Soft paint on women’s 2019 Turbo FSR

[Charlie149]

Hi, I have the 2019 women’s Turbo Levo FSR. I love it but I’m finding that the paintwork (marine blue, semi-matte) is very soft and scratches up very easily. Is anyone else finding this? I put some frame protector on the top of the top tube after it scratched ON THE FIRST RIDE ? but I’m now seeing scratches elsewhere, of a sort that I think will be caused by me falling off and coming into contact with the frame. It’s pretty disappointing on a £4K bike. And I presume It’s pointless contacting Specialized? Thanks!

 

[steve_sordy]

Sorry to hear about the scratches, you must be so irritated, I know what it's like, I really do.

I don't have a Speccy and I have no idea whether your paint is any different to anybody else's paint when it comes to scratch resistance. There will be a test somewhere that they use on the production line I suppose. I can conceive one, but I have never heard of one for bike paint.

I just assume that all bike frames will scratch or chip given half a chance. If it was too hard it would chip, which is my usual problem. This is why one of the the first jobs I do to any bike I buy is to fit bike tape (never felt the need for invisiframe) to all the parts I'm concerned about. They would include underneath the down tube, around the chain and seat stays, sometimes on the back of the seat tube to protect against flying stones. Inside the stays where mud-laden wheels might rub are another danger area depending upon your bike. If you velcro a Mucky Nutz front guard to the fork, then some bike tape on the fork brace will stop mucky velcro from wearing through the fork paint.

One of the second jobs is to try to find a matching paint to dab into any paint chips. In the UK, Halfords car paint kits are a useful stopping point. Until recently, I would have said that you will never get a close match (but better than nothing). But the deep blue on my Focus Jam2 is a perfect match for Peugot Aegean Blue Metallic.

 

[All Mountain Coaching]

I found my base model scratched easily too. It came scratched for starters. Edinburgh bicycles were very good and got some touch up paint for me. Then fitted invisiframe kit and it's all good now.

 

[Charlie149]

I found my base model scratched easily too. It came scratched for starters. Edinburgh bicycles were very good and got some touch up paint for me. Then fitted invisiframe kit and it's all good now.

Thanks, that’s interesting - I’ll see if I can get some touch up paint from the shop. In my rush to protect the frame I fitted tape over one of the scratches (on the top of the top tube) so I’ll live with that one, but it would be good to have for the others.

 

[Charlie149]

Sorry to hear about the scratches, you must be so irritated, I know what it's like, I really do.

I don't have a Speccy and I have no idea whether your paint is any different to anybody else's paint when it comes to scratch resistance. There will be a test somewhere that they use on the production line I suppose. I can conceive one, but I have never heard of one for bike paint.

I just assume that all bike frames will scratch or chip given half a chance. If it was too hard it would chip, which is my usual problem. This is why one of the the first jobs I do to any bike I buy is to fit bike tape (never felt the need for invisiframe) to all the parts I'm concerned about. They would include underneath the down tube, around the chain and seat stays, sometimes on the back of the seat tube to protect against flying stones. Inside the stays where mud-laden wheels might rub are another danger area depending upon your bike. If you velcro a Mucky Nutz front guard to the fork, then some bike tape on the fork brace will stop mucky velcro from wearing through the fork paint.

One of the second jobs is to try to find a matching paint to dab into any paint chips. In the UK, Halfords car paint kits are a useful stopping point. Until recently, I would have said that you will never get a close match (but better than nothing). But the deep blue on my Focus Jam2 is a perfect match for Peugot Aegean Blue Metallic.

Thanks - I think I’ll try and get some touch up paint and then put some more tape on it.

 

[deanphoto]

Hi, I have the 2019 women’s Turbo Levo FSR. I love it but I’m finding that the paintwork (marine blue, semi-matte) is very soft and scratches up very easily. Is anyone else finding this? I put some frame protector on the top of the top tube after it scratched ON THE FIRST RIDE ? but I’m now seeing scratches elsewhere, of a sort that I think will be caused by me falling off and coming into contact with the frame. It’s pretty disappointing on a £4K bike. And I presume It’s pointless contacting Specialized? Thanks!

The aluminium rear end on my Comp Carbon is of really poor quality too. There's barely any paint left on the seatstay yoke and near the axle from chipping and the chainstay has worn from rubbing against a soft wheel bag in the car

 

[Charlie149]

The aluminium rear end on my Comp Carbon is of really poor quality too. There's barely any paint left on the seatstay yoke and near the axle from chipping and the chainstay has worn from rubbing against a soft wheel bag in the car

Hi, I’ve contacted the shop where I bought my bike and asked them to ask Specialized about it. I’ll let you know when I get a response.