Fenwick’s Professional Protective Coating

Fenwick's Professional Protective Coating is designed to provide a long-lasting, protective lacquer to all surfaces. Unlike most wax products, it seems genuinely invisible and therefore compatible with matt, satin and gloss finishes. Thus far, a little seems to go a long way and is performing very well.

• Pros: High quality, lasting effects on all finishes, economical
• Cons: Best results require 8 hours

Materials/science

Fenwick's was understandably coy when it came to discussing specifics, but I can tell you it's a water-based sealant. When cured, it offers an invisible barrier that not only protects the frame, components and appropriate surfaces (i.e. not braking, or contact points such as brake levers, bar tape etc) from grime, slush, sweat and similar contaminant.

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Fenwick's claims it will last 'up to six months', which is twice that of some boutique waxes, although regular washing, turbo trainer service and salty winter roads are likely to put a dent in this. There's negligible protection against UV rays, which isn't likely to be a deal-breaker for most people, especially if you've applied a suitable wax product first.

Application

Like most wax/preserves, it's best delivered to a clean, dry bike, so take this opportunity to give recipient bikes a sudsy bucket wash 'n' rinse. Now might also be the time to treat them to a quick furniture/matt-specific polish or hard paste wax.

That done, give the Fenwick's a brisk shake, flick the nozzle open and spray a small amount into a clean, lint-free cloth. Once you've delivered an even coat, working in small sections, leave to cure for 30 seconds, then buff and leave. At this point, you can scoot off. However, for best results, leave overnight.

Case studies

I've tested the Fenwick's on unsealed matt (stove) enamels, flamboyant enamels, gloss (and lacquered) powder coating, satin paints, anodised, electroplated and polished (stainless steel, aluminium) surfaces, and the odd matt helmet.

My tubby tourer was the primary candidate, being a four-seasons all-weather beastie, one that gets shod with spiked tyres and tackles snowy lanes. I opted for a very generous powder coated cream and black livery, and zinc rich epoxy base coat. These ultimately precluded an acrylic clear coat. Consequently, it shows every little mark, every oily fingerprint.

To date, the Fenwick's is living up to the hype. Oily fingerprints, PTFE overspray, splashes of coffee/energy drinks and of course rain have rolled off. Allowed the full eight hours, there's been no transference. No unsightly oily blotches in matt finishes either.

Less apparent on lacquered framesets, but stroking seatposts, stem and helmet shells you can feel a tangible barrier – one that has done a decent job of repelling showery rain: it just beads up then rolls away without any unsightly watermarks/staining.

I also applied some to my long-serving touring shoes. These are regularly treated to a high quality 'food', keeping the hide nourished. Again, that sealant barrier is invisible to the naked eye yet dismisses rain and discourages similar contaminant from sticking.

The same went for retro leather-palmed mitts, which was pleasing since even with six-weekly treatments of hide food these are prone to sweat, energy drink and similar staining. (Fenwick's is slightly better than Crankalicious Leather Lacquer in that respect).

Back to bikes. Riding along freshly resurfaced roads, tar/spatter and dust will still present around the seat tube, rear triangle and chainstays, as it would on a lacquered surface. However, these are effortlessly dismissed with a clean cloth.

It has certainly made the tubby tourer easier to keep clean, reducing the need for sudsy bucket washes. Several washes in, there's little evidence of the Fenwick's relenting.

In this, and several other respects, it does seem superior to Crankalicious Enduro Long Lasting Frame Sealant. That is much cheaper at £4 for 100ml, though each application is reckoned to last three months not six, and it does seem less stoical than Fenwick's in comparable conditions/contexts.

Conclusion

Bottom line, the Fenwick's does exactly what it says in the blurb and could be a boon if you want a single treats-all product. I'd probably stick with that tub of polymer car wax if your bikes sport glossy, lacquered surfaces, but if you've a mixed fleet, with gloss, matt and satin finishes, then Fenwick's Professional Protective Coating is a worthwhile investment.

Verdict

Useful protectant barrier that works on all finishes and reduces cleaning times/frequency