Best thing to clean rims

[Steve Malkin]

I used to buy that in Boots to clean cassette heads and capstan rollers. I thought chemists weren't allowed to sell it now though?

Readily available and fairly cheap on eBay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOTTLE-OF...Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET&hash=item1e7957e29b

 

[Profpointy]

Meths or white spirit , or even 'fairy' liquid and a rinse with clean water will get any oily residue off.

I'd not use white spirit ideally, as it is more akin to paraffin and hence somewhat oily. Not the end of the world, but meths will dissolve oil & wash off in water.

 

[raleighnut]

I used to buy that in Boots to clean cassette heads and capstan rollers. I thought chemists weren't allowed to sell it now though?

Yeah but at a fiver for a 10 mil bottle it'd be cheaper to buy new rims'
I also use it to clean the vinyl residue and dust off my stylus.

 

[Profpointy]

and whilst isoprop would work ok, and for this sort of job is much the same as meths chemically, it's not as easy to get - you can get meths by the litre in b&q. I would use isoprop for things that are sensitive - maybe camera lens glass and the like, where the extra purity is important

 

[winjim]

I used to buy that in Boots to clean cassette heads and capstan rollers. I thought chemists weren't allowed to sell it now though?

You can buy small amounts from Maplin. I expect larger quantities could be sourced via google.

For something like rim cleaning I'd probably use a 50% solution in tap water.

 

[Moodyman]

What's up with soapy water and firm bristled brush?

Readily available is most households and doesn't break the bank

 

[Profpointy]

You can buy small amounts from Maplin. I expect larger quantities could be sourced via google.

I bought a litre bottle off a supplier on ebay at a reasonable price. I'd still use meths for cleaning grease off bike wheels and save the isoprop for "best" as it were.

Had a funny incident trying to buy acetone (which I'd not use on a bike) at the chemist - he pointed me to the nail varnish removers, which I proceeded to "analyse" by the sniff-test to get the least watered down one. He was certainly taken aback, but still sold me some ! Now got a litre bottle of pure acetone off the same ebay guy. I repeat, don't let acetone near anything plastic (other than polyethylene / polypropylene)

 

[KneesUp]

What's up with soapy water and firm bristled brush?

Readily available is most households and doesn't break the bank

Makes a bit of a mess of the kitchen

 

[Moodyman]

Makes a bit of a mess of the kitchen

fair play. not everyone has a garden with an outdoor tap.

 

[KneesUp]

fair play. not everyone has a garden with an outdoor tap.

I do, but I have no outside light, and it's cold

 

[slowmotion]

You can buy small amounts from Maplin. I expect larger quantities could be sourced via google.

.

You can get a litre of IPA from CPC (cpc.co.uk) for £12. They do loads of other useful stuff.

 

[winjim]

and whilst isoprop would work ok, and for this sort of job is much the same as meths chemically, it's not as easy to get - you can get meths by the litre in b&q. I would use isoprop for things that are sensitive - maybe camera lens glass and the like, where the extra purity is important

I've just done a stock take at work, and I've got ten litres of the stuff I need to arrange disposal for!

 

[KneesUp]

I've just done a stock take at work, and I've got ten litres of the stuff I need to arrange disposal for!

You're not in Sheffield are you?

 

[ColinJ]

Going round the rims with wipes (baby, kitchen, etc) after each ride in the winter helps to keep your wheels in good condition and should lessen wear on the brakes - give the brakes a good going over as well, preferably with the wheels off. Good opportunity to check the tyres for foreign objects too.

Baby wipes - I forgot that I'd bought a big bag from my local market! Hand on, I'll go and test them - the braking on my Basso was a bit iffy on the last ride so I think the rims could do with a scrub ...

Yikes - good tip!

 

[KneesUp]

Baby wipes clean anything - I don't know why I didn't think of using them!