Test & tips paint care: What is the best way to care for bicycle paintwork?

For many owners, a racing bike or gravel bike is not just a piece of sports equipment, but often also a beloved treasure. If you want to keep your bike in top condition, you clean and maintain it regularly; some people may still remember how they were allowed to help their father with the Saturday car wash and "polish" the paintwork on the bonnet with a thick cotton wool pad. Lard is no longer the most important ingredient in paint care; spray and protective waxes are highly technical substances which, once applied, are designed to seal the surface reliably and as permanently as possible.

Hydrophobic protective layer

The basis of many paint protection products is a wax-like or polymer-based substance that forms a thin, water-repellent (hydrophobic) protective layer on the surface of the paint. It can contain natural waxes such as carnauba, which is obtained from the leaves of the carnauba palm, or be based on synthetic polymers. This layer not only protects the paint from water and dirt, but also from UV rays, which cause the colour to fade over time. At the same time, the wax intensifies the depth of colour, making a well-maintained frame look like new. For the longest-lasting protection possible, the sealant should be resistant to weathering and not wash off the next time the bike is cleaned. Another important aspect is the versatility of the product: can it be used on both glossy and matt paintwork? There are differences here. While glossy paintwork benefits from the polishing properties of the wax, matt painted frames can suffer from an unsuitable product as it could cause unwanted gloss marks. Special products for matt lacquers avoid this effect and offer protection at the same time. So-called ceramic sealants are also heavily advertised: these products differ from classic waxes primarily in terms of application. While waxes are simply sprayed on and spread, a ceramic sealant often requires several coats and longer curing times.

In our test, we analysed six different paint care products: from - according to the label - products specially developed for bicycles, such as Liqui Moly Bike Detailer, to universal products such as Sonax Xtreme Ceramic Spray, which is said to be equally suitable for cars and bicycles. Our test criteria focused on ease of use, long-term protection and the result in terms of the colour depth of the paint.

After-effect

The two test-winning products from Dr Wack and Sonax are convincing in all respects. Both substances are easy to apply. Even a small amount is enough to treat the entire frame evenly. The sparing application also reduces the risk of residues such as unsightly streaks on the paintwork if you do not polish every last corner carefully. When it comes to long-term protection, the products from Dr Wack, Sonax and Liqui Moly are particularly impressive, although the latter is explicitly not suitable for matt paintwork. The paint protectors from Muc-Off and Nigrin perform measurably weaker in terms of long-term protection, with the protective layer largely disappearing again after just a few washes. Regardless of the product chosen, the test clearly shows that careful paint care is worthwhile. Not only to make the bike look shiny, but also to protect the frame from external influences in the long term.

Short and sweet

Paint care is worthwhile: protecting the surface preserves the value of the bike and makes it easier to maintain. The paint care products from Dr Wack and Sonax performed best in the laboratory test; individual products show weaknesses in the long-term effect.

The paint care products in the test

Dr Wack A1 High End Spray Wax

• Price: 19 Euro >> available here
• Price per litre: 38 Euro
• Contents: 500 millilitres

TOUR rating

• Application (15 %) 1,3
• Gloss / colour freshness (35 %) 1,4
• Hydrophobicity / protection (50 %) 1,2

Conclusion

The test winner is easy to dispense, although the spray pattern should be a little narrower in order to hit even slender frame areas accurately. The product is easy to spread and achieves a uniform shine after a few circular movements. The long-term effect is convincing: even after ten washes, water still rolls off reliably.

Overall grade (100 %): 1.3

Liqui Moly Bike Detailer quick paint care

• Price: 17 Euro >> available here
• Price per litre: 34 Euro
• Contents: 500 millilitres

TOUR rating

• Application (15 %) 1,4
• Gloss / colour freshness (35 %) 2,6
• Hydrophobicity / protection (50 %) 1,3

Conclusion

The care substance comes out of the spray head in a fine jet with pressure, which is why you should pump with feeling so that nothing is missed. Polishing is quick and easy, and the subsequent colour appearance is okay. Even after many washes, water beads up just as quickly as immediately after application. According to the label, not suitable for matt paints.

