Should I be worried about multiple paint chips on my steel MTB?

bungle73
bungle73 Posts: 758
edited May 2016 in MTB workshop & tech
The thing is, this has been a problem for years! Ever since I bought the bike (in 1999). It seemed like every single ride I'd get a new chip.....until it grew to so many that I can't tell what's new any more. And this isn't just off-road; it's happened on riding on normal roads too. This has never seemed right to me. Surely a bike that is designed to handle off-road conditions shouldn't chip so easily?

Years ago, I went into a bike shop and they suggested patching it up with model paint, which is what I've done in the past, but tbh it looks like crap. But there are so many chips now that quite honestly I'm fighting a loosing battle to try and patch them all.

And it's a quality bike brand too: Orange.

Thoughts?

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    It's a 17 year old MTB. Lucky it has any paint left.

    If it worries you have it blasted and resprayed.
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  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    cooldad wrote:
    It's a 17 year old MTB. Lucky it has any paint left.

    If it worries you have it blasted and resprayed.

    That's the thing though; I don't know if I should be worried.

    I'm loath to get it resprayed as I'd lose the classic Clockwork colour scheme. And I'm not sure where i could get it done locally, or how much it would cost.
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    Orange have a frame painting service (for Orange frames), I think it's about £100 but if it's worth that to you then speak to them, they might be able to make it look factory fresh again.
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

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  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    oodboo wrote:
    Orange have a frame painting service (for Orange frames), I think it's about £100 but if it's worth that to you then speak to them, they might be able to make it look factory fresh again.
    Thanks. I'll look into that, and get onto them. :)
  • FishFish
    FishFish Posts: 2,152
    Aha, there was an issue with pre-2008 P7 which exhibited corrosion on the chain stays - serious corrosion. After 2008 the alloy changed to one of the chromoly versions which stopped that. In the old days 'they' used to dip the frame in oil to allow a coating on the inside of the frame to inhibit corrosion.

    Check the chainstays. On the other hand the chips should not make a lot of difference - like in a car if you let them go then you will get rust but if you clean them up it will just be unsightly.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,217
    Helitape the more vulnerable bits of the frame after you get it resprayed - it will keep the worst of the chips off the paintwork.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    FishFish wrote:
    Aha, there was an issue with pre-2008 P7 which exhibited corrosion on the chain stays - serious corrosion. After 2008 the alloy changed to one of the chromoly versions which stopped that. In the old days 'they' used to dip the frame in oil to allow a coating on the inside of the frame to inhibit corrosion.

    Check the chainstays. On the other hand the chips should not make a lot of difference - like in a car if you let them go then you will get rust but if you clean them up it will just be unsightly.

    Apart from the chips they look fine. It's a Clockwork btw
    thistle (MBNW) wrote:
    Helitape the more vulnerable bits of the frame after you get it resprayed - it will keep the worst of the chips off the paintwork.

    Yeah, I saw that tip on a recent GCN video.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I would not worry. Just dont leave it in a wet damp place or leave exposed to salt. Steel does not corrode unless it is provoked.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    I would not worry. Just dont leave it in a wet damp place or leave exposed to salt. Steel does not corrode unless it is provoked.
    I keep it in the garage.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    The thing is though I don't really want spend a load of money, and time and effort sending the frame off, having it resprayed only for it to start happening again the minute I get it back. Seems like that would be a waste of time.

    It's always seemed very odd to me that my older, much cheaper, bike, doesn't have a mark on it, yet this bike which cost ~5 times as much started falling apart after a few rides! :|
  • FishFish
    FishFish Posts: 2,152
    Bungle73 wrote:

    It's always seemed very odd to me that my older, much cheaper, bike, doesn't have a mark on it, yet this bike which cost ~5 times as much started falling apart after a few rides! :|


    Well if it started falling apart after a few rides in 1999 then you should not have waited quite so long to return it. If it started getting paint chips then - well done - you are riding it properly in terrain that it is designed to cope with.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Paint chips is hardly falling apart! I have a 1997 Gary Fisher I use as a town hack bike and that is chipped to buggery with mild surface rust, still goes strong. I use a car polish liberally over the chips and it inhibits the rust from getting worse, I don't want to fix the paint as I want the bike to look like it's worth about 10p!

    Perhaps some photo's to show the chips would help.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.

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