Paint issues on 2013 Canyon Nerve.

KernowCB

Hi,

I have had a Canyon Nerve AL 7.0 for less than 2 months and used it less than 10 times and the paint on the top tube is fading as if I've been using sandpaper and bleach to clean it!! Has anyone else experienced similar problems with their Canyon?

I clean my bike with only warm water and a chamois (as well as hosing off the worst of the muck).


Bike Paint Rub (2) 001 by chrisbrenton, on Flickr


Bike Paint Rub (2) 008 by chrisbrenton, on Flickr


Bike Paint Rub (2) 007 by chrisbrenton, on Flickr

More pictures are on my Flickr page - http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisbrent ... 415681146/

I've emailed canyon about the issue and hoping to hear back from them soon. The rest of the bike has been ok and the rest of the frame hasn't even got a scratch or ding on it. It's almost as if the paint hasn't been finished properly on the top tube. I've owned other bikes for 2-3 years at a time and never had an issue with paint fade.

Since noticing the paint starting to fade I've been very concious while riding to check that I haven't been rubbing my knees on the tube but I definitely haven't.

What do you guys think?

supersonic

There are definite scratches there though. No zips catching it, or anything you can think of?

allthegearnoidea

quick question, ever sit on the top tube whilst chatting to mates?? i know i do, quickest way to muller the paint!! gritty shorts, persons weight, paint has litle chance!
(i tape over mine with glass repair tape to preven it - local wholesaers sell it for £7 for 15M)

The Northern Monkey

Always helitape top tubes!

I learnt the hard way with my old NS, went down to the metal after a few wet and gritty rides!

KernowCB

Definitely no zips etc - all the clothing I wear is cycle specific and I avoid stuff with zips for exactly this reason.

Yeah, I do stand over the top tube (as we all do) but don't sit on it. Even if I did, would you expect this to happen after less than 10 rides?? I'm just amazed at how bad it is to be honest.

Mojo_666

KernowCB wrote:

would you expect this to happen after less than 10 rides?? I'm just amazed at how bad it is to be honest.

At trail centres in this weather yeah, shoulda heli taped it.

qooqiiu

Don't expect a swift response from canyon!

Apparently their server was down for a few days... apparently.

Having a couple of issues myself post purchase and i haven't even ridden it yet.

That is a very poor finish for it to be so badly faded after such little time.

allthegearnoidea

2 wet muddy rides down here on a black bike had turned the top tube Matte black!
it doesnt suprise me tbh fella, paint adds weight and cost, if they can get another10 bikes out of 1L can by going thin then with the amount they sell they coud save a fortune!! (think club biscuits reducing the amount of foil on for the biscuit wrapping, 5mm less saved them Millions!!!!)

The Rookie

Definately scratched they won't warranty that I'm pretty sure. Still you've saved some weight! (paint typically adds about 250g to an ally frame!)

rolf_f

How can the colour deteriorate like that (even if you were really careless) after so few rides unless it wasn't actually lacquered? And surely Canyon do lacquer their finishes?

To the OP - presumably you've tried to see how well the paint is attached when you've got home - eg does it come off if rubbed lightly with a fingernail? If the paint is poorly keyed, then it will scratch easily. That the paint is scratched does not mean that the OP has necessarily done anything wrong.

bennett_346

The Beginner wrote:

(paint typically adds about 250g to an ally frame!)

But what about an axis frame?

KernowCB

Rolf F wrote:

How can the colour deteriorate like that (even if you were really careless) after so few rides unless it wasn't actually lacquered? And surely Canyon do lacquer their finishes?

To the OP - presumably you've tried to see how well the paint is attached when you've got home - eg does it come off if rubbed lightly with a fingernail? If the paint is poorly keyed, then it will scratch easily. That the paint is scratched does not mean that the OP has necessarily done anything wrong.

Thanks. I'm amazed at how many people think this is normal or it's just wear and tear. I think this is way past wear and tear and there is something wrong. I wouldn't expect this much paint to come off even if I'd really abused the bike (for the whole 8 rides!).

