all day UV rays and strong cleaners are the only threats, I’ve got still perfect blue and gold from 20 years ago on an old bike, I’ve always used car shampoo then gt85 on a cloth to keep everything looking good. Currently orange is my fave, but I do miss gunmetal.

A mate uses spray on cleaners and his hope bits are starting to go a bit wonky(They are a few years old and he does ride and subsequently wash his bikes a lot.) I only use car shampoo and hot water.My orange bling seems as shiny and lustrous as when new and it makes me feel a bit smug.

No problem with my blue hubs and I don’t take particular care of them.

Anodised colours never go out of style!

JP

I blinged my black e4s with levers and bore caps , colours still great 18-24 months on, except a few scrapes on one lever,

Green bling for my next build

All the red Hope stuff on my bike is under 2 years old and it’s gone pink. Especially the hubs. Never really washed it with anything other than the hose.

The last significant bit of anodised hope kit was added to my bike in 2005ish and is still the colour it started off as, although I’ve always been to tight to invest in ‘proper’ bike wash and stuck to washing up liquid. I’m still running Hope XC hubs which probably date from 2001, where the anodising is still not significantly different in colour (it must be the protective layer of crud). Never been more adventurous than black so I can’t comment on other colours

Red Pro2 Evos here, 5 years old. Always washed them with soapy water (washing up liquid) and they’re just as red as they were when new