Opinion: Why Have Bike Makers Ignored this Grassroots Fix?
Adam Brayton's custom-painted Scott Gambler probably didn't look this pretty after the World Championships were over. Imagine how beat up it would look after a season at the bike park.
Why does it take so long for corporate bike brands to address popular grassroots trends? Wide bars, short stems, dropper posts, one-by drivetrains, chain guides, 29ers, wide rims, tubeless systems… the list of user-generated improvements that were widely adopted years before mainstream bike and component makers committed to production goes on... Rather than answer that question, I’ll give you another yet-to-be-addressed grassroots example that has been ‘trending’ for over a decade.
How many riders wrap their bikes to protect their frame finishes from gouging and scratches? Yeah, a lot, and the practice isn’t limited to fastidious dentists who can’t live with the sight of a scratched up Hightower perched on the back of their recently detailed BMW X6 M.
I took a straw poll while I was skulking around the Whistler bike park that suggested that as many as one in four riders had wrapped their frames. A little more poking around revealed that a large number of bike brands and shops religiously wrap their demo and rental fleets as well.
You don’t have to search far for a compelling reason to protect a frame. Pinkbike’s Buy/Sell pages are filled with close-up images of minor frame blemishes, posted by sellers to assure potential buyers that their bikes look close to new.
I took a straw poll while I was skulking around the Whistler bike park that suggested that as many as one in four riders had wrapped their frames. A little more poking around revealed that a large number of bike brands and shops religiously wrap their demo and rental fleets as well.
You don’t have to search far for a compelling reason to protect a frame. Pinkbike’s Buy/Sell pages are filled with close-up images of minor frame blemishes, posted by sellers to assure potential buyers that their bikes look close to new.
Many riders protect their frames with off-the-shelf products originally designed for helicopter rotors. Pre-cut options, like this one from Shack Wrap, make the task easier and look more professional.
Moab’s Poison Spider bike shop rents a fleet of elite-level trail bikes. Mechanic Chad Guyer says that they wrap every frame with a clear product used to protect helicopters. When the tape comes off, Guyer states that, with the exception of a few deeper gouges which are unavoidable, the frames look new. When Poison Spider sells their rentals, the value added, he says, is upwards of $200 USD.
Let’s recap here: A mountain bike costs a lot of money, and it lives in an environment where it will be continually scratched and scuffed. Paint, anodizing, and plating have historically failed to resist that abrasion. Wrapping a frame with a tough, clear adhesive product protects the finish, keeps the bike looking newer longer, and adds a busload of resale value. And, the concept is both valued and accepted worldwide by a large number of enthusiasts. Buoyed by all those positives, you’d think that bike makers would jump on that and integrate protective wrap as standard equipment on mountain bikes.
But… they don’t.
Applying a layer of adhesive material to the complicated shapes of a mountain bike frame requires some skill and clever cutting. Invisiwrap (left) offers pre-cut full-frame wrap kits for the more adventurous garage mechanic. Or, you can pay to have it done by a pro, like Whistler BC's Ride Wrap (right).
I breached this subject with a handful of marketing types from well-respected bike brands and all I heard were excuses: “We believe that our chainstay cushions and down tube bash guards provide adequate protection.” “It would add weight.” “Bikes are already expensive, that would just raise the MSRP.” “Frame wraps would detract from the finish.” Plausible? Maybe. Pathetic? Absolutely. The smoking gun was that when asked if they wrapped their personal bikes, the answer from five out of six was, “yes.”
 | Integrating graphics with clear protective wraps on the top tube and down tube, as well as high-wear areas like the rear stays, should not be a daunting task for bike designers. |
Combining frame graphics with a protective wrap is neither new nor experimental. Keith Bontrager’s 1990’s-era hardtails featured thick, wrap-around vinyl stickers that integrated his logo graphic into frame protection for the vulnerable top and down tubes.
Off-road motorcycles and cars have long abandoned paint in favor of protective (and replaceable) wrap graphics in high-scuff zones. To their credit, some brands ship their bikes with an assortment of clear protection tape that range from a handful of dots and squares to ward off cable rub, to more comprehensive kits (like the ones Specialized ships with its bikes), which include some tube-length protection. Yeti includes pre-cut wrap kits that are specific to each frame and size.
Off-road motorcycles and cars have long abandoned paint in favor of protective (and replaceable) wrap graphics in high-scuff zones. To their credit, some brands ship their bikes with an assortment of clear protection tape that range from a handful of dots and squares to ward off cable rub, to more comprehensive kits (like the ones Specialized ships with its bikes), which include some tube-length protection. Yeti includes pre-cut wrap kits that are specific to each frame and size.
