Ceramic frame protection stuff - bizniss or bollox ?

Blimey £55! At least the Invisiframe stuff was cheap to try out.
Not sure I'll buy more when it runs out but it polishes the frame up nicely. I'll do my wheels with it when I get the chance, could do before & after pics, cos they get pretty grotty on the commute.

I'm thinking it might keep paint looking shiny and easier to wash.
It's going to do the sum of naff all for stone chips, cable rub, grinding paste mud and gritty clothing rubbing...

I did my own bike (frame and rims), as I bought a DIY ceramic coating kit for the car* and there was plenty of the "trim" stuff left over.

I'm glad I did and I'll likely do other bikes - the bike is now noticeably easier to wash - dirt tends to just rinse off, it's made cleaning quite a bit easier.   I don't think it gives any meaningful protection against scratches, wear or damage though. I also don't think I'd pay someone to do it or buy a kit at £50 just for the bike.

* It's great on the car. Water beads off really easily and the car "self washes" to a degree so if I leave it out in the rain it ends up clean(ish) - still needs washing of course but less often.

I did my own bike (frame and rims), as I bought a DIY ceramic coating kit for the car* and there was plenty of the “trim” stuff left over.

Just looking on Amazon - lots of ceramic coating stuff for cars at much cheaper prices. Maybe that's a better bet than MucOff !

Whether on a car or a bike, a good synthetic sealant will probably last a couple of months, will cost pennies per application and will take 10 minutes to apply after a wash on a car or one minute on a bike.

If anyone is interested, this is the stuff I used https://www.carboncollective.com/platinum-pack/

There is enough there to do a couple of cars - quite a bit excess of the glass / trim / wheel stuff though so realistically it would only be the paint one that would need to be added to. You can buy them separately of course. I imagine the same stuff is available cheaper from other sources - it's not like this company will be setting up their own chemical plant to make it. It was just recommended by a friend who uses it.

I wouldn't say that the results are better than a good clean, polish and then synthetic sealant. The difference though is that it lasts 2+ years, and then makes washing easier and quicker each time.

It is very quick to apply - bike or car - literally just wipe on and buff off.  Getting the surface completely clean before you start though takes the time so it's a good half a days worth of work for a car.  The bike was done when it was brand new, so didn't take long as all as it was already clean.

@whatgoesup - which bottles did you use on your bike please?

Jono Jones mentions it in one of Vlogs at Dyfi

says the bike wash is quick as much doesn’t stick as much

Mr Sheen original does a good job, spray on, wipe off and no shit sticks. It's also very good at removing grubby marks. £1.99. Great stuff.

I'd guess it's just a hydrophobic coating. Like rainex, sort of.

It will stop mud sticking. Probably polishes a little too which will remove scuffs.

It will be temporary. More permanent than polish though.

@kramer - the “trim” one. I did ask the guys at Carboncollective and they agreed it was the best one to use plus is slightly Matt which matched the frame aesthetics better on my bike.

@jonba - yes, the comparison to Rainex is accurate. On the car you see the beads forming on the bonnet that just get blown off and the windscreen is like having a permanently rainexed screen without the need to reapply weekly.

They claim it’s good for 3yrs+ on a car. Probably over stated. A bike should last longer though unless you’re riding daily.

So you have this stuff instead of standard frame protection film ?

Given that a protective film also prevents scratches and chips to the paintwork, I'd rather have that to some over hyped car polish.

@dyna-ti. As well as - mine is applied over the top of an invisiframe kit.

You’re right it’s not a replacement for film- it doesn’t give any meaningful protection, just makes it a bit easier to wash.

Hence why I wouldn’t pay to have it done, but given it is effectively free now I’ve got some car stuff to hand it’s worth doing.

Ceramic coating makes the paintwork look and feel nice but provides almost zero paint protection. I had it done professionally on a my black Audi A7 because I didn’t want to have to wash it every day and to be fair does that job very well.

Come trade in still peppered with stone chips though. On a bike I can’t see protecting against scuffs and rocks at all. My MTB does have a full Invisiframe kit and that does offer great protection.

dyna-ti
Full Member

So you have this stuff instead of standard frame protection film ?

Given that a protective film also prevents scratches and chips to the paintwork, I’d rather have that to some over hyped car polish.

Yeah PPF is great as long as it's fitted well.
This stuff isn't anything like car polish though (which is abrasive and removes some of the paint or clearcoat). It's closer to a very hard and durable wax, except rather than wax it fills and coats the paint with silica (IIRC).

you get spray on SiO2 sealants that do the same thing they just don't last as long but are much cheaper.

I use the Gtechniq stuff for bikes, same as the stuff for the car.

I find it works really well