How many percent of the frame do you helitape? Or only essential spot?

Just the bits that rub.

Im doing it wrong then 😕

No

Rubber round the chainstay is the only protection I add,and that’s as much to stop chain slap noise as anything .

Most of the frame – I like to keep it looking good.

I tape areas of rub..

Bits of it where there’s cable rub but that’s it

Rub spots and the bottom of the down tube – really stops rock strikes causing too much damage

I was going to do my whole frame, make up templates with paper, use the wet method and hairdryer…

When it arrived it was a matt black, so I only did the down tube where the cables are. I did an awesome job tho! I used those little helitape stickers where the cables hit the frame.

A year on and if I had helitaped the frame from new it would look shit now because of the amount of rock strikes and chunks out of the stays.

All the main areas theres likely to be wear & tear & stone chipping (rear stays [heel rub], top & bottom tubes, etc) plus the cable rub spots … though I missed one and now I’m sad I have a silver bit on my black frame 🙁

Areas of cable rub and a chainstay protector but that’s it.

Rub and underside of downtube if I have some left.

Prefer the worn look.

Cable rub contact areas on a new frame

No. Frame is anodised and is tough as old boots, tougher even.

Yes, but too a while to work out how to do it properly so the first attempt was a bit half arsed and took long enough as it is. Now need to buy another new frame and do it properly.

I’ve used invisiframe kit on my Tallboy LTC pretty good

Also going down the Invisiframe route

Invisiframe on my Solo

WTF? No, stuff gets scratched, deal with it.

I’m precious about my bikes – see the condition of my 6 & 17 yr old bikes to know that, but they have never once seen a piece of helitape

Just applied invisiframe on my hpc 160 and you can barely tell its applied. Got the matt kit to go with the matt finish and even though it’s expensive, it’s only a small investment in the grand scale of things to protect the finish

Hmmmm…an extra £20-£30 to tape a potentially very expensive frame and increase possible re-sale value…bit of a no brainer IMO 🙂

Hmmmm…an extra £20-£30 to tape a potentially very expensive frame and increase possible re-sale value…bit of a no brainer IMO

I’m with you.

about 70% of it. It’s carbon and red, I missed a bit and where the paint rubs it goes pink so would rather avoid that.

I also managed to flatspot areas of an anodised frame with cable rub so I’d rather know that was going to happen.

The bits that might get cable rub and also a loop round the down tube where the clamp goes on the bike rack. I try to keep it as discrete as possible.

im with mike… 70% of mine just got helitaped today as well, carbon and all 😉 all good ready to be setup with other bike components now. happy bunny!

Top tube gets done as I always seem to really knacker that area, was a pain in the arse to do on my Trance. Got a Rockguardz carbon thingy on my down tube.

Got an Invisiframe frame, fork and kit on mine, with a Rockguardz down tube protector. The Invisiframe is brilliant- can barely tell it’s on and the Rockguardz has already proven its worth.

About 70%.
It’s got skinny round steel tubes, so I completely wrapped the front triangle.

No – made my own frame with stops positioned for no cable rub and singlespeed so no chain slap 🙂

Currently wondering whether to bother helitaping my second asr5 carbon swing arm..

just check for heel rub, thigh rub and all the other bits then. FWIW I had no issues with steel HT’s and cables as there is nothing to move.

Done 70% of a nattural carbon frame… Popped round to the local car wrapping business and got some tough 3M DiNoc carbon offcuts for nothing.

Not normally, but then it turns out my Genesis has paint made of cheese, so have done a few bits round the rear stays….those bits with the paint still on 8)

Oh, and as it’s a black frame, I mostly used insulation tape.

….so erm…3-7.5%?

Lived-in bikes look better to me than a bike covered in tape. I like seeing a bike that looks well-used.
So cable scuff spots and chainstays only here, some sense in the DT lower end if it’s a rocky area maybe. One of my bikes was down to the metal in places due to frame-bag wear which is why I like black paint – a bit of humbrol and it’s looking as good/ropey as ever.

Personally I’m not really bothered if my frame gets scratched as its meant to be ridden. However, I like to change my frame every few years and try something new so I helitape it all and add inner tubes to the chain stays.

Then when I come to sell it, I will hopefully get more money to put towards something new.

Brand new, yes second hand no. And heavy duty thick 3M stuff done professionally too ( by a car vinyl wrapping specialist)

InvisiFrame is the way forward if you’ve got an expensive bit of kit and you want a decent shot of a good price when you come to sell it, does come at a price but it’s like a Saville Row suit for yuor bike 🙂

Just the “hot spots” cable rub areas and anywhere heels/feet may rub.. Crank arms/chain/seat stays