I have a white frame that am thinking about painting a matte black. Not sure why, but I really like the matte black look.
Is either the white or matte black harder to keep clean than the other? The white shows everything but I’ve heard that the matte is a pain in the @ss to keep clean too? Just curious if the matte looks better on a rack than after a ride.
Thanks!
May I reply with a question?
How much does a new paint job on a bike typically cost?
Sorry I don’t know the answer to your question.
Gloss white does show everything, but its veeeerry easy to clean. I have a white Trinity that I just wipe down once with a Clorox wipe when it gets dirty to keep it looking nice. I’m a fan of white.
The real fun one is matte white. That is, as you put it, a pain in the @ss.
My tri bike is matte black, and my road bike is custom matte white.
The black is definitely easier to keep clean. There is more black dirt than white “dirt” from my experience so the black will look clean with a quick wipe, where white requires more rigor.
On another note, my factory Matte bike is much better (less porous) than my aftermarket matte white. Gloss is much more durable but obviously a different effect.
Be particular on who paints your frame, and Id even suggest that if you want matte to order a frame that way. The matte clear is a tough thing to get right.
I’m not sure of the cost to paint, I guess I should figure that out before debating whether to do it or not!
I currently have a 2011 Triad EX which I plan on getting repainted this winter. The paint job I requested is a fairly basic Matte White with black and yellow lettering.
I looked into a paint job and was given the following from Jack Kane Cycles:
Here’s an overview of what’s involved:
In preparing your Triad for your custom paint design, we believe in a strong foundation. We hand sand down your entire frame, remove the clear coat and decals, flatten the paint, and eliminate any impurities in your frame. We spot putty any major nicks. Then, we use a three part primer, followed by a three part sealer. Next, we paint! Finally, we spray a matte finish or clear coat with a hardener mixed in – your bike looks renewed. Decals/logos/paint masks, unless provided by you, are extra (probably $60 for this design). We can create your own decals if you’d like too. A paint job like you’re wanting would be $570 plus shipping/insurance. The turn around time is typically around 4 weeks once the design is finalized. If you’re interested in upgrading or replacing your gruppo/parts to go along with your “new” bike, we would love to provide you a quote.
I have both - matte black and gloss white bikes, both look great when clean. However, the matte black remains* ‘clean looking’ *for longer.
ADD: Also, the gloss white tends to show occasional chain/grease marks that may be accidentally picked-up and transferred from cloth to frame.
Matte finishes need different care than glossy finishes. NEVER wax it. Only clean with water and a microfiber cloth. You’ll find plenty of horror stories if you do some searching on matte finishes on google. I have a FM086 in matte black. The 'water and cloth" method works well. No shiny spots and still looks like new.
Is it a carbon frame?
Whatever you do, make sure it’s someone who knows how to paint carbon.
Matte black is much easier to keep looking clean. I prefer to paint all my jobs using an eggshell finish that is between matte and satin. the reason for this is that it is smoother than matte and easier to clean. The eggshell finish is also clearer and does not have that chalky look over black and red.
most paintjobs start around $600.00 and there is no limit.
you can see how black this looks
