[Closed] Bird bikes Gloss Raw! Is it raw or coated?

Its got a clear (gloss) lacquer over raw alu. You can only really anodise frames black - too many types of alu / weld in there it looks messy even in silver. We do of course offer black ano bikes too....

Hey Ben is the lacquer harder wearing or less wearing than paint?

Is that there to stop the frame from oxidizing?

Cheers

I was also wondering this. Got a raw frame on order and unsure whether it’s worth fully invisiframing or just some protective tape on key areas. Anyone with experience/suggestions?

The only problem is that you might get worming under the lacquer. I had an Orange Evo2 that was polished alu with quite thick lacquer. However cuts and flaking round bottle bosses etc led to worming under the lacquer. In my opinion when i sold it despite being 15 years old it still looked quite presentable but I have seen others that look dreadful after a few years

I was also wondering this. Got a raw frame on order and unsure whether it’s worth fully invisiframing or just some protective tape on key areas. Anyone with experience/suggestions?

I've got a gloss raw frame on order too, I'm just going to helitape key areas. If the lacquer gets chipped it won't be obvious like a painted frame.

I think the lacquer will adhere to a raw frame better than a polished one too.

I've got a raw Aether 7 frame sitting at home waiting to be built up (5 months until I'm back though). No advice either way, just thought I'd show off.

Advantages - looks cool, stays looking nice longer
Disadvantages (Against actual raw) - scuffs and buffs start to give you matt patches like on paint.

Full raw can be refinished, but gloss is hard to do without a complete strip down. The main areas for concern though will be the TT and heel rub areas, which get a pasting from shoes and shorts. If you helitape these you should find everything else is ok.

We've had no issues with gloss raw since our first proto a few. years back. Not to say with 100s out there now we won't see something, but its holding up well.

Thanks for the info good to know.
Any idea where to get decent Heli tape? In the event I get Bird in Raw ;-).

Cheers Ben

I have to say I love how my raw AM9 looks after nearly 3 years of abuse, and I feel it was a good choice after spending the previous 10 years on anodised Nicolai frames as I didn't want to go back to painted. I wasn't overly keen on the gloss raw when it was released. I felt that a raw frame should be full raw but it's good to hear the finish is holding up well.

I'm getting a gloss raw and looking at getting HKT protection kit or Shack Wrap.
Any other options? Invisiframe doesn't have Aether9 Al yet.

You could get a plain DyedBro kit. Would need trimming in places but not much.

I used gusset tek tape on my Aether and my mates Santa Cruz. It’s 3M tape and seems pretty hard wearing and it’s pretty cheap. Leisure Lakes have it in stock usually.

@james1992 Helitape is all over eBay. If you get the 3M branded stuff then you can't go wrong.

There are cheaper unbranded tapes around but I'd rather go 3M, knowing that it won't go yellow or start peeling.

Any used hkt xxl simple life? I'm thinking about putting it on my Aether9 Al

I don’t know how long the gloss finish will last but I had an aether 7 in raw delivered today and it looks the bollacks.Not a lot of help really..

ed- my Aether 7 gloss arrives soon and I've also opted for that HKT simple set, fingers crossed...

Now then benpinnick, nevermind this raw aluminium chat.

What I really want to know is when I say “stainless 29er? just take my money” how many vital organs will I need to sell?

I'm on a "raw" V3 AM9 since July and finding the lacquer more durable than the paint on my previous V1 AM9