Buying a bike unpainted (Open Up 'RTP') - clearcoat advice

rousseau

Hi all,

I am having an Open UP built for me shortly and the only availability they have (until the end of Jan) is the Unpainted (RTP) version in my size.

I have spoken to the manufacturer and they assure me it is fine to ride like that as it has been treated with a base layer and it should be fine. When I pressed them they said if I lived somewhere with high UV or near salt I could add a clear coat for added protection.

I am in London so neither of those apply. However, does anyone have any advice if I did want to do that? Is it a simple job?

Thanks!
Leo

MidlandsGrimpeur2

I have an open up, my personal advice would be to get it painted. I am assuming you are using it as a gravel/offroad bike as intended? If so, it will get knocked about a fair bit, mine has loads of scuff marks, scratches and paint chips due to small stones, debris etc getting spewed up by the wheels and hitting the frame.

An unpainted frame, even with a clear coat is probably going to get dinged pretty regularly and I would be concerned about damage to the frame without the extra protection of a paint job.

Just my personal experience of course but maybe worth taking this into consideration.

rousseau

Thanks for that. That was my concern. I really don't like the Green, and the Blue is not available until end of January. I was hoping to have it for winter.

It was actually Andy at Open who replied to me and he seemed confident it would be ok.

Getting it painted by professionals turns out to be way more than I expected (£500+) even for the simplest paint job.

Do you have any experience with clear coats?

mrb123

What about that Invisiframe stuff that mountain bikers use?

rousseau

mrb123 said:

What about that Invisiframe stuff that mountain bikers use?

I did check this but not available for this model

MidlandsGrimpeur2

Do you have any experience with clear coats?

I don't unfortunately. My understanding is that clear coat is just a thin layer of resin for added protection that you would usually apply on top of paint (as Andy has suggested, for UV protection).

It will obviously add some protection (I would certainly apply this to frame as a minimum), it's whether or not you are comfortable taking the risk. I don't think you are going to do anything that would compromise the integrity of the frame if you went down the clear coat route and it did get some superficial damage, it is more whether you would be happy with a bike that could well have some noticeable chips/scratches etc. on it after a few months use.

You could always start off with the clearcoat option and further down the line get it painted if required?

darkhairedlord

Get it dipped.

rousseau

darkhairedlord said:

Get it dipped.

Any recommendations?

DeVlaeminck

£500 seems a lot - Argos' website quotes "from" £390 for a single colour inclusive of prep and vat and they aren't a backstreet operation.

Then again I don't know if "from" implies you'd actually want to spend more.

balthazar

Spraymax 2K clear coat in a spraycan is high quality and about £15 per can shipped (a frame needs two cans). However you need a dust free work area to paint in, a proper vapour respirator at least, and the skills to use it. Plenty of videos on YouTube if you fancy a project.

I guess the apparently high prices from professional outfits is because they expect to hand-sand carbon frames repeatedly, which takes a long time. Steel frames get dipped or shot-blasted.

darkhairedlord

Sell it buy a frame in the colour you want.