Bontrager's 1990's-era Race Lite combined a wrap-around vinyl sticker with frame graphics to protect the top and down tubes.
Customers, however are still saddled with a task of applying the stuff. No problem taping up small areas, but wrapping the top and down tubes without adding fingerprints and air bubbles to your graphics can be a scary commitment for a first-timer who has just shelled out eight grand for a stunning new bike.
I'm not suggesting that bike makers cover their frames tip to toe with plastic tape. I do think it's high time that bike makers came to terms with the fact that paint doesn't hold up well in the mountain bike environment and offer us a pro-version of the longer-lasting alternative that riders have collectively developed in their absence. Integrating graphics with clear protective wraps on the top tube and down tube, as well as high-wear areas like the rear stays, should not be a daunting task for bike designers. And, applying that treatment at the factory would ensure a professional aesthetic on the showroom floor. Bikes would look better, and customers could refresh the graphics when they didn't. The only real question left is, “Why aren’t we already there?"
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Shack wrap:
www.shackwrap.co.uk
Www.facebook.com/shack.wrap
I wonder how many people wrap their metal frames?
It's also unfair to say it adds "a boatload of resale"; this may be true for a commercial operation that wraps an entire fleet and sells it every year, but your average 5-yr-old bike is going to look a little beat up regardless if it was wrapped, plus can you imagine trying to peel off all that plastic after it's been gouged and shredded by years of hard riding and weather?
More people end up viewing his links.
Anti advertising, haha!
There’s no advantage to using carbon for the vast majority of riders and a lot of disadvantages. Costs more, isn’t as tough, poor resale value and if you scratch it nobody’s going to buy it and for what? What are the advantages? Nominal at best?
thenotoriousmic (10 hours ago)
scared up stickered up.
You know why manufacturers don't support these kind of products? Adhesivity power, Sticking on top of scratchs, weak paintjobs, and things like that
Also i can tell you that there isn't yet any GOOD film that you can wrap with and that fully protects a bike. They usually just protect for little paint chips or little scratches. So a 100€ wrap kit won't solve a damn thing. The only films that really withstand that kind of use, have way too many adhesivity power to stik on top of a paint.
Don't you want to tell that to a costumer that came last week with a mondraker with a 2mm deep scratch in the rear shock link? Tell them that a full kit will make his bike invincible lol You know what will make his bike almost invincible? A proper care of it!
I didn't told protection films didn't make sense. I sell them ok? They make sense. Now, a full protection kit doesn't make sense. It simply doesn't. Why covering the headset area in a hidden cable frame? Why covering areas like the interior of the front triangle except in the bottle cage area or a roof rack hold spot? Why the complete interior of a rear chainstay? You can protect it in the tyre are in case it rubs, but besides that, why? Well, because pussies think that will cover any case of damage and brands profit from that.
This is like insurance mate, you aren't selling protection, you are selling a feeling of protection. Do you know how many pvc and pu tapes i've tested, in various thickness and to get to this conclusion? Tens if not hundreds. Do you want to see how a top of line pu self healing tape with 300microns holds in a pro gravity rider? I'll tell you, sometimes, one race.
You then just said:
"I didn't told protection films didn't make sense. I sell them ok? They make sense. Now, a full protection kit doesn't make sense. It simply doesn't."
...I'm not really sure what your point is, respectfully.
My full kit protects my frame from superficial damage that it otherwise receive without it. Thats why I buy it. It does exactly the job I want it for. Therefore it DOES make sense. It has also lasted 3 years, with me only swapping the DT because it was starting to tear (After 2 years).
I've had/sold frames that didn't have it, and I've had/sold them that did. The ones that have it always look better.
Maybe just say that you don't THINK they make sense (for whatever reason) and call it an OPINION, because there are many people who use it with success and are pleased. Your opinion does not supersede their experience. :-)
Well, returning to the point. A full kit is obviously a plus. No question about it. However, with my experience, i found that the plus that it offers isn't good enough to worth 60€ difference. (Some months from now, the trend will me ceramic coatings, note it lol)
I think you missed my point a bit in that part of the buy/sell. Is way more significant the rider care for the bike than the bike tape. If you are a bit nuts like some of my customers, i can throw you a 500microns mx laminate and he will find a way to f*** it up lol. So we can't compare bikes from different owners.