I didn't check the paint when I got home as, to be honest, didn't think I'd need to and assumed Canyon QA would be better than this. Or do you mean after my previous ride? In which case I didn't but I will tomorrow and see what it's like.

I know there are some scratches and a couple of those may well have been me somehow (although I have been very careful as it's a new bike and all...) but the rest of it is just so poor...

Huckfinn

Did you use muck off to clean it? I had a similar problem with my nerve too but on the lettering on the frame. I personally don't think its right that the paint should come off so easily especially after so few rides, how ever after doing some research paint like the stuff they use for the white detailing doesn't hold well to anodized finishes, which I think has happen to yours and mine.

Canyon will propably tell you its the way you cleaned it. If you look on the cleaning guide they say use warm soapy water, I never got a straight answer on what I should use to get the water soapy.

paulneenan76

All manufacturers are different in terms of quality of finish but if your last frame survived the abuse of resting your knackers on the top tube with wet and gritty shorts, without damaging the paint finish, then you should expect canyon to provide a better standard than this - perishing paint after 8 rides is a joke.

But having said all that, heli taping the top tube of your new pride and joy seems a no brainer to me.

Dick Scruttock

Is the frame black anodized then the white bits wet sprayed onto it?

Huckfinn

Yes it would seem that way. There is no top coat over the white paint to act as a sealer

KernowCB

Huckfinn wrote:

Did you use muck off to clean it? I had a similar problem with my nerve too but on the lettering on the frame. I personally don't think its right that the paint should come off so easily especially after so few rides, how ever after doing some research paint like the stuff they use for the white detailing doesn't hold well to anodized finishes, which I think has happen to yours and mine.

Canyon will propably tell you its the way you cleaned it. If you look on the cleaning guide they say use warm soapy water, I never got a straight answer on what I should use to get the water soapy.

Nope, never used Muc off as I had read a Canyon thread before that stated a few issues with Muc Off so I actually have only used warm water, chamois and hose. That's why I'm so annoyed about it. If I had of used a product of some sort (even if it was bike specific) I would still be annoyed but at least it would be fractionally my fault!!

The Northern Monkey

Have you spoken to Canyon yet or sent them photos?

allthegearnoidea

OT but Kcb, cmtb are riding wheal budy/unity/pdv/bissoe sesh tomorrow, meeting in the layby oppo Smokey joes, scorrier for 09:30 if ya fancy it??

qooqiiu

Have you had any response at all from canyon? I haven't, and thats after 3 emails and a week!

rolf_f

KernowCB wrote:

I didn't check the paint when I got home as, to be honest, didn't think I'd need to and assumed Canyon QA would be better than this. Or do you mean after my previous ride? In which case I didn't but I will tomorrow and see what it's like.

What I was getting at is this - either the finish is durable and well keyed but you've given it a really hard time or the finish is a bit, errr, sh1t and the scratches have occurred despite you being careful with it.

If it is the latter, then really you ought to be able to shift the white paint just by scraping a fingernail over it (because how else could it look so bad so quickly unless you did give it a hard time). If it does come off with a fingernail, then I'd say the paintwork isn't fit for purpose. I know that on my bikes I could run my fingernails over the paintwork all day long and the only ones at risk would be the old steel frames with the odd bit of flakey paint.

If Canyon can't put white paint durably onto the anodised finish of an MTB frame then they shouldn't put the paint on in the first place. The white paint is only on there to look good and if it looks crap after 8 rides then it isn't doing its job.

On the bright side, if Canyon do end up being difficult, one potential option might be to get rid of all the white paint. It looks like it should be possible one way or another.

Briggo

Interesting how some people expect that to be normal, the paint even if scratched shouldn't get that bad.

The first pic tells it all really, that isn't a scratch that's being worn off, and grit, unless you're feeling horny and really grinding the top tube it shouldn't kill it like that.

