Paintwork

LeicesterLad
LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
edited August 2011 in Road beginners
Heres the deal, currently riding a Carerra TdF Ltd, covered about 350 miles, and already a few noticeable small circular chips in the black paintwork at the rear-end, deep enough to feel the difference in level, and obviously the metalic/white chips look a bit nasty on the black paintwork. Is this just the result of a cheap(ish) halfords bike? I say this because i have a 25 year old black raleigh frame that has covered about a gozzilion miles and it has scuffs and some wear, but literally NO back to the metal chips!

Anyway, just a general question, and wondered if anyone else has noticed anything similar, is it just to be expected? is paint not as good as it used to be?

Thinking of getting one of those little car touch up kits with black paint to fill in the chips with on a yearly basis to keep the frame looking fresh, anybody else do this?

Cheers.

Comments

  • ptr_
    ptr_ Posts: 126
    I would put it down to a cheap finish, the Carrera TdF is a very budget orientated bike. I ride an old (2003) Specialized Allez Comp frame and although it has its share of scratches and peeling lacquer, there are almost no stone chips.

    Get the touch up pen :)
  • merak
    merak Posts: 323
    +1 for the car touch up kits - I use them to repair chip marks which are inevitable.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    As I understand it environmental laws that have been passed in recent years have forced a change in the chemical composition of most paints and this has left the finish more brittle and susceptible to chipping and flaking.
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    merak wrote:
    +1 for the car touch up kits - I use them to repair chip marks which are inevitable.

    Any one particular company you recommend? Ive been looking and everything is 'mid-alaskan green' and 'marbled-lake blue'. To be honest, i just need black, and not for £35 either.
  • thel33ter
    thel33ter Posts: 2,684
    The Halfords (surprise surprise) near me has a nice selection, although I've never looked at prices or anything.
    And now you know, and knowing is half the battle
    05 Spesh Enduro Expert
    05 Trek 1000 Custom build
    Speedily Singular Thingy
  • fludey
    fludey Posts: 384
    Mate of mine used helicopter tape on his mountain bike to stop chips on his down tube, possibly too late but might be worth a go.
    Felt AR4
    Planet X Pro Carbon 105
    MTB Kona Kikapu Deluxe with a few upgrades!!
  • ptr_
    ptr_ Posts: 126
    merak wrote:
    +1 for the car touch up kits - I use them to repair chip marks which are inevitable.

    Any one particular company you recommend? Ive been looking and everything is 'mid-alaskan green' and 'marbled-lake blue'. To be honest, i just need black, and not for £35 either.
    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... ||Price||1

    (you'll have to copy and paste, doesn't seem to autolink)

    £8.49 with a wide variety of choice, but to be honest it's all black so just pick whatever. You can also get just the black pen without primer or lacquer for £5.49. I've got a set of those pens for my car, a difficult to match dark blue Audi and in fairness to Halfords it's an excellent match and useful for covering large stone chips.
  • Not sure if its the case in the bike industry but in the motor industry you now hav to use expensive water based paints. These are much more susceptable to chips etc. Old two pack was much more durable.

    Does seem extensive on your bike though. My trek has done over 2000km recently and not a single stone chip.

    I always feel that a gloss finish is more prone to stone chips. One of the attractions of the matt finish on my trek
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    I always feel that a gloss finish is more prone to stone chips. One of the attractions of the matt finish on my trek

    Until you try to polish a scratch out..........!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    As I understand it environmental laws that have been passed in recent years have forced a change in the chemical composition of most paints and this has left the finish more brittle and susceptible to chipping and flaking.

    This is almost certainly the cause. On my old cars, you could only chip off flakes of paint with a bit of force, and they were 2mm thick. On my last four new cars, one sneeze is enough to cause a paint chip. I think it's down to the use of a lot of water-based, or low volatile paint systems which are frankly rubbish IMHO.
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    As I understand it environmental laws that have been passed in recent years have forced a change in the chemical composition of most paints and this has left the finish more brittle and susceptible to chipping and flaking.

    Yet another reason to order directly from China - no pesky environmental bolleaux there. Lead paint for everyone!

    NB its quite possible that nothing above is true
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Cheers for the input everyone, looks like a trip to Halfords for me then!
  • Not sure if its the case in the bike industry but in the motor industry you now hav to use expensive water based paints. These are much more susceptable to chips etc. Old two pack was much more durable.

    Does seem extensive on your bike though. My trek has done over 2000km recently and not a single stone chip.

    I always feel that a gloss finish is more prone to stone chips. One of the attractions of the matt finish on my trek
    My last cannon dale with a matt finish was soft as butter - lean it against a wall and you're down to bare metal - but my current trek survived a pretty decent off a few weeks ago without a mark - seriously tough paint/sticker job - a really thick, tough coat of laquer.