Me thinking that they don't make sense is in fact an opinion, not a fact, but a opinion. A fact is that i'm a professional in the area, with some years of experience and trained, not a seller, because you're not seing me talking about my company here, so i'm talking straight and square. I install full kits and they get us money! However i do this because i love it, every single day, not to be rich, just to be happy, so, above all, i have a company to make people happy, and to help them get to the best cost effective and the best quality experience possible.
This is not a topic about materials kind sir, we work with the literal best you can find. I don't compromise in the material. But if i know that it is almost impossible that a customer gets a rock between the fork legs why instead of sticking a small cable rub patch to the front brake, why would by wrap the fork? If the customer asks me to, i will, i'm used to the weirds orders you can imagine.
(Not talking about a little detail that is the finish that a full kit gives to a bike, for example in a matte frame, where the kind of matte is almost impossible to match, so it looks like crap and it looks like you were patching the frame with left overs.)
(Btw you have to understand that these companies don't do anything special at all. they just buy a film, COPY/create some templates, cut it and apply it. that's why it began with invisiframe as they were the only ones that could make those full wrap templates and now there are billions of companies.) (And that's why i also find weird that they don't mention the first brand here but a canada based one) *cough* *cough*
For my customers, usually the customer that buys the best and that is super keen about details and finish, well, they don't like it, most of them don't even like protection tapes at all.
For my sponsored riders, they only use the minimum, easily exchangable to make it easier to swap stickers and damaged parts from race to race or heat to heat.
For the regular customer, i don't even recommend PU tapes, as a good quality pvc will do if he replace it every 2 years or so.
You have the freedom to buy what you want and everyone has that freedom, and you can feel super pleased with that investment! But if you ask me should i spend these extra 60/70€ just to get bigger protection films or buy for example a better helmet or a better part? Well, you know how my answer will be
Cheers guys
Usually I already replace a stem and bar and other things, that then I have to sell off as "2nd hand - like new" for a dumping price.
I am happy to use the pedals from my old bike, what I also sell without pedals, and never had any complaints.
The apple cases are almost always aftermarket form a dealer not apple directly. Thats what the oems are currently doing, letting you buy aftermarket frame protection from a dealer in the same way Apple has you buy an aftermarket case or protector from a dealer. You don't have a case, screen protector etc included with a iPhone from the factory just like you don't get additional frame protection from the factory.
Not sure if these would count as protection but they are pretty cool
We agree that this should be an accessory, as its a wear-product meant to take the beating and then be replaced over time.
We recently took a 2year old wrap off the bike (which was still looking great) and the frame was immaculate.
I know brands that are selling stickers at 125$ to the customer, that in the best vinyl you can have that is like way way better than they sell, should be sold at 25~30€ max as they cost like 2€ to be made.
Let everyone do what they do best, like guys at @RideWrap , that know what they are doing and sell products at a fair price.
"I want my bike manufacturer to do more and more shit to it before i buy it"
"Bikes cost too much"
Repeat ad-infinitum.
"For Sale: Stumpjumper 29 2018, mint condition barely used"
Oh man, you should drop at lest 200$ for those scratches on factory wrap.
@vinay: no paint, only wraps.
I haven't ever had a raw aluminium frame. My first mtb frame was aluminium powdercoated, all frames I had after that were steel (the current one is powdercoated again). But I see no issues on the aluminium components I have where the anodization has worn off (pedals, bars, cranks, seatpost etc.) It is where two aluminium components rub and the oxide layers continues to get worn off (acting as an abrasive) where you start seeing issues (fretting corrosion, which is why people would use assembly grease).
If I'd get another full suspension frame though, chances are I'd go for the Alutech ICB2.0 (one of the coolest and most sensible frames to me for just general riding) which is being offered in raw (for 100 euro less). I suppose they trust it enough to sell it like that. Yeah maybe not for people who are too worried about smudges and the dull oxide layer (as opposed to the anodized finish which has paint in the pores) but I shouldn't worry about durability of this version vs their anodized versions, should I?
That is, just looking at other bikes. I currently don't plan to get a full suspension bike anytime soon.
scratched the paint? that's why the gods invented... stickers
This nsmb.com/articles/if-it-isnt-carbon-are-you-still-mountain-biker springs to mind...
And when it gets too bad you send it off to get repainted.
- Shipping containers that exceed temperatures of 60*c during transport cause material deformation and defects.
- Paint off-gassing causing a reaction with material adhered to it.
- Long term effects of glue interacting with paint, leading to possible warranty scenarios.
- Discoloration of the wrap material overtime as it gets sun-affected
The list goes on.
