ACF50 and washing it off

[Fifteen15]

This might seem like a daft question but this is my first winter of biking so it's all new to me. I applied ACF50 to my bike a few weeks ago to stop any rust from forming. The other day I washed my bike with car shampoo and a sponge. Would that have washed all the ACF50 away and do I need to reapply?

Thanks :)

[Urbanfireblade]

Erm, i done the same as you but i purposely washed it to get rid of the acf-50 off the frame etc last weekend as it made the bike look a bit patchy oily stain like. Bike is shining now, so i'd say washing it DID remove alot of it.
If you still want the acf-50 protection i'd advise just wiping over the bike again with a cloth/rag sprayed with it.

[DJ123]

during the colder months applying ACF 50 once a month should be suitable

[Scythe92]

ACF50 is a water solution I think, so you will need to reapply it if it gets wet.

[punyXpress]

Just the opposite

[kaivalagi]

As punyXpress says ACF50 is not water based, it is oil based so not easily washed off, it needs a good scrub with soapy water. I would expect you have some remaining in all the nooks and crannies unkless you went to town with a scrubbing brush, applying more would be a good idea regardless though....for me personally I would not bother properly washing the bike clean if it's well coated in the stuff, it might look grubby but it will be fine. I just give it a good rinse with water from a hose now and then. When the winter is long gone then it's spring clean time...

For info, the water based equivalent (not as good IMO but better than nowt) is FS365

[Urbanfireblade]

I used FS365 before the acf-50 and i'd steer clear of it tbh, needs re-applying after wet weather and generally all the dust and dirt stuck to the bike and it looked yuck. Acf-50 can be wiped on so is very thin and seems to attract less muck. Tho i found acf made the annodised black sv frame look water stained all over hence i washed it off the external areas now the main bad weather has passed.

[Badeye]

I use GT85, can buy it from halfords and not badly priced. Does the exact same as ACF50 and appears to work a treat. It says on the tin that one application will last 12 months but obviously a reapplication would be due every now and then on parts that are more vulnerable.

[davepreston]

gemma here forgot to log out dave, again oops
yep washing the trike at weekend will all come off and with the amount of chrome i have reapplication is needed, ouch more money needed:(
Ps badeye how much that GT85, acf50 killing my wallet the amount i need?

[Badeye]

check the link bud, £4.99 but sometimes they have it on offer

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_19 3267_langId_-1_categoryId_228375

I'll be getting some more at the weekend.

[kaivalagi]

The only concern I would have with GT-85 (as with WD-40) is that it is a de-greaser as well as being a water displacer....which means you need to be really careful about where you use it on a bike. ACF-50 on the other hand can be used everywhere except on your brakes (http://www.acf-50.co.uk/motorcycle.htm). A far better (but more expensive) product to me...

[Mrs_giggles]

i went for tha acf50 cant find anywhere near me that stocks it though so baught some more on line:)

[chrisinflight]

I used to use GT85, it`s not a bad product for the price but not as good as ACF. The GT85 leaves a film like ACF but seems to be washed off easier with rain. It is an entirely different product and marketing is biased towards a "maintenance spray" for bicycles and gardening tools as opposed to ACF "anti-corrosion spray" from the military aircraft industry.