Huckfinn

Canyon may fob you off because you didn't use a soft cloth. But I do hope you have better luck than me with the UK office. I'm still waiting on a new down tube protector I ordered back in Nov.

qooqiiu

Lightning quick at replying to emails before purchase.

Totally different story after you've payed it seems!

poppit

Perhaps a phone call might get a better response.

KernowCB

I have emailed all of the pictures to Canyon and had one response so far which said something along the lines of;

"I will pass the pictures onto our technicians but this is usually the consequence of cleaning with aggressive cleaners"

Considering I've used water and a chamois I'm only assuming that it must be a problem with the paint as they don't seem to offer up any other explanation. Will do the fingernail test tomorrow when I'm back home.

Timmo - I can't make the ride tomorrow but will be at the minions ride for sure!

rolf_f

KernowCB wrote:

"I will pass the pictures onto our technicians but this is usually the consequence of cleaning with aggressive cleaners"

I wouldn't expect any bikes of mine to look like that after 8 rides if I cleaned them with sandpaper!

eddiefiola

had about 8-10 rides on my Canyon Yellowstone, nothing hardcore but cleaned it each time after the ride with water, soft brush and soft cloth and my top tube still looks pristine, def seems something dodgy with the finish (or lack of them finishing the job) on yours.

agree with Canyons after sales being pretty bad though, i enquired before Xmas about the fact that upon tightening one of the screws on my stem the thread sheared, no answer till now on that so i had to buy myself a new stem anyway.

to be fair all of these online stores seem to be hit and miss, ordered a Radon for the Mrs before Xmas from bike-discount and it arrived in 4 days, ordered some small items from them 28th Dec and they havent arrived yet.

CRC, 1st order from them their delivery partner left it at a drop off store without even attempting delivery or leaving a note. 2nd order, ordered something on 1-2 day delivery, after not shipping for 2 days they just decided to 'downgrad' my delivery to Economy, they have offered to refund my shipping costs and a 10 quid voucher.

Sorry for the tangent rant there!

But yeah I'd be mighty pissed if my tube looked like that they def need to sort that out!

MountainMonster

qooqiiu wrote:

Lightning quick at replying to emails before purchase.

Totally different story after you've payed it seems!

That just about sums up all dealings I have had with UK companies.Pi55 poor service in this country.

rolf_f

MountainMonster wrote:

qooqiiu wrote:

Lightning quick at replying to emails before purchase.

Totally different story after you've payed it seems!

That just about sums up all dealings I have had with UK companies.Pi55 poor service in this country.

Yeah, Canyon just sum up everything that is bad about UK companies! Isn't Koblenz just down the road from Milton Keynes?

Hmmmm. Paint cracks in the dropouts of my Ribble road bike. Turned out to be a common problem in a particular batch of that frame. Nothing structural but they recommended return anyway and were happy to replace the frame no questions asked.

Orange P7 - paint blistering. Rang up just before end of 4 year frame warranty and dropped frame over to Halifax (one of the reasons for buying the bike being patriotic proximity!). They said they'd strip the frame and if it was OK repaint it any colour I liked. Turned out to be perforated. Offered me a Crush frame (plus req new headset and seatpost) and they were happy to repaint it for me in a colour I wanted, again no questions asked. They were also happy to shorten, bleed and fit the new brakes I'd previously bought elsewhere. They did everything I asked of them and they'd probably have built the whole bike up for me if I'd wanted that.

These are just the big examples but I don't think I've had a bad dealing with any UK company (though one of the German companies was less helpful than I'd have expected a UK company to be - but it was only a small deal).

Of course, I am always very polite and patient.

If you're always getting a crap service, maybe you should ask yourself why....

Huckfinn

Being polite is the best way to go about things and I tend not to complaint but ask for their advice on what to do, rather than being curt and blaming the service provider/manufacturer. Unfortunately I got the same response from canyon uk. If the OP can get all the white off it might even I prove the look of the bike.