The RIDE product test: Polish

Last month we tested 13 cleaners to find the best one for your bike. This month, we look for the best polish to shine and protect it once it’s clean

CLEANING THE DIRT off a bike is all well and good, but everyday wear and tear can take its toll on the quality of the paint. A polish contains a fine cutting compound that moves the colour in the paint around at an almost molecular level, removing small scratches as it gives a new lease of life to tired paintwork. However, if the paint is left unprotected after polishing, it will begin to deteriorate again almost immediately.

This is where the wax comes in. This is often made from natural oils or waxes like Carnauba and is designed to form a high-sheen, long-lasting protection over polished surfaces. However, to save time and effort, you can get polish that contains an element of wax protection so the finish from the bottle offers some longevity.

We are not testing waxes here, just wipe-on and spray-on polishes – albeit ones with a wax element. For a brand-new bike, a quick-to-use spray polish can give good protection on a range of surfaces, with less need for the cutting element. For older bikes, a wipe-on polish with more cut will help brighten paintwork – though also using a spray polish will help revive the non-painted surfaces.