Paint chip on new bike, how bad is it?



Lbs says it’s only cosmetic, seems pretty big tho…

While it’s hard to say 100% over pictures on the internet, and don’t come after me if this isn’t correct, that just looks like a big ole paint chip to me.

6 Likes

Impossible to say for certain but looks to me like it’s cosmetic. There was likely a bit of a raw edge (maybe a previous chip) and then the wheel caught it as it was being put in and peeled it up.

You can see the bare carbon underneath and from the photos it looks untouched.

The now raw edge probably makes it more likely to continue to flake more though. So it might be worth it to get some sort of clear coat or carbon-safe epoxy and apply it to the area to prevent any further chipping.

1 Like

Big ‘ol’ paint chip. Is it a Cervelo? I’ve always found their paint to be naff. You can patch it with a dab of nail polish.

Gives it character

1 Like

If it was brand new on the floor, I wouldn’t buy it without a nice discount. I know a lot of people wouldn’t care, but sure as anything, the person I try to sell it to in a few years would notice it and want to use it to negotiate or walk away.

1 Like

I think the dropout is a separate piece from the stays. If it was broke there, it’d be a lot more obvious. You’d mess up that spot in the paint in any case just taking the wheel on/off.

I agree. I don’t think there’s serious damage but the paint chip makes it not new in my mind.

1 Like

That frame is toast. I will do you a favor and take it off your hands for $200. :winking_face_with_tongue:

1 Like

When one of my bikes showed up with a chip LBS got a few bucks back from Trek and knocked that off the price before I was even aware that it had the chip. See if they can do the same.

I bought nail polish that matched, never ended touching it up. 99% sure my partner did her toes with it last weekend.

2 Likes

One of the composite expert in my area is offering he can do paint repair for 300cad. Is it worth it to repair the paint to new condition? Or should I just ride it

like Pbase said, I’d also try to negotiate a nice discount in the realm of 10-15%. I had minor paint damage on a Specialized frame and the dealer discounted it 10%. I just bought a BMC Mod 01 frame that came with a paint chip at the BB and they took 700€ off. So while this isn’t reason for concern, it’s an opportunity for you to get a better deal. Once the wheel is in the frame you won’t notice it anyway and as others said this area is prone to get a bit of paint taken off from removing and inserting the wheel

1 Like

You should do yours too so you match your bike! :thinking:

2 Likes

I personally wouldn’t for the reasons @jn92 outlined. Once you start riding, you’ll likely forget it’s even there. I have a similar chip after building and use my Giant Revolt and I don’t really remember or think about it unless I take off my wheel and am doing so maintenance work. I’d much rather have the cost savings from a discount.

Do you mind posting the photo of the chip on revolt? Just need peace of mind

Looks totally cosmetic. If on a new bike, I guess I’d ask for a small discount, but that’s an area that’s prone to chips. My bigger concern would be the generally crappy looking paint work in that spot. It looks like the paint is way too thick in that entire dropout area (looks like it’s globby right above the chip?). If the main surfaces of the bike are fine, it might just have been a little sloppiness in that one area, but I’d definitely inspect the rest of it carefully for any thick spots or runs.

I just got a new frame that Lauf sold me as “blemished” and I got 10% off. That was a scratch near the top tube area, but very hard to see without knowing where to look. I honestly would have paid full price for the frame since it was the color I wanted and was out of stock until July. Luckily, they found the blemished one for me. I’d rather someone else get the first scratch out of the way for me. Bikes get scratched and dinged if you use them.

1 Like

I will try tomorrow

If it was in a more visible place then I’d maybe consider it. But cause you will likely totally forget about it while riding I wouldn’t bother. I’d just get some clear nail polish (or similar hard clear coat) to smooth it out and prevent further chipping and get on with it.

Im trying to fix it myself and best solution seems to be to apply hardener in the gaps and sand the hardener and paint over it? Should this work as hardener to fill the gap? I’m new to this stuff and would like some advice to do it diy

I think you’re better off doing nothing than trying and perhaps making it look worse and regretting. It turns out my paint chip is a lot different than yours, and more at the bottom of the frame/hanger area so I thought a photo wouldn’t be as useful for you.

Or since you’re really concerned, take it to a different bike shop for a second opinion.