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Hey there.

I recently damaged the finish on my Bianchi road bike. I guess i scrubbed it with a bad sponge because the right chainstay and part of the frame (right side near bottom bracket) are kinda foggy. The black doesn't look black anymore.

How would you recommend fixing that (store-bought solution)?
Can you fix it in your shop without having to take off all the paint? I would like to keep the original design and details.

Thanks!

Without seeing a picture, it sounds like what happened is your sponge was dirty and you abraded the finish over that area. Basically what happened is (on accident) you put a lot of really tiny scratches on your finish by scrubbung on it. What happens is that area is no longer shiny , all of the little scratches interrupt the light reflection and it looks dirty or cloudy.

It is the same principle we use to scuff up surfaces to recieve a clear coat. It ceases to become perfectly smooth, in our case helps the clear adhere, in your case makes it not look so great.

It can be fixed by rubbing it out. We use 3M Extra Cut rubbung compound. Just about any automotive rubbing compound should work. Wax might do the trick, but typically wax is more of a final glaze.

Not that it makes it any better, but black is the hardest color to rub out because it is obviously the darkest color, and shows every little imperfection. It may take a few rounds to get all of the rubbing marks to go away, but it should clean back up. If the discoloration was caused by a solvent or cleaning agent (or citrus degreaser), the "resurrection" may only go so far because of some things going on chemically.


Hope that helps a little,

Thanks,
-J.T.

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I'll take my street smart over your book smart anyday

Thanks for the speedy reply! It sounds like you described my problem perfectly. Is the 3M compound you mentioned abrasive? I really don't think I could bring my self to cut up my bike any more.

It's abrasive in terms of rubbing compound, but if you put some on your fingers it would just feel like paste. It doesn't even really feel grainy. The particles in it are really really tiny.

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I'll take my street smart over your book smart anyday

I'm scared!

I think I'm gonna try some non-abrasive car scratch remover first. Maybe Meguiar's or Turtle Wax brand. That is of course, unless you advise against it.

Then again, if that doesn't do the trick what would it take for you folks to check it out?

Thanks so much. You have been a really big help. This is my first road bike ever and I love it to death.

I say give it a try, I don't think you will do any more harm. If the wax trick doesn't get you anywhere give us a call.

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I'll take my street smart over your book smart anyday

FODzilla, you're probably going to need to use the cutting compound that JT mentioned. You can't hurt anything. Just make sure you are using a perfectly clean cotton rag (an old clean t-shirt is perfect). Good luck!