Product Spotlight: PELLI Ceramic MAINTAIN

What is Ceramic MAINTAIN and How Does it Work?

PELLI Ceramic MAINTAIN is a revolutionary waterless 3-in-1 ceramic-infused cleaner and detailer designed specifically to (1) clean, (2) condition, and (3) maintain today’s advanced metal-alloy and carbon fiber mountain and road bike frames. 

Using our advanced nanotechnology formula, Ceramic MAINTAIN cuts through dirt, oil, grease, and grime, without water, to clean your frame, bars, fork, and wheels without streaking or scratching, while leaving behind a deep mirror shine on painted surfaces and smooth matte perfection on carbon fiber and raw or anodized alloys.

The unique ceramic-infused formula fills microscopic pores and imperfections in your frame and instantly seals them from the elements while providing an ultra-slick hydrophobic coating that resists further buildup of organic contaminants. 

Specially formulated for today’s advanced road and mountain bike frame technology, Ceramic MAINTAIN will boost the effectiveness of Pelli’s CERAMIC PROTECT coating and keep your bike cleaner for longer while providing dramatically easier maintenance and cleaning in all conditions.

How Do I Use Ceramic MAINTAIN?

Intended as a daily cleaner and detailer, Ceramic MAINTAIN was engineered to be incredibly simple to use.  This advanced formula is designed to be a spray-on / wipe-off application while leaving behind a streak-free shine without the need for water, buffing, or polishing.  

Unlike Ceramic PROTECT - which establishes a hydrophobic layer of protection on a newly cleaned surface, Ceramic MAINTAIN is specifically designed to clean dirty frames and components without the need for a bucket or hose.  This revolutionary waterless wash will remove dirt, oil, and grime while leaving behind a sparkling finish and fresh coat of hydrophobic ceramic protection.

To Apply Ceramic MAINTAIN, simply follow these steps:

1. Spray product onto dusty and dirty frames, forks, bars, etc.
2. Wipe excess product with a fresh / clean microfiber towel. 
3. Flip towel over to dry side and wipe down to bring out maximum shine.  

Ceramic MAINTAIN is designed as a daily waterless cleaner.  However - for heavily soiled areas or heavy stuck on mud, grease, and grime, we recommend washing bike with PELLI EcoCLEAN bike cleaner.

When Should I Use Ceramic MAINTAIN

We recommend Ceramic MAINTAIN as a daily post-ride cleaner.  Whether your bike has been out on the trails kicking up dirt, dust, or road grime OR sitting in the garage gathering dust, Ceramic MAINTAIN is designed to quickly and easily bring back that showroom shine to a dirty ride.  

Unlike our EcoCLEAN deep-cleaning product, Ceramic MAINTAIN is a true waterless wash product that is designed to be sprayed on and wiped off without the need for soaking or rinsing.  This makes Ceramic MAINTAIN the most versatile product in our lineup and one that can literally be used just about anywhere.  

Whether it's at the trailhead pre or post-ride, on the deck at home, in the driveway, or even on the rack on your vehicle, Ceramic MAINTAIN is an incredibly easy way to keep your bike in top-ride condition all year long.  

What is the Difference Between Ceramic MAINTAIN and EcoCLEAN and How Often Should I Use Them?

Ceramic MAINTAIN is a daily waterless ceramic cleaner designed for lightly soiled frames and components.  We use this product after dry and dusty trail rides, road rides with clean conditions and the occasional sprinkler runoff, and generally good conditions.  The surfactants and cleaning agents in Ceramic MAINTAIN are designed to remove surface contaminants without scratching or streaking - eliminating the need for water or soaking - and make this ideal to wipe down a dirty frame immediately after your ride.  

By contrast, EcoCLEAN is a powerful deep cleaning and degreasing formula that is designed to break down dried and stuck on compounds - mud, oil, grease buildup, etc. - and release these from your finish with a water rinse.  

In general, we recommend a deep clean with EcoCLEAN every 6-8 weeks depending on your ride frequency and conditions.  In clean and dry months, you may only need a deep-clean after 3 months of frequent riding.  Ceramic MAINTAIN, on the other hand, is designed to be used after every ride.  Not only does this product clean your frame - but even when applied to a relatively clean surface, Ceramic MAINTAIN leaves behind a fresh hydrophobic ceramic coating that resists future buildup of contaminants.

What is the Difference Between Ceramic MAINTAIN and Ceramic PROTECT?

Although both products utilize a ceramic-infused formula, their usage and purpose is very different.  

Ceramic MAINTAIN is a 3-in-1 product designed to (1) clean, (2) condition, and (3) protect.  This product contains detergents, surfactants, and lubricants that are designed to remove dust, dirt, and oils from your frame, while filling micropores and abrasions and leaving behind a streak-free shine.  The ceramic component in this formula is designed to protect and refresh an existing ceramic coating that has been applied to the surface, and will also provide some immediate hydrophobic properties to an untreated surface. 

Ceramic PROTECT is a purpose-built ceramic protectant that is designed specifically to lay down a bonded ceramic barrier to treated surfaces that provides 2-3 months of powerful hydrophobic protection and self-cleaning performance.  Unlike Ceramic MAINTAIN, Ceramic PROTECT is not a cleaner and does not include any detergents or surfactants - this product is all about protection and is designed to be applied to a newly cleaned surface.

What is the Ideal Application of PELLI Products?

This is what we call The PELLI Process.  Our products were designed to be the highest-performing premium bike cleaners on the market - but without the need for complex application techniques or specialized tools.  

The PELLI Process is simple:

1. CLEAN: First, deep clean your entire bike front to back with PELLI EcoCLEAN.  This product is safe on ALL components - drivetrain, fork stanchions, suspension pivots, etc.  

2. PROTECT: Once cleaned and dried, protect your frame with PELLI Ceramic PROTECT.  Simply wipe on a newly cleaned frame, fork legs, cranks, even rims, and buff off for a showroom shine and long-lasting water-beading protective barrier.  

3. MAINTAIN: Now you're ready to ride.  After your first day on the trails, simply spray down your frame with Ceramic MAINTAIN and wipe off to refresh your Ceramic PROTECT coating and restore the new-bike look.  Use before or after every ride to extend the cleaning performance of your coatings until your next deep-clean and then repeat the process as scripted above.  

Is Ceramic MAINTAIN Safe to Clean My Entire Bike? 

Ceramic MAINTAIN is safe for use on all frame materials and most components such as bars, seat posts, grips, seats, etc.  

However - we do not recommend the use of Ceramic MAINTAIN to clean your drivetrain (here we would recommend the degreasing performance of EcoCLEAN) and it is important that you do not get Ceramic MAINTAIN or Ceramic PROTECT anywhere near your brake rotors.  

Our ceramic-infused formulas are designed to create an ultra-slick surface that makes it more difficult for dirt, dust, and grime to stick to the surface...though "slick" and "brakes" do not play nicely together and we recommend covering your rotors during application to prevent contamination of pads and rotors from overspray.