Have I missed something?

What's all this cleaning all about?:sleep01:

Tenere Wheels and Spokes
 

No it doesn't. It will just protect them. In fact, after being coated, the sticky ACF will soon pick up road grime and actually look worse! However, you can rest assured that underneath everything will by tickety-boo.

Not necessarily a bad thing. Most people end up with tatty-looking rusty zinc-plated spokes because they try and polish them and are over zealous with their cleaning regime. If you try and polish them, all you'll end up doing is removing the protective zinc plate, exposing the steel to oxidation and they go rusty quicker than left alone! Just wash them off if you must clean them. Never use anything abrasive (Autosol etc.) and avoid using anything acid (which a lot of car wheel cleaners are).

...a case in point!

I have never cleaned my spokes in eight years, just washed and recoated them with ACF-50 every once in a while and they ain't too bad at all.

Ah I'll stop cleaning them, only started 4, so I'll stick to washing them and let them get dirty again. I'll get some acf ordered up too

Me too.

Though to be fair, the paint on the hubs is starting to show it's age

I agree with all of the above, but.....each to their own. I lover my spangly gold wheels!!..and rebuilding them with thicker /stronger stainless spokes has hopefully strengthened up the rims. Who knows! , how you fettle your bike is a personal thing. Definitely rear shock next!. Anyway, got to go , bike to clean!

Indeed. It's just that (as you found) achieving shiny spokes is not an attainable goal with the standard items.

If you like 'em to sparkle, then stainless is the only option.

I have just painted,with a tiny artists brush,all the spokes and hubs using a black rust paint from Tool Station...I have used it on my car for years.

�20 for a litre.