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Is this normal? I've got a 2010 Stumpjumper FSR Elite which has an anodised aluminium finish. After less than 300 miles, the paint is peeling off the frame. It appears to be some kind of varnish used to create the appearance of an anodised finish and it's blistering, mostly around the Specialized and Stumpjumper decals, but also elsewhere on the frame.
Due to bad health, too much work and crap weather, the Stumpy has hardly been used and there've been no crashes or falls, but the paint finish looks crap only eight months after I bought it. I've had two other MTBs and the paint on neither of them flaked in this way, so I expected better from Specialized, but am I being too picky? Is this normal wear and tear?
Pictures:
http://tinyurl.com/6aba5pp
http://tinyurl.com/6hfcudv
http://tinyurl.com/63ofd9m
[img] http://www.flickr.com/photos/61243465@N07/5576067241/ [/img][img] http://www.flickr.com/photos/61243465@N07/5576652194/in/photostream/ [/img][img] http://www.flickr.com/photos/61243465@N07/5576652138/in/photostream/ [/img]
Mate of mine had two frames replaced under warranty at buy a bike through this. Think he had to deal with specialized direct on second one but got a carbon frame upgrade. Worth an email
Looks more like the lacquer coat to me, but definitely worth a call or email
Had an Orange o2 many years ago and the paint came off in bits about an inch square, if you get a knock back don't think its anything to worry about.
Here's the latest on the paint flaking: I contacted Specialized customer services and received an email reply within 24 hours saying that a "reaction has occurred on some frames due to the ano type finish reacting with the lacquer" and asking me to return the bike to the dealer with proof of purchase for a warranty claim.
So it seems it's a genuine fault. Don't know what will happen now, but I'll let you know in due course.
Thanks to everyone who posted replies. It was a great help to get support that didn't imply I was bonkers or pedantic for thinking paint flaking off the frame was in any way unusual.
Just spotted mine doing exactly the same thing. To the post office with me!
Mine did this (2010 Stumpy Elite) after about 6 months.
Took it back to LBS and ended up with this (for a £50 upgrade fee):
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I am pretty chuffed. It looks loads better than the boring silver of the Elite and comes avec The Brain shock.
But, having done a bit of digging spare BB's look to be hard to come by (Shimano BB-91 42a), the tools to change them are expensive and the bars/stem/seatpost swapped from the Elite looked decidedly low-rent. Still need to upgrade them.
I haven't had to change the BB yet, but am not looking forward to it.
At the time I was told there were no alloy versions left in stock, so it was either wait for a 2011 one or pay £50 for the carbon. I took the carbon, but if I was in that situation now and there were alu frames available (the white/black 2011 Elite looks great) I'd be going for that, over the carbon.
EDIT - Oh, and if your LBS strip/rebuild your bike make sure they put the steerer tube spacers back in the right order (eg. quantity above/below the stem). The stem has a shim that allows you to alter the rise of it - and this assembly requires 1 spacer ABOVE the stem. There's instructions on the Spesh website about it. Basically my LBS didn't do this and luckily I noticed and looked it up, before it all went wrong. I am not sure what the failure mode would be, but there are quite a few warnings on the stem instructions about getting this right!