What you are seeing is some of the antioxidant "blooming" out of the rubber. Try any tire dressing or armor all.
Good luck! Warren Hall Houston, TX Pinarello & Woodrup
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Don Rogers Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 10:41 AM To: Classic Rendezvous Bike List Subject: [CR]Cleaning gum hoods?
Hi, folks.
I picked up a set of NOS Dia-Compe levers and they have gum hoods that are flexy and soft and happy -- ready to roll. Except, one of them has a sort of bloom or coating of a powdery/cloudy-looking dark gray substance, which just looks nasty and doesn't make me want to put my hands on 'em. It's not like a surface spot of dirt or grease, though it may have been that at one time. It's more like *in* the rubber, as well as at its surface.
I kind of like some of the mold details of these hoods, which makes me reluctant to order up standard replacement hoods.
I checked the archives and didn't find any useful advice. Does anyone have any suggestions on effective and non-destructive/rubber-safe cleaning of gum hoods? Soaps? Detergents? Degreasers?
Thanks very much,
Don Rogers
Rumford, RI USA