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Survey: Paint job or raw carbon?

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There are questions to which there are only emotional answers. Should a carbon bike have a paint job? That's one of those questions. While there are numerous technical and practical aspects to consider when it comes to questions about maximum tire clearance or the type of seat post clamp, the answer depends on the optics, which are mainly a matter of taste. Really?

It's not quite that simple. Carbon does not corrode. Therefore, painting is not necessary for reasons of surface protection. A paint job is sensitive to scratches. And it weighs something, of course. For lightweight fans, a paint job is therefore an absolute no-go.
The fact that most carbon frames are painted also has cosmetic reasons. Especially with mass-produced parts that are manufactured at low cost, paint is used to cover up imperfections. Only parts that have been manufactured to absolute perfection look good without painting.

If you like the black carbon look, the question of painting never even arises.

Nevertheless, we were excited to see the results of this survey. Paintwork does more than just conceal imperfections. It allows for unusual, special designs. It brings color to bikes. And it is now so good that it is surprisingly resistant to stone chips and scratches.

As an alternative, we also suggested foil coating. This is light, robust and can be used as an accent on individual parts of the frame.

The response to the survey was huge. However, the result was not as clear-cut as we had expected.

Only 9 percent of the participants want a paint job. An overwhelming 88 percent want THE SUPERFAST to have the raw carbon look. Only 3 percent voted for foil design.

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