# Matte Paint



## espo100583 (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi Guys,

Looking at getting anew frame but struggling to decide on which paint job to go for.

I really like the matte white finish but I keep reading stories of people struggling to keep it clean.

Anyone had much experiance with Matte frames (in particular white) any advice / recommendations or am I best to stick to a gloss finish.

Thanks


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

I'm seeing more Matte Black finishes and it makes me wonder why. I have a Matte Black finish and even that isn't that easy to care for. I would think that the fact that white gets dirty and oftentimes require a little elbow grease to clean, it wouldn't work as well with a matte finish. If you want white, I would personally stick with a gloss finish. I've never owned a white bike that stayed truly white for more than a year. The Tarmac I used to own came close, but I'm anal enough to notice that even it was off after a year.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

I have a both gloss and matte black/white bikes. I rinse them off and wash occasionally with dish soap, use solvent like OMS or WD40 to remove road tar, sticky grease or chain lube, etc.. No real difference between them, IMO. Neither is a struggle.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

My mountain bike has a matte clear powdercoat over the decals. I honestly don't see any problems with maintenance; no oil stains, fingerprints, smudges; nothing.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

My understanding is that you're not supposed to clean a Matte frame the same way as you do a gloss....That the Matte will start to lose it's luster. I was told that it will look shiny in the spot that you rub hard. I've been extra careful while cleaning my bike because of this. Was the LBS wrong when they told me this?


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

It's a tool, not a jewel. I expect after a lot of riding, there will be signs of use, so I don't worry about it much, but there's no need for rubbing anyway. Use a gentle shower of water to rinse off the big stuff and a soft brush and soapy water after that. Maybe wipe dry...No rubbing involved. If there's caked on grease or road tar, wipe it off with a solvent.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

My Matte finish (Dual Sport) is harder to clean off oily residue than my gloss finished bike (Domane)


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## designair (Jul 8, 2005)

terbennett said:


> My understanding is that you're not supposed to clean a Matte frame the same way as you do a gloss....That the Matte will start to lose it's luster. I was told that it will look shiny in the spot that you rub hard. I've been extra careful while cleaning my bike because of this. Was the LBS wrong when they told me this?


Dont know if you could generate enough heat by hand to bring up a shine.
But if you used a polishing wheel you could turn a matte finish into a gloss finish.


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## martinot (Aug 14, 2009)

Matte black with matte clear coat Jamis Xenith SL and naked matte black Litespeed C1R and loving the look of both. Jamis is no problemos care while Litespeed might be more difficult.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

I have a matte black finish and it shows dirt and dust very much quicker and most obvious than any gloss finish. It's easy enough to clean, but doesnt' look clean for very long.

To me, best is white on a car, but my wife's white bike is tough to keep clean - every smudge of greasy stuff really shows up. A neutral-ish or broken up color scheme would be easiest to keep looking clean.


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

Glossy is definitely easier to clean and keep clean. Matte holds dust and grease and white matte stains.


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## carlislegeorge (Mar 28, 2004)

I like the look of matte black. One thing to note, don't wax the matte....


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## climbinthebigring (Mar 13, 2011)

don't know if you decided yet but I have a bike that is matte black and white....it sucks won't buy anything other than glossy from now on no matter how it looks.


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

We just built a $13k C-dale that had matte black everything and had to take extra care to keep it new looking during the week it spent in the repair area while waiting for a C-dale tool.


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

Lelandjt said:


> We just built a $13k C-dale that had matte black everything and had to take extra care to keep it new looking during the week it spent in the repair area while waiting for a C-dale tool.


