i had bike rack issues this past weekend. a very small part of my bike’s paint rubbed off to the carbon. no cracks or structural issues with the carbon… my question is, is it okay for the carbon on my bike to be exposed…should i put touch up paint on it?
It’s fine. Carbon is very strong. If you are concerned about structural integrity, definitely get your shop to inspect it. Most likely, you can leave it as-is, slap some clear fingernail polish over it, or put a sticker there.
I like to add some clear sealant like finger nail polish, just to prevent the paint from chipping more.
the area is the size of an eraser on a pencil
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Besides clear finger nail polish, you can also use clear 30-min epoxy.
The carbon isn’t going to break down in any way from being exposed, but I would second the clear nail polish recommendation. Paint chipping is the primary concern here. The carbon is fine.
Doesn’t really matter the size. Clear finish or epoxy around the edges of the chipped paint will prevent further loss.
After about the 4th eraser size chip I stopped being worried. The first one put me in a tizzy. My baby was scared and maybe broken! But it was fine.
You can also goto your local auto parts store, and buy the small touch up paints bottles with the built in brush in the cap. Pick up some clear or maybe try to match the chipped paint color.
do i put the nail polish on before the touch up paint or the paint before the nail polish?
Paint before sealing it.
do i put the nail polish on before the touch up paint or the paint before the nail polish?
color first, clear coat over the top to protect the color.
a follow up question… i am taking everyone’s advice and putting touch up paint, clear nail polish and then a sticker over my paint issues. my question is will the touch up paint have a negative effect on the carbon?
Clean the damaged area, use Testor’s touch up paint (it has an enamel clear coat), and apply a couple layers. Let it dry. If you want to, you can use nail polish on top of the Testors, but it isn’t required. Certainly no sticker is necessary. If anything, the sticker could pull up the clear coat over time if you ever take it off.
The paint will not harm the carbon.