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Cleaning carbon wheels is straightforward enough, soap water works fine, but is there any way to coat them to become more dirt repellent? My UD carbon wheels get dirty very quickly - in retrospect should probably have gone for a 3K matte finish as it might stay clean longer and be easier to clean (less rough).
Some products have been suggested on the interwebs, ok with a bit darker luster, but also don't want a full on glossy look:
Chemical Guys METICULOUS MATTE DETAILER - car detailer that preserves matte finish.
Pedro's Bike Lust - silicone based polish
Armor all - car detailer.
303 UV Protectant
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax - wax based, some people even use carnubba wax.
Just leave them naturally dusty?
What I have done so far, but if there's a good low effort option to keep em cleaner and prettier for longer I'd do that - I do after all unlike Hambini clean my bike about once a month.
Although doubt the UV protection touted by some of these options does anything of significance.
This seems promising and cost £5 here..
Not sure how a different weave would make it any different.
I've had a bottle of Pedro's bike list for over a decade. Its like a bottomless bottle. Good stuff that I used to use pre race day and now just at bike sale time.
I've found Autoglymn vinyl and rubber care pretty good as a wheel/tyre wipe over product and far less gloss on Matt painted parts than bike lust.
If you want to get "fancy" then try a car detailers ceramic coating with uv protection, when i worked in the bike shop i used to apply it to frames/wheels etc and it does make a genuine difference when hosing the bike down
Not sure how a different weave would make it any different.
3k weaves are usually a bit more glossy even if matte AFAIK.
If you want to get “fancy” then try a car detailers ceramic coating with uv protection, when i worked in the bike shop i used to apply it to frames/wheels etc and it does make a genuine difference when hosing the bike down
LikeMeguiar's G190526EU Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax Keramikwachs? Would be slightly worried it'd stain UD carbon somehow.
Muck Off make a carbon finisher that is supposed to stop dirt sticking.
There are probably a few car products that do the same for less.
Just leave them naturally dusty?
Do you have any idea the loss of performance (weight, drag) that would lead to?
Seems to work fine, wheels look better and stay a bit cleaner.
My 3k wheels are dust magnates but I think it gives the bike a cool mad-max vibe.
I find baby wipes very good for this, and other bike cleaning jobs.