How to clean white residue from painted spokes

[juno_first]

Im selling a Svartpilen 125 & at only 9 months old it has a white crusty residue on the painted spokes, mostly on the rear wheel. When wet they mostly turn black but after drying they turn white. I kept her inside over winter & only got caught in the rain a couple of times.

Is this corrosion or crap from the road & can the spokes be returned to black, thanks guys.

 

[spoon]

Doesn't look like corrosion to me, just some kind of residue or de-icing salt maybe?

What happens if you try to wipe off (dry) - does it come off at all?

 

[juno_first]

I used a none scratch dish washing pad with monkey juice bike cleaner & after a rinse with water they mostly turned black. Then after drying returned to this white colour which has a rough crusty feel to it.

 

[spoon]

Ok so that very likely means oxidation - probably no way around apart from wire brushing it all off and painting again?

 

[juno_first]

Yeah, my thoughts too. I was going test 1 spoke with some wire wool. Wondering how much these corroded spokes devalue the bike as otherwise it's in mint condition.

 

[tom_e]

I wouldn't start wire wooling them, honestly I don't think anyone will be particularly bothered as long as the rest of the bike is in good condition.

 

[spoon]

That's true - you can also do a quick and dirty job of painting straight over (not that it hasn't been done before..)

Probably explains why a lot of bike pictures of for sale bikes are of wet/freshly washed bikes

 

[Diddums]

I wouldn't start wire wooling them, honestly I don't think anyone will be particularly bothered as long as the rest of the bike is in good condition.

This, you're spending hours cleaning sometihng that the dealer will take care of in 5 minutes. Clean it, chop it in, get the new bike, live happily ever after

 

[juno_first]

Yeah would take hours sort out the spokes, getting smooth then painting over, though not ready get another bike until 15th. The front has some corrosion & much better.
Put off spokes now , though suppose they just need looking after with AFC50 or something. Makes Honda Transalp less appealing now but that's over budget anyway.