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Against my advice The bike is back at shop today for removal and refitting.
Update on update....
The shop have had the bike one week now and not responded to his requests for call backs about when he can collect bike.
My spidey senses think hes made a cock up again and is awaiting another kit.
Sorry to add extra worry, but I would be more concerned about them looking at a piece of recehtly removed invisiframe film with a circle of bike paint still attached.
There is that as well just to add to his misery 😂
I rode mine Saturday and found that the bubbles didn't have any effect 😛
You say that but they'll be disturbing the airflow so you may find it easier to get off the ground as there could be less downforce being applied to the frame due to this disturbed air around the bubbles...
Update v3.
So.... mate Phoned shop . He bolloxed the top tube and had to order a new kit. He says he will deliver bike tonight to his house..
..when it's dark I'd imagine.
Hahahhahaha whoops.
He bolloxed the top tube
I'm going to go ahead and say this is going to be the understatement of the year...
If I was your mate I would be checking the frame for any signs of paint damage from the original invisiframe being removed, & probably reject it if there was the slightest hint of an air bubble.
Imagining poor Saturday boy on minimum wage, spray bottle in hand, sweating like a good'un, turning the air blue. Poor lad 😀
I did the dreaded spray the adhesive side of the big downtube sticker with the water/soap mix, go to put it on and realise I've picked up the wrong bottle and sprayed it with IPA (not the beer one). All the adhesive went white! Luckily it's fine now it's dry. 😀
I agree with what's been said above. I now suspect (ironically) that the invisiframe will be covering some potential paint damage.😐
looking forward to the pictures
If it covering paint damage then it'll still be fine so long as you don't burst the invisiframe skin...
Bike still not delivered, its either not dark enough sunset is 9:26pm or he really has cocked it up.
I spent an age wondering why the tape I bought wouldn't stick, no matter what I tried.
What I hadn't tried was taking the backing tape off! D'oh!
And oh dear, that doesn't sound promising!
Is it wrong of me that I can’t wait to see how badly ****ed up it is?
.....and its a no show tonight.
To be fair it's only just gone dark up here
Still time yet.
I mean it's beyond reasonable but it's got to be dark to hide a bad job.
This seems like the point he should be there for the shop opening tomorrow and leave with the bike in hand regardless. Fool me once etc....
Slightly off topic...
If the potential for paint damage on removal of the tape is that high, why bother with the tape as you're going to get paint damage regardless of what you do...
@Conan257 it’s not an issue if you warm the tape first with a hair dryer, as it loosens the adhesive. But just pulling it straight off could potentially pull paint off with it if the paint is poorly applied.
That's really not good. If they are still having trouble with it, a call to say it wouldn't be ready to drop back tonight would be better than just not turning up.
Fitting Invisiframe isn't easy but it's not that hard either. No way should it need at least 3 goes and still not be able to get it right.
As above, I'd be heading into the shop first thing this morning and having a word and leaving with my bike (after giving it a thorough going over)
my guess. This is why shops have insurance...
my guess. This is why shops have insurance…
You're not going to claim on insurance for an £80 invisiframe kit though. That's coming out of the shops standard money rather than taking the hit on insurance.
It's a shame for them for sure and a shame for the guy who's bike it is....
Mrs Weeksy did my frame at the weekend, i bet many of you would send it back based upon this thread.
I just want it to protect the frame, which it does perfectly.
You’re not going to claim on insurance for an £80 invisiframe kit though.
No but if they've fubar'd the finish on the frame they would.
I'd be fuming, how long have they had your bike, during which time you've been unable to ride?
Collect the bike, demand a refund and some kind of gesture for the huge inconvenience caused.
who says they can't ride ? Who says it's an inconvenience ?
If I only had one bike then I wouldn't be able to ride. I only have one rideable bike. Going back and forth to the shop, multiple phone calls sounds like an inconvenience to me.
I'm not actually sure how much protection the invisiframe gives the frame, I've had it on a couple of bikes and it seems to have damaged easily - not from rocks flying around but leaned against a wall and it has then moved and scraped the wall - the invisiframe has cut and scored the frame.
I'm not saying it does nothing, but it does seem to offer some kind of protection but also appears to be damaged without much effort - so it isn't impregnable.
Does help to maintain the frame if the mud is gritty and needs washed off though...which is good news.
Unless they've changed a lot, Cannondale's haven't got the sort of paint jobs that can be peeled off with protective tape. I'm sure they're just trying to get it right. And it being a dark, glittery frame, and not having a STW legend working in the shop, maybe that ain't easy.
[i]I’m not actually sure how much protection the invisiframe gives the frame[/i]
I think the answer is: Enough.
