Subject: Re: aluminum frames finishes Posted by: Robert on December 13, 1999 at 23:16:52: In Reply to: aluminum frames finishes posted by Brian on December 13, 1999 at 20:45:21:

Message: >I just bought a new, unfinished 7005 series aluminum mt. bike frame. I would like to know if it is possible to leave the frame unfinished--ie, bare metal. Will the aluminum simply discolor from oxidation, and/or will the frame weaken from corrosion? Or, is the aluminum corrosion resistant enough to be un-affected? I personally kind of like the look of the bare metal. If the fame needs some kind of finish, I am thinking about either a clear-coat, or powdercoating. Any other suggestions? Aluminum will oxidize, not as fast a bare steel, but it does happen. If you only ride it in dry weather, which is unlikely being a mountain bike, it would be OK to leave it bare, you would just need to polish it up once or twice a year to keep it looking good. However, since it is a mountain bike, it will probably see rain and/or water of some sort and also get scruffed up along the trial. So in that case it would be a good idea to protect it. If you like the metal look, a clear coat would be nice. You could even get some polishing compound and shine it up like chrome before you painted it. You could also paint it just about any color you wanted, if you decided you wanted it to look like a 'normal' bike. If you care a lot about the frame, and plan to have it for quite a while, it might be worth the cost to have a pro do the work. Spray can's do work, but the chance of running is greater and if you havn't painted a frame before it can be trickey in regard to knowing how to give it an even coat. And the quality of the painting usually isn't as good as someone with pro equipment.