Frame already paint stripped and smoothed out with 1500 grit, have polished most of it but cant decide whether polishing looks a bit 1990’s or whether to scotchbrite/brush it.

What ya reckon?

Polishing looks great IMO.

polished

… at first, then gradually –> raw

Road bike, polished.

Mountain bike, raw. Polish will look crap all to quick in the winter mud/grit. .

I left mine raw, but I’m finding that sweat is causing a few stains on it that don’t wash off. Thinking of spraying the frame with something like plasti-kote clear.

Polished with decals though,that’s the question?

Was it hard work getting the paint off?
The paint on Mmmbop is rapidly falling off with no help from me, so I’ve been thinking about taking it all back to raw aluminum…..

Raw. My Liteville looks lovely, not too shiny – use some Scothbrite to give it a brushed look.

I’d leave it Raw…. I am!

on a slight hijack PSA I found http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-paint-varnish-stripper/17091 to be the best and cheapest option. Slap it on, leave for an hour, slop another on, leave bit longer, bit more slopping, forget about it over night, remember in the morning, drag out the pressure washer and 20mins later clean raw frame! nice!

raw

pics please

went with Raw/slightbrushed, my 1500 grit smoothing wasn’t good enough in the light of day.

Pics when built