I’m not actually sure how much protection the invisiframe gives the frame
It's only a thin plastic sheet - it's never going to be able to deal with any serious damage, but I figure it will prevent all the micro scratches you get on a painted bike that gets covered in mud and cleaned that just make it look tatty. A friend stripped the invisi off a c3 year old bike, which was looking pretty messed up, and said it was like new underneath. I figure you either get that benefit if you're selling (in which case you'll likely recoup the £90 it's cost you to do) or take it off at that point and have your own bike looking fresh again
I've had it on a bike for 5 years and every time I clean it I love my invisiframe, no wear marks, no scratching from my shorts or rubs from uplift straps. worth every penny.
Mrs Weeksy did my frame at the weekend, i bet many of you would send it back based upon this thread.
Hardly. There's a big difference between DIY and paying someone to do it.
There’s a big difference between DIY and paying someone to do it.
Problem is that the shop guys have to start somewhere. Maybe this is the first, second, etc.... they can't become experts without actually doing them after all.
That 'somewhere' shouldn't involve a full fee, then. And probably not customers' bikes if you've never done it before and want to train yourself up.
weeksy
Problem is that the shop guys have to start somewhere. Maybe this is the first, second, etc…. they can’t become experts without actually doing them after all.
They could probably practice with some normal heli-tape & a knackered frame before being let loose on a customer bike? Dunno how much different this stuff is to normal heli-tape (thicker?)
I suppose the youngsters no longer have to cover their text books in that sticky plastic stuff for school! That's where I learnt how to get a bubble free finish 🙂
I’m not actually sure how much protection the invisiframe gives the frame
It gives great protection from scratches and scuffs, but it won't stop a dent obvs.
Think of the sort of crash where your frame scrapes along a rock - it does a good job there.
There should also be a level of professionalism from the shop. If their employee hasn't done it before and has had a go and it looks like it did in those first pictures, it should never leave the shop and they should sort it out without the customer having to complain about it and then Invisiframe doing them a favour and sending them a replacement FOC.
Sometimes stuff just goes wrong, not just invisiframe fitting but anything. The guy doing it could have done in 100 times before without issue.
It's how the shop deal with it that is the important bit. Regular, honest communication is a good place to start.
Problem is that the shop guys have to start somewhere. Maybe this is the first, second, etc…. they can’t become experts without actually doing them after all.
Yep agree but you don't get competent ****ing up clients stuff.
You undertake offline training.
of course, but the shop owner buys the kits (at trade price!) and then they do their own bikes, that's the training! Same as how a vehicle wrapper starting out will do their own car/van to practise. You don't train up on a paying customers job!!Problem is that the shop guys have to start somewhere. Maybe this is the first, second, etc…. they can’t become experts without actually doing them after all.
I’ve done around 7 bikes now (all different)
It’s not difficult, takes about 3 hours, plenty of soapy water and cups of tea. Don’t think I’ve ever left a bubble in there.
Sold a couple of bikes on after a few years and they have been immaculate, definitely helps with resale.
Think of the sort of crash where your frame scrapes along a rock – it does a good job there.
That is just it...from my limited experience, it doesn't do a great job of that as the tape gets shredded due to the rock not being smooth and it removes tape and paintwork.
For stuff getting thrown up off the tyres or going through a tight space of vegetation then it seems to be brilliant, but for stuff that can do proper damage, it reduces the chances slightly.
Depends on how people see it acting...for me it stops the wee bits you get after washing a manky bike, it keeps the covered bits protected from that kind of stuff and if removed, it should reveal a nicely smooth finish as it was when first applied. What it doesn't stop is anything rough rubbing against the frame as it seems to remove the tape and paint. The invisiframe material is very thin (as pointed out above) so it is unlikely to offer serious protection from that kind of action, but it does help protect the frame from lighter interactions.
Anecdotally, listening to some people chatting about this (in real life, not online), it sounds as though a lot of them think it is a solid protection from everything but a large rock strike from a decent height
It's all anecdote I suppose, but I bounced my old Patriot off rocks at Fort William & Antur and was surprised that it came away with just a few catches in the film. I just picked the snagged bits off.
still no pics, its lunchtime. come on 🙂
Msged mate. Hes read it but not responded, I fear the worst now.
Is it a crack or a sticker ? No just badly fitted invisframe
Wasn't finished last night.😬
delivery at 6:30pm today. I may walk dog past his house at that time.
Planned to finish last night, needs an extra day to finish off when the whole job takes 3 hours?
Wasn’t finished last night.😬
delivery at 6:30pm today. I may walk dog past his house at that time.
Blimey and I thought my first go at Invisiframing took me a long time at 4 hours for the whole bike!
Maybe you can do an Instagram live or something whilst you are walking past?
Planned to finish last night, needs an extra day to finish off when the whole job takes 3 hours?
Very unlike a bike shop to miss a deadline, I know.
😉
He's waiting for it to come back from the spray painters and then needs to re-apply the film.