Overall grade (100 %): 1.8

Muc Off Bike Protect

• Price: 17 Euro >> available here
• Price per litre: 34 Euro
• Contents: 500 millilitres

TOUR rating

• Application (15 %) 1,4
• Gloss / colour freshness (35 %) 2,7
• Hydrophobicity / protection (50 %) 4,1

Conclusion

Muc-Off adds a propellant to the care substance, so it can be sprayed evenly and finely onto the paintwork and then spread effortlessly and streak-free. The gloss is good, but the colour refreshment is not as intensive as that of the competition. The protective layer must be renewed relatively early.

Overall grade (100 %): 3.2

Nigrin spray wax

• Price: 7,50 Euro >> available here
• Price per litre: 25 Euro
• Contents: 300 millilitres

TOUR rating

• Application (15 %) 2,5
• Gloss / colour freshness (35 %) 4,0
• Hydrophobicity / protection (50 %) 3,2

Conclusion

Although the Nigrin can contains very little, it is the cheapest product in the test in terms of price per litre. The spray pattern of fine mist and thick drops is annoying, which leads to uneven distribution. The colour refreshment is low, the gloss effect is good. The beading effect disappears after the first wash and re-waxing is soon necessary.

Overall grade (100 %): 3.5

Sonax Xtreme Ceramic Spray Sealer

• Price: 21 Euro >> available here
• Price per litre: 28 Euro
• Contents: 750 millilitres

TOUR rating

• Application (15 %) 1,4
• Gloss / colour freshness (35 %) 1,8
• Hydrophobicity / protection (50 %) 1,2

Conclusion

Sonax fills the pump bottle with the most contents and achieves the price-performance victory; the product spreads unerringly with a fine jet even with light pressure; it can be spread on the paint without leaving streaks or residues with little polishing. The colour refreshment and shine are impressive even after more than ten washes.

Overall grade (100 %): 1.4

Tunap Sports frame care

• Price: 13,95 Euro >> available here
• Price per litre: 46,50 Euro
• Contents: 300 millilitres

TOUR rating

• Application (15 %) 1,8
• Gloss / colour freshness (35 %) 1,4
• Hydrophobicity / protection (50 %) 4,0

Conclusion

The comparatively expensive frame care product comes in a small can and spreads finely when light pressure is applied to the spray head. So fine that a lot of the product does not reach the paintwork as a mist, but evaporates unused. Otherwise, it spreads well and produces a fresh, shiny finish, although the effect does not last as long as with the best products.

Overall grade (100 %): 2.8

How TOUR tests

All tests were carried out in the laboratory of Dr Wack Chemie in Baar-Ebenhausen near Ingolstadt under our personal supervision and are based on the standards of the Industrieverband Körperpflege- und Waschmittel e.V. (IKW).

Application (share of the overall grade: 15 per cent)

All substances are tested on a standardised gloss paint panel. The previously divided test surfaces are measured for uniform paint values (paint freshness, paint brightness) so that they comply with the prescribed standard. The same amount of the test substance (1.5 millilitres) is then spread over the surface and polished with a microfibre cloth until the test area shines without streaks.

Gloss and colour freshness (share of the overall score: 35 percent)

In order to assess the colour appearance, which is made up of the criteria of colour refreshment, gloss and surface appearance, each test surface is assessed using special measuring equipment and an optical test under standard light. The colour refreshment is measured with a reflectometer, the unit is called "GU" (Gloss Units).

Hydrophobicity and long-term protection (share of the overall score: 50 per cent)

To assess the long-term protection, each treated test surface is washed with so-called base shampoo and a sponge (weighted with 2 kilograms) with five cross passes each. After each pass, the washed surface is rinsed with a defined water jet and quantity at a specific angle. The time is then stopped until the water has completely drained from the surface. One hundred per cent hydrophobicity is achieved if the water runs off the test panel completely within half a second; zero per cent if it takes longer than six seconds. This method is used to determine the water-repellent properties of the substances. To determine the long-term effect, this process is repeated up to ten times. With the best agents, the water runs off after less than a second, even after the tenth wash.