How to Clean and Maintain Your Carbon Road Wheelset

Keep Your Wheels Fast, Clean, and Long-Lasting

Cleaning and maintaining your carbon road wheelset is essential to protect your investment, maintain top speed, and ensure rider safety. This guide will walk you through step-by-step cleaning methods, key maintenance tips, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you ride daily or occasionally, proper care will help you get the best out of your carbon wheels.

Why Proper Maintenance Matters for Carbon Wheels

Carbon road wheels are prized for their lightweight, aerodynamic profile and performance gains. However, they require specific care to prevent wear, maintain braking performance, and extend their lifespan.

Benefits of Regular Maintenance:

Keeps your wheels smooth, fast, and reliable

Reduces the risk of carbon rim damage

Extends the life of hubs, bearings, and brake surfaces

Maintains braking efficiency (especially for rim brakes)

 Step-by-Step: How to Clean Carbon Road Wheels

1. Rinse with Low-Pressure Water

Start by rinsing your wheels with a low-pressure hose or a bucket of clean water to remove surface dirt and debris.

Do not use high-pressure water. It can force water into bearings and damage decals.

2. Use a Carbon-Friendly Bike Cleaner

Apply a pH-neutral bike cleaner. Avoid harsh household cleaners or degreasers that can damage carbon resin.

Spray the cleaner onto rims, spokes, hubs, and braking surfaces

Let it sit for 1–2 minutes

Gently scrub with a soft sponge or bike-specific brush

Important: Never use abrasive tools or steel brushes on carbon.

3. Clean Brake Surfaces Properly

Rim Brakes:

Wipe the brake track with isopropyl alcohol and a clean cloth

Inspect for debris or embedded stones

Clean brake pads regularly and check for even wear

Disc Brakes:

Use disc brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol

Avoid touching rotors with your bare hands

Check rotor bolts for tightness and rotor surface for warping

4. Dry Thoroughly

Use a microfiber towel to dry the entire wheelset carefully, paying special attention to the hubs, spoke nipples, and braking areas.

 Tip: Let wheels air dry fully before reinstalling on your bike, especially after wet rides.

Key Maintenance Checklist (Monthly)

Check spoke tension (squeeze pairs of spokes to ensure consistency)

Inspect wheel trueness (spin wheels and check for side-to-side wobbles)

Feel hub bearings (should spin smoothly without grinding)

Refill tubeless sealant every 2–3 months if applicable

Inspect rims for cracks, soft spots, or impact damage

If unsure, have a professional mechanic inspect your wheelset.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using pressure washers

Using harsh chemicals or degreasers

Skipping regular brake pad cleaning

 Storing the bike wet or near heat sources

 Ignoring strange noises or wobbles

Pro Tips for Carbon Wheel Care

Use rim tape or tubeless tape correctly to protect internal surfaces

Replace brake pads when switching from alloy to carbon rims

If using disc brakes, check rotor alignment regularly

Protect wheels with a dedicated wheel bag when transporting

Final Thoughts

Your carbon road wheelset is a high-performance component that deserves proper care.
With regular cleaning and maintenance, you’ll enjoy smoother rides, better braking, and longer wheel life.

 Need help selecting cleaning products or finding the right tubeless setup? Contact our Superteam support team or browse our Wheel Care Accessories.