Hi everyone,
I’m having an issue with my bike and I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced the same.
I have a 10-month-old Trek Domane AL Gen 5 from Trek, and I’m noticing these white/greyish spots and stains on the rear parts of the frame (especially around the chainstays and seatstays). The bike is only used outdoors — I never train indoors with it.
I’ve cleaned it thoroughly multiple times, including degreasing, but the spots just won’t come off. It almost looks like dried mineral stains or some kind of residue baked into the paint. Degreaser doesn’t seem to help at all.
Has anyone else had this issue with an aluminium frame?
Were you able to remove the spots, and if so, how?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
by dvid_dm
3 Comments
Lol.
Do you sometimes sweat on your bike?
Do they taste salty?
Most degreasers are a strong alkali that corrodes aluminum. So I think you started out trying to clean legitimate dirt or chain lube off of your bike and in the process, ruined the finish by using degreaser that you never should have.
Whatever you’re using to lube your chain is eating away at the paint.
Stop using WD40 or whatever it is you’re using and switch to a proper bike chain lube. Watch a YouTube video to learn how to properly clean and lubricate your chain. Make sure to wipe off excess lubricant from the chain. There should not be so much lube that it splatters your frame and wheels.
It is also common for chains to slap against the chain stay and damage the paint. Wrap the chain stay to prevent further damage. There are commercially available products for this or you can use an old inner tube.