My MTB frames are not Matte, I use a car wax to protect them making cleaning easy 

The Matte road carbon bike I own is harder to keep clean and I don't recommend going down this route on any MTB! Scott told me to use furniture polish like mr pledge with beeswax (never Wax the matte) but tbh as others have said you have to be more caring to protect it. Extra Care always needed. On how it's stored and how it's ridden.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

matte paint


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

What you could do is put a satin clear coat to protect it - it will thus be easier to keep clean  with a slight flat shine


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

Nice satin clear on matte


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## blakcloud (Apr 13, 2006)

I had a Cannondale with BBQ Flat black matte paint as they called it. It was a commuter bike so I really liked the understated finish on it. I cleaned it like any other bike. There were no issues keeping it clean. 

That bike is long gone and now have a Brompton that has matte orange paint. As much as I like the colour, well because I chose it, I hate the matte finish. It just looks cheap to me and maybe that is why I liked it on my old commuter (not worth stealing, no flash).


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

blakcloud said:


> I had a Cannondale with BBQ Flat black matte paint as they called it. It was a commuter bike so I really liked the understated finish on it. I cleaned it like any other bike. There were no issues keeping it clean.
> 
> That bike is long gone and now have a Brompton that has matte orange paint. As much as I like the colour, well because I chose it, I hate the matte finish. It just looks cheap to me and maybe that is why I liked it on my old commuter (not worth stealing, no flash).


It's because you had a flat clear coat too & that's important. If its raw its even harder to upkeep. Thus Ferrari have a clear flat coat to keep it easier and slightly shiney. I think it looks never. My matte black Scott Addict is washed like a normal bike but the last treatment is furniture polish like MrPledge in the UK with beeswax and this keeps the matte clean on rides. A slight protection.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

I have a matte black frame and have had no problems keeing it clean. Also, the finish is much more durable than I had anticipated, no scratches after a year of use.

One thing: sweat and snot on the top tube shows up clearly. My bike looks pretty gross after three hours on a hot day. Nothing a wet rag won't solve, though.


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

Hiro11 said:


> I have a matte black frame and have had no problems keeing it clean. Also, the finish is much more durable than I had anticipated, no scratches after a year of use.
> 
> One thing: sweat and snot on the top tube shows up clearly. My bike looks pretty gross after three hours on a hot day. Nothing a wet rag won't solve, though.


Got a photo? Not of the snot or the sweat! Bike only lol


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

Wallstreet said:


> Got a photo? Not of the snot or the sweat! Bike only lol


Ignore my kids' playroom messyness


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

Hiro11 said:


> Ignore my kids' playroom messyness


I don't see mess  great subtle look

This is my version of trying to look stealth  Scott ruined it  joking aside I love my Addict


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

Hiro: what bike is that you have?

Here's a frontal of mine, blingy I guess lol


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## Jon7Chow (Jan 3, 2013)

I just bought a white matte bike. So far no problems with keeping it clean...


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## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

I used to have a glossy white Trek. It was hard to keep to clean and when the paint chipped of it was black underneath and looked really bad.
Now I have a Tarmac which i think is mostly unpainted carbon with matte white and red stripes. The carbon is very easy to keep clean but the matte white is not.
I acutally like the look of glossy white bikes better but when the paint chips they look bad.


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## scottma (May 18, 2012)

The issue I have with matte is touchup or scratch buffing. My last bike was gloss white and red. I got a couple scratches and was able to buff them out. You cant polish/buff a matte finish since it will turn glossy. I also had a chip in the white paint. I touched it up with the same color nail polish, buffed it out and you could not tell. I would not be able to do that with matte paint, or at least I dont know how you would do that.


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## mann2 (Oct 16, 2012)

bumping the thread. Any new products specifically for matte paint? no degradation on mine so far, just wondering if the finish will stay matte in 2-3 years.


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## Wallstreet (Aug 24, 2011)

mann2 said:


> bumping the thread. Any new products specifically for matte paint? no degradation on mine so far, just wondering if the finish will stay matte in 2-3 years.


Should be fine, just use a micro-fibre cloth - I use Pledge with bees-wax which acts as a protection ... It doesn't polish it either as it has no abrasives in the polish... Cleanses too


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