Tried a 'premium' bike wash at a downtown shop and got a surprise

Stopped into a shop near downtown Austin last Saturday to grab some degreaser and spotted a sign for a $45 full bike detailing. Figured why not, my commuter was caked in road grime from a month of rain. They did a great job on the frame and drivetrain, but they also polished my handlebar grips so hard they felt slicker than a greased pig. Had to ask them to rough them up with a scotch pad before I rode home, which was a first for me. Anyone else ever get a wash that was too good for their own good?

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1 Comment

alexw7510d ago

Whoa, hold on. Actually, that polish on the grips wasn't them being too good. They probably used a silicone-based shine spray on everything, including the rubber. That stuff is slick as hell and it's a real hazard. Rubber grips are meant to have a little tack to them, and that spray just kills it. You did the right thing asking for the scotch pad, but really they should have never put that junk on the grips in the first place. It's a common mistake at those fancy wash places, they treat every surface like it's paint.