I need to get hold of some for fork servicing experiment 🙂 Can you buy it in bike shops, or somewhere like Halfords, where I’m going later anyway 😕 Advice appreciated.

Do you have a Maplin near by?

Chemists sometime have it.

RS Web link

Or an RS trade counter – or mail order

TBH – meths will do the job fine

CD cleaning fluid (if you don’t need too much) or if you want a fairly cheap alternative just use cheap (Lidl) Vodka. If you want proper IPA though you’ll need a chemical supplier, although sometimes places such as Maplins sell.

I bought mine from a local chemist – tasty!

TBH – meths will do the job fine

Dunno how true it is but I heard on here that meths leaves a residue on things whereas IPA wont. Not taking the chance on my forks/brakes!
Best place to get IPA I could find was Maplin, they do a big can for cleaning electronics.

They should have it in Boots….

Brilliant thanks

Dunno how true it is but I heard on here that meths leaves a residue on things whereas IPA wont. Not taking the chance on my forks/brakes!

It’s only a bicycle

methanol is often in antifreeze, and is the one that gives you bad hangovers from cheep vodca and can send you blind.

methylated spirits/meths is ethanol (hence will get your drunk)

propanol is a the next step up the chain and comes in two flavours.
n-propanol
i-propanol
Its used a s a solvent because its much better at dissolving oil than methanol or ethanol.

Car brake cleaner does the job well for me, get it from halfords or any car spares place.

methylated spirits/meths is ethanol (hence will get your drunk)

…but is denatured with methanol to prevent you from drinking it (and hence removing the duty) so it’s inadvisable to drink it 🙁

third – Maplin about £8 for 500ml spray. Lasts ages and very useful.

I’ve use the decorators wipes on discs and almost everything else! They come in a neat dispenser, just tear off a wipe and use..
They contain IPA and a little moisturizer but seem to work well.
I get mine from wickes or most diy shops.

repatriot, mmm moisteriser 🙂 I got some IPA from Maplin, cheers all, however fork service experiment stalled, see ‘forking problems’ thread.

I can get hold of a fair bit of IPA, and am looking into trying to supply it to some of youse lot, for cleaning purposes. Me mate’s looking into the legal side of things for me. I’ll keep youse posted if it works out.

It’ll be shit loads cheaper than you’d pay normally.

What exactly do you want to do with it?

May be able to suggest an alternative.

Whether or not any residue is left behind depends on the purity. If you can find decent grade methanol/methylated spirits you should be alright. If it’s purple you’ll struggle!

And yes if you drink Meths, at best you will be quite horribly ill. at worst you’ll die (painfully) or you may just go blind.

Do you know anyone in the printing trade? I do and we have loads of the stuff.

I use car bodyshop panel wipe on my rotors, cheap and works fine for me.

I bought a bottle on ebay, pretty cheap and fast delivery.

Got mine from wilkinsons

Got mine from Farnell.

BBQ lighter fluid.