How do you protect your entire downtube/BB shell from rock strikes? A crudcatcher isn't enough – it doesn't cover the most vulnerable part by the BB.

I've tried cutting up and using a big A4 sized sheet of thick sticky plastic courtesy of Pace, from Chain Reaction Cycles – but that didn't work because it wasn't sticky enough.

An extra long mudguard on the downtube (longer than a crudcatcher – more like one made by T.H.E.) helps, but it doesn't protect the bit which is most vulnerable to strikes from upflying rocks – the bottom bracket shell. Plus, mudguards make the bike look less sleek.

What would be best, I think, would be some kind of transparent sticky plastic, thick enough to armour the bike from rock strikes (as opposed merely to wear from cables/bike rack/etc.). But I don't know.

Are there any products out there designed specifically for protecting the underside of the bike from upflying rocks?

Paint?

Seems most carbon frames are now coming with some sort of protection for this area, usually just sounds to be a piece of rubber/sponge with adhesive

Helicopter tape mate. Can't beat it, i have had it on mhy 5 for over a year with no problems.

Old tyre, cur to size,cabletied around the down tube.

Use the same trick that 90% of STW members do.
Don't ride your bike. 😆

I like the tyre idea and have seen it done before – good call. I might use that as a last resort though as it's aesthetically quite high-impact. Helicopter tape also sounds good, dunno if it'll pull the paint off my frame if I ever want to change it.

Does anyone use anything like this? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=27987 It looks like it could be the answer but I'm not sure if there's enough armour in the material for impacts, as opposed to mere rubbing etc

heli tape is more like a couple mm thick clear rubber. Is pretty protective.

Or just live with it, it's a MTB FFS.

I ziptied some tyre for a DH track with a lot of loose flying rock as it was a particular risk, but even in that case I was more bothered about the state of my shins!

You can get proper carbon sheets for use on motocross bikes its super tough. Only issue is getting it to stick to your down tube, got mine to stay down by applying superglue to the edges hasn't moved in 3 years and still looks in good nick.

Bits of old innertube and zip ties, or pipe lagging. Not elegant but protects the frame.

You could just carry your bike everywhere?

A collection of rock dints at the BB wont break the frame.

carbon fibre isn't meant for mountain bike frames, somthing that can be fractured by rocks pinged up is not a good idea in my opinion, some seriously sizeable rocks can be kicked up riding downhill

Really…check out the carbon downtube protector from Tarty bikes..
smacking with a hammer…

carbon fibre isn't meant for mountain bike frames

I remember people saying the same thing when Cannondale started making bike out of thin walled Aluminium

Helicopter / 3M tape isn't going to pull the paint off!!!1!

Tandem jeremy uses 2 cut up bits of traffic cone. You can get yours here-

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet

(Heli tape is fine)

Spock – you better email Steve peat about this. He is riding one for DH omg he might die etc.

smacking with a hammer…

err, looks like light tapping to me 🙄

I use heli tape plus inner tube. Works a treat. Rubber is excellently impact resistant.

I saw a bloke in the Peaks recently who had zip-tied a section of tyre to the downtube.

Motocross stuff

Hope do Carbon armour sheets to protect your bb and down tube etc. Its very good. I used some on my Zesty 714 bb. Cut to shape. Still there taking the hits.

thebikechain – Member

Spock – you better email Steve peat about this. He is riding one for DH omg he might die etc.

for racing i think carbon fibre is perfectly fine , the bikes are probably replaced every few months and the weight savings are large, but for something you want to last say 5 years i just dont think it would last as long. Although with how thin they're making aluminum tubes on some bikes now your probably better off with carbon. Doesn't carbon degrade over time alot quicker than aluminum and steel? Im talking more of the long term ,multiple years of abuse

There is a guy in france who makes bespoke carbon downtube protectors. A member of my local forum has used him after having similar trouble.

i just dont think it would last as long.

Don't buy one then.

Others are more than happy. Trek have been making carbon MTBs for what? ten years plus now? They might have got the hang of it by now, no? Look at all the other manufacturers doing CF frames Santa Cruz, specialized, Cannondale, GT, even On One have one… Time to drop the prejudice now, surely?

Alu and Carbon frames Vs. a hammer

I can say for certain that a pinged up rock can and will take out your aluminium BB shell/frame, and a fairly robust alloy frame at that!! A little dent won't kill the frame immediately, but after a few months of further riding you can bet your a$$ sure as night follows day that the circular dent will have expanded to a ridge crossing the entire tube, there will be little cracks around it, the paint will be wrinkling and it will creak when you ride.

A while ago someone posted on here saying "my frame's got a small dent am I f*cked". I myself posted saying, "no mate, it's fine, purely cosmetic, ride on etc.". A few months later after my own minorly dented frame has evolved into a massively dented one, I retract this advice! Any damage to the metal on your frame no matter how small warrants replacement, this includes bad cable wear.

Thanks for all these tips. I will use a tyre on zip ties as an interim measure through the summer until my LBS next services my bike, when I'll ask them to put on some frame protectors or maybe just helicopter tape.