I applaud companies like RideWrap offering a high-end solution to protecting frames. We have staff in our office that have gotten their personal bikes wrapped and they look great. However, due to a myriad of known and unknown issues with adhering copious amounts of 3M or off-branded protective tape to bicycle frames, we're happy to let RideWrap provide this particular service.
> shrugs <
The bike industry is using it as an excuse because they haven’t made it a priority to do some R&D.
Bike industry - spend more time on stuff like this and less time on useless things like super-boost!
- Thats because they use cheap PVC instead of expensive PU
- That's usually paint defect.
- Thats because they use cheap PVC instead of expensive PU
I think it's more about turnover, they don't want their old bikes kept in pristine condition because the first buyer has less incentive to sell it and buy a new one, and the used buyer is a potential customer they lost. It's in their interest that bikes don't look factory fresh for years and years.
The notion that people who can’t afford it should find another sport is wrong on so many levels and is the absolute opposite direction the sport should be going down. It is elitist horse shit.
To answer the question, no I don't care one bit about such a layer of plastic covering my frame. I've got some patches where the chain and cables hit/rub, I may get something to protect the fork lowers and that's it. I don't care about resale value. I buy my bike to ride, not to sell. Whatever bike (component) I ever sold or gave away was simply because I felt it was still too good to not be used.
Like some good old jeans, I can actually appreciate some signs of wear. A couple of months ago I replaced my DMR hardtail frame which I've been riding for over ten years. Yeah there are quite some patches where the paint has worn off and which show some rust. I don't think it affects performance one bit. Same with my current brake levers (2006 Magura Louise). The anodizing has worn off a little of the levers and the paint of the lever body has chipped a bit. I think it is cool. Moreover, how am I ever going to properly cover these in plastic? And how would it increase resale value one bit?
Now even if above only goes for me, judging from any regular PB bike review or the pending comment section, total bike weight is a major deal for a huge number of your readers. More so than cosmetic damage. "... lbs for a carbon frame? Dude, ... has a (lower weight) one that kind of money." (Cue pitchforks)
So now I'm interested to see the company that pops up in a few months and goes "Hey look, we've been listening. We'll sell you our new frames wrapped in plastic. Easy to wipe your fingerprints off the bike should you ever touch it."
www.pinkbike.com/news/opinion-numerology-and-the-demise-of-eleven-speed.html
I was baffled, still am. This article here is pretty much on par.
I will beginning to take pictures to those customers that buy those kits and damage the bike in the 1cm that the bike isn't protected lol Please, protect the most obvious parts and ride the f*** out of your bike and stop being some little pussies.
Im a student and my frame was myw dream frame for a long time- if it has many paint chips Im gonna be sad.
I bought 2metres of 3M tape and fully wrapped my frame so that it shines for years to come
and a good application is rare.
Yeah it'll make the bike look better in 2 years and help with resale but it's like one of those black car bra's
You make YOUR bike look crappier in order for someone ELSE to enjoy
It only really protects against small scratches but a buffing wheel and polishing compound can get rid of 99% of these
I've done chainstays or next cranks where I have a lot of heel rub but
otherwise I'll polish out my little trail mistakes.
Well guess what, I doubt a man whose riding videos go best with Slayer, actually cares... the only question is should you? And if you want to give me a lesson about exposure of composites or metals to water or UV rays, then well... you probably need more Slayer
You're Beau-ti-full
You're Beau-ti-full
You're Beau-ti-full
It's true
Is this A- an advertorial for "Invisiwrap".
or B - another bullshit bit of market research.
The more interesting question is why mountain bikers seem to believe that their 4 year old bike is worth 75% of its original MSRP. What world do people live in?!
Article already mentions that yeti come with wraps in box, but think at how expensive they are already, they've likely already factored this into their pricing as mentioned above.
Also if you really want your bike to stay looking like new, buy a black frame. The carbon showing from little rock chips won't be as obvious.
For abrasion resistance use this 3M stuff. I think this is it: www.amazon.ca/Translucent-Helicopter-Frame-Protection-Protective/dp/B00S0I9TCE/ref=sr_1_1/136-9543048-0103235?ie=UTF8&qid=1539362937&sr=8-1&keywords=helicopter+tape+3m
I usually like your stories a lot but cannot follow your intention with this one.
You have seen the business from the other side yourself. So you should know why some trends cannot be followed that fast and easily. I would say that everyone who thinks that he would do it better should start his own brand or apply for a job in the business.
The other way round there is not one bicycle brand that would miss a critical trend which would give them a mayor competitive advantage. Their sales people will hear ideas and complaints from the shops and distributors every day. If they don't follow then that is for a reason.
