Yesterday this cryptic (and slightly troubling to vegetarians) image appeared on the Stanton Instagram feed.
Could it be a new beefier frame we wondered? Was Stanton expanding into farming? We already know owner Dan Stanton dreams of buying a farm to turn into a fully fledged factory, test centre and family holiday destination, so maybe that was going to be the announcement? Or perhaps there was going to be a big BBQ weekender? Rather than speculate more, we rang up. (As an aside, it’s always fun when you ring the general contact number off the website and the company owner picks up. Service doesn’t get much more personal than that.)
Dan’s initial explanation didn’t help some of us much. Apparently those that watch TV may be aware of Gordon Ramsay shouting ‘Raw! It’s Raw!’ on a regular basis (along with a few choice other words). Apparently this is also a bad thing. The vegan salad eating non TV watchers among us have had to look this up on the internet to see what all the fuss is about. Raw is good – and healthy, surely?
There’s a video. With sound on, it is not safe for work:
UK bike builder Stanton Bikes has always been asked for a ‘Raw’ finish on its frames – likely a testament to the quality of their welds – but has been reluctant to offer it because the steel tubing isn’t rust protected and soon tends to look a little scruffy. Now however, Stanton reckons they’ve cracked it, and will be offering a Raw finish along with their myriad of other options.
To deliver the Raw finish, the frames will not have the ED coating, which provides rust protection – so the inside of your frame won’t be rust protected. Lube that seat post! However, layers of clear coat and clear powder coat will give the outside of your frame a degree of protection from the elements. Dan explains that you’ll still get little rust spiders developing under the surface, but the clear layers will give a good degree of protection. When you decide it’s really all getting too scruffy, you can send the frame back to Stanton to have it dipped, stripped, ED coated and a new coat of colour added – which will make it all good as new.
All of this is possible thanks to the end to end production that now all takes place in their Derbyshire HQ. While it started out being just the full suspension bikes that were made this way, Stanton has just started production of its hardtails there too.
As if that wasn’t all exciting enough, we will be getting one of the very first of their new UK made hardtails in to test for an upcoming issue of Singletrack – and it will be coming in the Raw finish. Watch this space!
Want to watch something other than space? Watch this interview with Dan Stanton.
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God it’s annoying when you scroll on-screen and the images whiteout (iPad).
@Trailrider Jim sorry, I don’t know what causes that – I’ve done what limited techy poking I have at my editorial fingertips. Anything like this, screenshots to tech@singletrackworld.com can help the IT folks figure out the issue.
Looks lovely, although having been down the raw/clear route with a steel frame, and had the “wee spiders” develop, and then having to go through warranty return and repaint… I think I’d just have one of their other lovely colours.
If that “send the frame back to Stanton to have it dipped, stripped, ED coated and a new coat of colour added” was included in the price I’d be tempted to go for raw. I suspect it’ll be the £200/£300 second life service though 🙁