# Keeping White Tires WHITE



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

I realize I am bit obsessed with my bike, but there are others that share my problem as well, so I thought I would share my helpful tip from this weekend:

I love my white tires on my white Look 595, but over time they tend to yellow and lose their nice white color. This weekend I decided to rotate my tires (to extend tire life), and when I took the tires off I used Westleys Bleche White to make the tires white again. It worked great. The tires look like new, even though they have almost 1000 miles on them.

After taking both tires off the wheels I sprayed them with Westleys and then scrubbed them with a stiff plastic brush. I did one tire at a time and I was very careful to thoroughly rinse them with clean water after the brushing as I did not want any bleach left on the tires. After the tires dried in the sun I remounted them on the wheels and they are ready to go. 

I don't think I would try this with the tires on the wheels as the bleach would damage the wheels. See AFTER picture below.


----------



## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I live in the PNW, I couldn't keep white tires clean on rollers in an operating room.


----------



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

Sorry about that. 

I do have an advantage - I live in Carlsbad, CA. Haven't ridden in rain for months, and should not see rain until December or so.


----------



## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

*Rotating tires*



bikerneil said:


> This weekend I decided to rotate my tires (to extend tire life). . .


http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-rotation.html


----------



## Jim Nazium (Feb 3, 2004)

bikerneil said:


> After taking both tires off the wheels I sprayed them with Westleys and then scrubbed them with a stiff plastic brush. I did one tire at a time and I was very careful to thoroughly rinse them with clean water after the brushing as I did not want any bleach left on the tires. After the tires dried in the sun I remounted them on the wheels and they are ready to go.


http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=6


----------



## de.abeja (Aug 27, 2006)

bikerneil said:


> Sorry about that.
> 
> I do have an advantage - I live in Carlsbad, CA. Haven't ridden in rain for months, and should not see rain until December or so.




Ha, that's what you get for saying anything it is raining right now! Look outside.


----------



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

Thanks. You might want to seek some help yourself...... why are you reading this post? Are you a little obsessed with biking chat or message boards???

I KNOW I have a problem!


----------



## raymonda (Jan 31, 2007)

Oxyclean works well for white handle bar tape and might work just as well on tires.


----------



## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

I don't think it's the bleach in Westley's but the fact it is a very strong soap/degreaser. I think you will be fine washing the tires on the rims, just don't let the soap stay on any of the metal or painted surfaces too long. Also, wet everything down first before spraying on the westleys. I have used in in the past to clean white handlebar tape and as long as everything got rinsed before the stuff dried, I never had any problems. It's great stuff, just be sure to rinse well. Glad to know someone has a bike OCD worse than mine.


----------



## eddie m (Jul 6, 2002)

I store my white tire wheels in an old fashioned "iron lung" that I got cheap from a TB sanitarium in Saranac Lake NY. I hooked it up to a nitrogen generator salvaged from Rome Strip Steel when it closed. It can hold about 8 pairs of wheels in an oxygen free environment. The only costly part was I needed to put in a bigger gas meter, and it the gas bill is about $1000/month, but it's worth it to ride nice white tires.

em


----------



## gatorling (Jun 25, 2008)

Wow, I think I'd go crazy if I had white tires. How do you have the time to keep them clean? After 12-14 hrs of riding every week I barely have enough time to shove food down my throat and use the toilet!


----------



## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

gatorling said:


> Wow, I think I'd go crazy if I had white tires. How do you have the time to keep them clean? After 12-14 hrs of riding every week I barely have enough time to shove food down my throat and use the toilet!


Real cyclists poop in the woods! 

To the OP, your bike is rediculously overcleaned looking at that brake caliper. Mine has about 1/2 a pound of dirt around that spring alone!


----------



## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*No bleach*



cyclust said:


> I don't think it's the bleach in Westley's but the fact it is a very strong soap/degreaser.


There is no bleach in the product, but you're right that it is a very strong soap. In terms of damage to bike parts, it would be the silicates that would worry me - high pH is corrosive to amphoteric metals (like aluminum).


----------



## bikerneil (Nov 3, 2007)

I ride to and from work each day, about 45 miles per day. On Friday afternoons I enjoy spending an hour cleaning my bike. Guilty as charged.

I like a clean bike and love a super clean drive train.

I realize I have "issues", but it could be worse - I could be watching TV.......


----------



## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

You are better man that I am.
I'm having hard time keeping my white frame, saddle and handlebar tape white....
It does look sharp.


----------

