# Gloss finish vs Matte finish, pros and cons in performance and durability?



## terminus123 (Sep 24, 2009)

I was wondering, what are the pros as cons of a bike with a gloss finish vs matte finish?

Is one finish more durable (visible scratch/crack resistant) than the other?

Is one finish more aerodynamic than the other? 

And why is it nearly every pro-racer out there has a gloss finish bike? 

-thanks!


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Clear coat*



terminus123 said:


> I was wondering, what are the pros as cons of a bike with a gloss finish vs matte finish?
> 
> Is one finish more durable (visible scratch/crack resistant) than the other?
> 
> ...


Virtually every bike out there has a clear coat over the paint. This protects the decals and the paint. Back in the day, they just slapped the decals on top of the paint job and then they got all scuffed up in short order.

No personal experience, but it seems like a matte finish would not be as good at shedding dirt. Aerodynamics? You're kidding, right?


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*the first answer*

I gotta go with your first respondent regarding the aerodynamics question....


Kerry Irons said:


> Virtually every bike out there has a clear coat over the paint. This protects the decals and the paint. Back in the day, they just slapped the decals on top of the paint job and then they got all scuffed up in short order.
> 
> No personal experience, but it seems like a matte finish would not be as good at shedding dirt. Aerodynamics? You're kidding, right?


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## terminus123 (Sep 24, 2009)

I know regarding aerodynamics is very random, but there are exterior materials that effect aerodynamics, but I guess in this case with bikes it was misplaced.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

terminus123 said:


> I know regarding aerodynamics is very random, but there are exterior materials that effect aerodynamics, but I guess in this case with bikes it was misplaced.



There is some discussion on aero wheels about dimples on the rims being more aerodynamic than a smooth surface.....Zipp claims it's faster..

The paint on a frame is more a personal preference.... Gloss vs flat or mat finish is more for looks than anything else........


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## PigmyRacer (Oct 3, 2007)

Dave Hickey said:


> There is some discussion on aero wheels about dimples on the rims being more aerodynamic than a smooth surface.....Zipp claims it's faster..
> 
> The paint on a frame is more a personal preference.... Gloss vs flat or mat finish is more for looks than anything else........


Agreed. A matte finish might be a little more resistant to minor abrasion.


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

I have some data somewhere in one of my spreadsheets that proves my glossy bike is faster than my matte bike when ridden under identical conditions. It was something like 9.36%. Let me see if I can dig it up..............


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

terminus123 said:


> I know regarding aerodynamics is very random, but there are exterior materials that effect aerodynamics, but I guess in this case with bikes it was misplaced.


I think so....we're talking about a bike not an SR-71.


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

I had a Specialized Epic mountain bike that had the anodized (matte) finish. It scratched very easy. There isn't anything on top of the paint to protect it and just leaning against a tree would scratch it. It was replaced under warranty because of a crack and my clear coated one looks as good as it did when I got it two years ago.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

my matte finish fondi is extremely durable. it looks perfect. not a single ding, smudge, pip, nick, scratch whatsoever. Road schmutz comes right off very easily. its the best finish yet. just my opion.


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## carveitup (Oct 25, 2008)

My wife's Cannondale R1000 has a beautiful matte black finish. It has been very durable so far. It's probably less about the surface and more about the paint/prep quality.

I don't know about aerodynamics but it definitely absorbs radar better! Very stealthy.

Lamborghini charges an extra $28,000 for the matte black paint option so it must be better!
http://lamborghinisale.com/2009-lamborghini-640-roadster-united-states/


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

Well, no matter what finish you choose, you should remember that white is fastest. Because white reflects back all the photons of light, each minute collision between a photon and the bike propels the bike forward. Using the same logic, the gloss finish should theoretically be faster as well, due to the directional deflection of the photons (matte finish scatters the photons in all directions, which is counter-active to forward motion).


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

old_fuji said:


> Well, no matter what finish you choose, you should remember that white is fastest. Because white reflects back all the photons of light, each minute collision between a photon and the bike propels the bike forward. Using the same logic, the gloss finish should theoretically be faster as well, due to the directional deflection of the photons (matte finish scatters the photons in all directions, which is counter-active to forward motion).


That is *EXACTLY* what I was going to say.


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## asad137 (Jul 29, 2009)

old_fuji said:


> Well, no matter what finish you choose, you should remember that white is fastest. Because white reflects back all the photons of light, each minute collision between a photon and the bike propels the bike forward. Using the same logic, the gloss finish should theoretically be faster as well, due to the directional deflection of the photons (matte finish scatters the photons in all directions, which is counter-active to forward motion).


Two things:

First, there's light coming from the front and back. Both will have the effect you describe, and will cancel each other out...except for:

The Doppler effect! As you're moving forward, you're blueshifting the light coming towards you from the front and redshifting the light from the rear. Therefore the change in photon momentum for the photons hitting the front of the bike is HIGHER than for the rear -- meaning they exert more force, meaning you go slower!

Thus, matte black is actually the fastest color!

Asad


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

asad137 said:


> Two things:
> 
> First, there's light coming from the front and back. Both will have the effect you describe, and will cancel each other out...except for:
> 
> ...


no sir, matte black in the front, fading to gloss white in the rear is the fastest color


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## asad137 (Jul 29, 2009)

old_fuji said:


> no sir, matte black in the front, fading to gloss white in the rear is the fastest color


Well-played, my friend, well-played 

Asad


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