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I got a lovely Guillem Ti gravel bike last summer and my trusty Restrap frame bag is causing scratches on a ride. I know I can buff them out with a scotchpad but I'm concerned about the long term effect. It also makes it less pretty !
What's the best thing to stop the thick straps rubbing? I think it's the stitching on the straps that cause the scratches with grit and stuff getting underneath. I could but a different bag with bungee style attachments but I reckon it'll still scratch
Any ideas?
I use helitape on mine
Got a couple of strips when I bought a mudhugger and it resists the grit really well while remaining hardly noticable.
Alternatively, it will be fine long term, it's patina.
(No, that didn't work on me either, hence the tape)
Thick helicopter tape, it's the only way, and you'll still get scratches, it'll look crap but so will scratches so just accept it unfortunately.
Frame protection tape/stickers.
Also check there is no grit trapped in the frame bag straps that could be causing the scratching.
I'm surprised I've not been told to buy another frame bag, N+1 and all that
🙃
Buy another bike ! 🙂
I’m concerned about the long term effect.
No need to be, it'll take a very loose bag a long time to buff any amount of material off a Ti tube. A well-fitting bag won't do that. Some clear helitape will probably help the straps grip better.
You could go over the whole frame in the same direction as the strap marks with the scotchbrite so the frame bag marks don't show up much. I wouldn't bother but it often comes up as a finishing method for Ti frames.
Inner tube wrapped round the frame. Has always been an issue so a few scratches on a ti frame probably isn't a real issue - but it does detract from the tidy look of a ti frame.
It's titanium, just ride it! That's the entire reason I have 2x raw bikes, one Ti the other alloy - both can be rubbed down with a scotch pad and and the scratches are gone.
Invisiframe - get some offcuts off ebay and you wont even notice you have tape on there. Or make a feature of it and get some with a pattern, some of the designs (eg. Mucky Nutz Skinz) will look pretty cool on a nice silver Ti background.
The few times i have attached frame bags to my bike I've used inner tube split open and wrapped round the frame tubes to protect the frame. Just needs a bit of electrical tape or something to told the end in place.
Because it's very grippy, it also helps with stopping bags moving about.
Are you sure it's really Ti if a frame bag is marking it?
Some good suggestions
thanks
I put mastic(self amalgamating) tape om the inside of my straps, gives them a soft rubber inner, and it is tacky, more or less sticks in place so keeps dirt out, seems to work really well
+1 on thick copter tape.
I used some thin stuff and it rubbed through in one weekend
Slight thread derail but it might be useful to the OP depending how the restrap bags work.
My Alpkit frame bag has replaceable straps which is fortunate as one of them have split. Does anyone have any recommendations for replacement straps, either velcro or rubber? I've seen the Voile straps which look good but a) I'm concerned the buckle will damage the paintwork and
B) even the small ones at £6 each works out more than I want to pay considering I think I need 5.
Does anyone have any recommendations for replacement straps, either velcro or rubber?
I use this stuff, can get it in other widths or shorter rolls on ebay for less I think.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/velcro-brand-black-self-gripping-ties-5m-x-30mm/74887
As above, one of the beauties of Titanium is that there's no need to worry about these sort of marks.
However... It does depend on the finish. If you've a bead-blasted look then the marks will become obvious. All my Ti has been that semi-polished finish that just hides them.
This is an area where titanium is ahead
I’m still recovering from the post on here where a guy strapped an inner tube to a carbon bike and 3 months later it had worn though to the weave
Frame protection or polish the rest of the bike to match what the bag achieves on its own
I'm in the 'live with it' camp.
The only point to having a titanium frame is that you don't have to fret about the finish.
I was considering this recently for my painted carbon frame...
But I've had my ti frame for 10 years and it's been used with bags for 8of those. My cheap russian bags did mark.... But my wildcat have never marked.
I’ve used clear gorilla tape on my carbon frame but tbh, I’m not overally concerned,as I’ve the odd battle scar and tbh I’d rather ride it and get another in x years time happy that I’ve actually used it and enjoyed it.
Or get a Tailfin and leave the nasty bags at home 🙂
I’ve also found that the really nice bags have sticky rubber bits , also used white/black amalgamating tape on various frames, although I think that you need to take the bags off regularly and make sure there isn’t any grit stuck between stuff as a bit of preventative maintenance.