Waxing a frame

[phantasmagoriana]

I've got a new and shiny frame waiting to be built up. I'd quite like to keep it shiny, and was wondering about using carnauba wax on it.

Has anyone done this - and if so, is it a good idea? Or is there anything else that works better? My last few bikes have been matte, so I'm not used to caring for the shiny.

[rafletcher]

Can’t see it would do any harm.

[jiberjaber]

I've got a new and shiny frame waiting to be built up. I'd quite like to keep it shiny, and was wondering about using carnauba wax on it.

Has anyone done this - and if so, is it a good idea? Or is there anything else that works better? My last few bikes have been matte, so I'm not used to caring for the shiny.

I've done this on my bikes (steel and Carbon) - but I never clean them like the car that used to be waxed so expect the wax to be long gone now... I also noticed they were no easier to clean unlike the car once waxed.

[DuncanM]

I don't think there's any downside to using carnuba wax, but it's not likely to last very long - for wax to be effective on cars it needs to be applied on a semi regular basis.
You can buy ceramic coating products for car paintwork and wheels that supposedly give great protection and allow dirt to be cleaned off with a minimum of fuss.  The "detailing" world is full of them, and they range from quite expensive to absolutely absurd. When I took my old car to a detailer for an underbody wax spray, there was a new McLaren having thousands spent on that sort of thing professionally applied! A more affordable product is something like this for alloy wheels:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004JNPTQ4/ref=asc_df_B004JNPTQ458670841/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B004JNPTQ4&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310668964056&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17761487176776884111&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006976&hvtargid=pla-477905158754&th=1&psc=1
I would want to check that it wouldn't damage the paintwork, and that it would stick effectively - the manufacturer should be able to tell you.

[ACyclingRooster]

I've got a new and shiny frame waiting to be built up. I'd quite like to keep it shiny, and was wondering about using carnauba wax on it.

Has anyone done this - and if so, is it a good idea? Or is there anything else that works better? My last few bikes have been matte, so I'm not used to caring for the shiny.

Hi phm. Have look at Boora with Zonax Zonyl & Carnauba in the 500ml Black Plastic Bottle from Amazon.
It is about £11.00 - I have been using it on my cars for several years now and it sheds water like nothing that you have ever seen unless you remember DuPont - Rain Dance.
It goes on like cream and buffs very very easily and with no white dust left behind.

[rogerzilla]

There are two products basically: wax and paint sealant.  The latter is just a synthetic wax that goes on a bit more easily and tends not to leave white crusty bits on the crevices.  They behave differently; wax repels water more vigorously but doesn't usually last as long (maybe 2-3 months if left out in all weathers) as sealant (6 months).  Also, the best waxes give a deeper shine than sealant, although there isn't much in it.  Carnauba wax usually gives the best "wet look" shine.  Silicone waxes are easier to apply.

Confusingly, Meguiar's NXT sealant is called "Tech Wax".  There's a lot of marketing guff behind car waxes.  I've never found one that doesn't work, but the aforementioned NXT smells nice and is fairly easy to apply and buff off.