 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Just got a titanium bike (Sonder Broken Road) but unsure if I need to use frame protection or not as it didn't come with any?
I was thinking of buying a roll of some sort of clear tape and doing the top of the chainstay and sides were I usually get some heel rub.
Should I get a better solution to stop damage from chain or any suggestions on what tape to use? Thanks
One of the reasons I like Ti frames is that I don't have to faff with protection tape
One of the reasons I like Ti frames is that I don’t have to faff with protection tape
This.
Oh, you've got some scuff marks from heels, bags, straps?
Scotchbright pad + a few mins, any marks are gone.
Ditto to the above, don't bother. It's the best thing about titanium, even after several years use you can Scotchbrite the frame, apply new stickers and it will look like new again.
I did what you did when I got my Pickenflick 4 years ago, just protected some of the key areas. But, there was probably no need to do so!
I've just used some 3m helitape for the chain slap/filth but otherwise left it raw. The only area it's worn a little is where the roof carrier clamps the downtube, but it's very minimal and I'm sure it would polish out.
Little strip of Scotch 2228 tape to silence chain slap and as said above scotchbrite any other rubs.
I wrapped amalgamating tape round the stay in 2009 to stop it being noisy (pre clutch.mechs being a thing)
Then I rode it.
I've snapped the forks and the headset cups in two separate incidents , I've had calipers corrode out from inside out , I've snapped rear hub axles , snapped a few pedal Axles , worn out lots of tires covered alot of miles and the frame - still looks like the day I bought it despite having had various bags strapped on for various rides .... The amalgamating tape never really saw much use as I've used it with gears about 4 times.
I use helicopter tape where cables potentially rub on the headtube and a chainstay protector, but that's about it. The modern thing of wrapping the whole bike in transparent frame protection has always struck me as a bit mad. Like those weird pristine Landrover Defenders you see.
I've got an old inner tube around the chainstay on mine. That's mainly to keep it quiet though, everywhere else looks fine and it's 8yrs old.
I used spiral wrap on the chain stay because it was getting a bit of pitting from chain slap. Looks really tidy and durable.
1in gorilla tape makes a neat chain stay protector. Then a fenwick silican frame spray to keep some of the crud off.
Doesn't need it. Had a Lynskey ti frame and didn't even have a CS protector on it.
Save your cash.
I have a Broken Road and the only protection I have put on is a strip of helicopter tape along the top of the chain stay to stop pitting from chin slap.
It has had various bags attached to it for bikepacking trips and any rub marks are minor and easily rub off.
Just put a chain protector on, that's it.
FWIW my 2009 456Ti looks the same as it did when new, after nearly 9,000 miles of off-road use.