Second thing I want to comment is your listing of 29ers as a trend coming from the riders. How do you think any rider would have handbuilt a 29er wheel or suspension frame or fork without the availability of rims and tires?
First of all Gary Fisher failed to promote the 29er idea some 20 years ago. The for the sole reason to boost sales a number of brands decided to push 29er wheels and provided some weak arguments which have mostly been falsified. Yeah and the same lot tried to persuade us that 650B was superiour to 26". And the pressfit, boost, ... you name it.
Have we really been asking for multiple through axle standards or steer tube diameters?
Most innovation is driven by sales goals and the resulting marketing campains.
I know lots of people who have ridden 1x12 and wholeheartly reject it.
So who is making innovation and why?
All the best
Stefan
Invisiwrap! or even Invisiframe is the original and best known frame protection company. The wording in this one paragraph is just really frustrating! In my humble opinion there is no one more "pro" at the design and fit of frame protection than Lee at Invisiframe and I'm sure the vast majority of bike shops in the U.K would agree and the 1000's of customers they have world wide.
Hmmm!? Guess Sam Hill (narrow bars, longish stem, 275 and narrow wheels, medium frame), Richie Rude (narrow bars, longish stem and medium frame) didn’t get the memo.
Some are improvements but many are preference.
Every one of the things RC mentions came from the user, that’s why he used those examples. I’m not an RC fanboy but he knows his shit and he knows what he’s talking about here, to call him retarded is, I’m afraid, well you get my point I hope.
And for that matter, integrating frame wrap in the graphics would defeat the point. The point being you remove the wrap when it's time to sell, leaving the factory finish in tact - if the wrap was the factory finish, you'd just have to wrap that.
Not everyone is going to want to wrap their frame let alone pay an additional premium for factory wrapped frames.
That said if a manufacturer wanted to offer an optional “armoured” version of a frame for those who ride in rocky terrain that would be slick.
I totally get all the arguments for resale, upon which I rely heavily but we shouldn’t have to be so concerned about keeping our bikes tidy so much as we should about ripping. It smacks of some roadieology to me and I don’t like that show shit.
Have we gone too far, making bikes that are too shmancy and now we’re all scared to ride em before we wrap them up in protection? Heaven forbid I crash and put a scratch in it and you can forget going out in the mud, no way my babies getting the grinding paste treatment.
Do I care more about protecting my investment than I do about hitting that rock garden? I mean the things worth 4 times more than my car and I wouldn’t take that rallying. Feels like it’s heading that way to me but then I’m perpetually skint.
Rat goes into exile after escaping an attempt on his life while the rest of 50:01 are scattered and many others succumbed to the power of the industry.
Kade must find him and complete his training if he is to do battle with Gee.
Who of course will later kill his industry master to save Kade in an act of redemption that leads to Gee being reunited with the spirit of Rat and Peaty in a terrible CGI scene.
Beware one thing though! Some car foils has extremely strong adhesive to the point when can ripp off paint job if not removed properly so be sure to check this before applaying it to your bike.
I personally have my frames wrapped because I like to keep my bike look as good as possible for as long as possible. What really irks me is when manufactures apply little or no protection to bikes or even worse useless protection like chain stay guards that are clearly an inch too short.
I don't expect my frame to wrapped but I would like it to come with appropriate guards built in to the chain stay, a rock gaurd on the down tube and fork bumps (if it's a DH bike).
We are beginning to ship our kits out with a full launch probably near the end of the month!
We aim to serve and have some really cool stuff in the pipeline to make our wraps even better!
Bike manufacturers largely protect the down-tube and stays, and that's what most people want.
I use helo tape on my shit, but don't fault the manufacturers for not doing it for me, and would rather do it myself than have to pay extra for it to come that way from the factory
alu bikes look badass with scratches and marks of riding, typically removing paint will make look bike more badass
It’s down right horrendous.
I was looking at a brand new 5010 CC that seemed to have bypassed the step of sanding on the inside of the front triangle. Look at the seat tube/top tube junction on an Ibis and it looks like a glob of bondo. The paint quality on these new bikes is just not that good. It appears that they are cutting corners to save money on paint prep and paint quality. Personally I hate the look of running around with a condom on my frame but if you plan on selling your bike, you have to do it.
Our webshop and diy kits launch at the end of this month! Give us a try next time, weve been working to reduce pieces, increase coverage, and make them easier to install.
Chips can be prevented. Crash damage is an inherent risk.
also, frame wrap on some and not others would make it tough to compare weights between bikes.
Anyway who enjoys a bloodless mma fight right?
Good have saved a lot of wasted time there!