Wasn’t finished last night.😬
delivery at 6:30pm today. I may walk dog past his house at that time.
Probably be better walking past the shop at that time...... Owner profusely sweating.... Archie might be a big puggled after walking 15 miles.
It’s 19:30 (ish)...
Been a struggle to get pics off him, eventually got 2 poor images, I fear he's hiding something so I'm going to pop round after work tomorrow.
sounded a bit deflated on the msgs, "just glad to get bike back"
Even from those images it looks a poor job.
Could probably forgive some of the bits around the letter assuming they’re raised. OTOH the straight line beside the “O” looks pretty terrible?
If it’s been fitted properly using soapy water then you really shouldn’t notice much around the lettering. I’d say they’ve either not used enough water/soap or none at all.
yes, i'm not impressed with finish from those pics
Hmm. Have just finished invisi-framing mrs mom’s new bike. I think it went okay, and that I would be better next time! With one (well, two) area(s) excepted I *think* I did a better job than the shop, though darn hard to tell from those photos…
And the mistakes - dust by logo
And the biggy - so much crud under tape on the downtube 🙁 thankfully not visible from 18 inches or so. But dreadful in photos. If Mrs M notices then I’ll perhaps drop a line to invisiframe…
Christ - I did my orange and got a little air bubble around the stickers but not as bad as that. And that's my first time ever with invisframe. The hardest bit was getting close to the welds.
Lbs is taking the Micheal.
A full refund and just walk away or see if the shop will pay for invisframe to actually do it.
No way I'm paying for that.
I'll have a face to face chat tomorrow with him to see what he actually thinks about it, the feeling i got from msgs is he knows its a shit job 3rd time around but just wants to move on. Wasn't going to name shop, but I think they've had enough chances and time to resolve it. Will see what actions he's doing further tomorrow.
Well... It looks a little better I guess... not saying much after their first attempt though.
No excuse for that sort of job at all.
If they can’t do it then they shouldn’t be offering fitting - it’s that simple.
Maybe I’m fussy - but I’d be asking them to pay someone who knows what they are doing to sort it
To be fair, raised decals are hard to deal with if your not prepared to work it with a heat gun.
I thought it was just ridewrap that did tape overlap. Like raised decals, take laps need working with heat too.
Your mate could make this plenty better if he hits it with a heat gun before the first ride.
Not too much heat though.
@Markie Invisiframe will sell individual bits is my experience, I've done it a couple of times after ripping bits in crashes, they're really good about it.
That's great to know fathomer... i was hoping they might for the future.
Invisiframe will sell individual bits is my experience
Yep, I was applying the downtube piece to my Ripmo so had the bike angled up so it would be easier to apply and the frame held by the seatpost rotated in the clamp and smacked the bike stand on the top tube. Scuffed up the top tube piece I'd luckily already fitted. I emailed invisiframe asking how much for a replacement piece and they said they'd send it FOC!
For me if it's applied with loads of bubbles like the bike in the OP then it's not really worth paying £80 for (plus how much they've been charged for fitting), the great thing about invisiframe is that it's all cut to size and you can't tell it's there. You may as well just buy some clear gorilla tape and save yourself £75
went round to look tonight and its a proper shite job done. Told him to phone tomorrow and ask for money back on kit and fitting. There is no way I'd accept that.
kit overlaps in places big bubbles, not stuck in places.
Dosent look professional at all. I'd be tempted to send the photos to Invisiframe for suggestions as to what they think.
I'd also want all my money back.
All the bikes we have had apart from the last two didn't have it on.
The last two were done at 18 Bikes and were perfect.
I’ve never done an invisiframe, but it that’s what it looked like I’d never buy one. That looks like bubblewrap. Plus it’s wonky in places.
Blimey that really is a terrible effort. Can’t believe the shop haven’t already offered him a refund.
golly.
Yes tell the manufacturer, terrible advert for their product.
Ooft, that’s a shop to avoid for everything (other than buying things) if they are happy with that quality of work
, but it that’s what it looked like I’d never buy one
but it shouldn't look like that, its a shite job. The kits I have put on have been way better than that "professional fit"
He emailed invisframe after 1st effort who sent a free kit to shop to sort it, he had to order another top tube kit as he balls it up. I've told him to email invisiframe again and point out that this is what the shop is deeming acceptable on his product. Then you get the comments such as double eagles makes on the product, this reflects more on invisiframe more than the shop. Which is wrong, its a good product just let down by the paid "professional fitting"
I told him I'd go to the shop on his behalf
Strange, the bike-shop in question website's states
"We pride ourselves in providing an unrivalled personal service from fitting and supplying first bikes to adult cycles and accessories. We stock quality bikes and accessories from leading manufacturers including our full range of e-bikes."
Interesting......
Not great that! Mine had a couple of overlaps, but nowhere near as messy as those. Hope he gets it sorted ( by a different shop!)