[Closed] Should I accept this £130 invisiframe fitting by a bike shop?

Thats rubbish quite frankly, I've done it myself once, took 3 hours at a good pace and there are no bubbles or edges. It is not hard to do at all. looks like the bike wasn't cleaned and degreased properly before they started which is key.

I work in a store that offers this service at £100 fitted it's a ball ache to do I wouldn't bother. Mtb are meant to be ridden and trail marks add to their character, you can still keep your steed clean and look after her with out it being shrink wrapped . Matt frames are harder to get spot on , just get out and ride instead of preaning

Tom Howard - That's crap.... I haven't ridden it much due to an injury last year. Been in the shed. Where there are tiny knocks the kit looks spot on! It's dodgy on random parts of the frame that are faultless.

Only reason it has any knocks is from blasting down the south downs recently. That's on the bottom tube where the kit is pretty much faultless! Unless the kit somehow looks worse offset from the tiny damage then that makes no sense.

I'm not a tool. If it didn't look good on the bits that had taken very minor cosmetic damage this post wouldn't exist. They have got crap on the decals where the frame is faultless.... that's not good enough.

BTW, you paid full price for goods for bikes? Blimey. I run an online toy shop. Wouldn't get very fair paying full tilt! I'd have a word with the MD and get a better deal.

daver27 - Yeah... I cleaned all the crap off so there was no crud. They said they would then properly clean the rest with the proper stuff. If it was bad surely they would have called me and said this is a no go! It's not like it's a shit job at the back where all the grease ends up.... It's more or less tidy back there.

Again.... this magic offset that some people think happens... If there's grease by the rear mech, you get contamination near the head tube? Sorry, I don't get that. Don't care how long you've been running a lbs!

My job is logic.... I deal in logic.... Lets do logic 🙂

BTW, you paid full price for goods for bikes? Blimey.

No, you just paid full price for the product. They made their usual retail margin just as if you'd bought it and walked out of the shop with it in your hand. Then you paid a fitting fee. It might have been wrapped up as a single cost but that is the reality of how the cost was calculated.

Exactly mate, and I get that....

It was the 58 quid that was BS as they make their margin. Not going to do that job for 58 brick! By the time you've paid your staff etc. You guys seen the UBYK showroom.... very nice.

But to be fair, I'm going to let them come back with it and see what they do.... If they sort me out then nothing beats customer service. Just hope they see me right and I will sing their praises.

Shit happens sometimes, but as long as they sort it I will go back as that's when the real service kicks in 🙂

Cross fingers 🙂

I'd imagine Lee from Invisiframe will be mortified with that install!

It was the 58 quid that was BS as they make their margin.

You still don't get it. You can't compound the retail margin with the service margin. For the pain in the arse of fitting the stuff they made £58 minus overheads. If they made a margin on selling you the component is immaterial - they would have made that without the hassle of doing the work and the come back of an unhappy punter.

I love threads where an opinion is sought, then anyone who disagrees with the OP is told they are wrong, by the OP.

I'm not a tool.

Ok precious.

I've only fitted Invisiframe once and I made a better job than that. I expect I'd get better if I was doing it regularly.

It takes ages to prepare a pre-ridden frame properly and a lot of patience and care to fit the Invisiframe. Having said that, I'd have not handed that back to a customer in that state. But then there's no way I'd have taken on that job in a shop and only charged £58 for fitting.

You still don't get it. You can't compound the retail margin with the service margin. For the pain in the arse of fitting the stuff they made £58 minus overheads. If they made a margin on selling you the component is immaterial - they would have made that without the hassle of doing the work and the come back of an unhappy punter.

I don't think that is necessarily true. I presume that a very large number of potential Invisiframe customers would not be prepared to fit it themselves, and that the sales via the current network of Invisframe retailers are dependent upon the retailers also offering a fitting service if required. Otherwise it would presumably make more sense for Invisframe just to sell the kits via mail order.

I've only fitted Invisiframe once...there's no way I'd have taken on that job in a shop and only charged £58 for fitting.

I think it's clear you need to do a sufficient number to develop the speed, skill and quality to make it worthwhile to offer the service. Otherwise it's probably best for a retailer simply not to offer the service.

I do get it. I spent years learning my software development skills. I can offer a simple job cheaper as I can do them with my eyes closed. Just had a guy fit outr decking in record time and looks spot on. Would have taken me ages. I paid for pros. If they can't do it right don't do it!!!!!

Didn't say invisiframe bodge job 130 brick!

Not saying the job is easy. That's why I wanted someone with some skill.

Again though, I'm all for second chances. Just do it properly as a quick bodge won't do!

I'm gonna going to ping Lee with this and see what he thinks.

My job is logic.... I deal in logic.... Lets do logic

My logic goes something like this.....

You paid someone 130 quid (for a job you could have done yourself) to have your mountainbike frames covered in tape rather than just riding the thing.

Mug?

Keeping something looking good after spend shy of 3k?

Having kids so don't want to spend precious day doing stickers when I get a pass for riding.

Again, didn't say crap under decals and bubbles so wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

I'd pay loads of money for time to do it myself. Not happening this time of 2020.

Try 2 overactive kids and no family to support. Can't get shit done.

Was going to do it myself, but thought, for once, I'd give the pros a crack.

Hindsight - do it myself as usual!!! And sleep less 😉

Try 2 overactive kids and family to support.

With all due respect, no frigging way...! 😉 😛

I have my reasons. Not sure trolling will help!

And we all take a breath and remember it's just clear tape on a bicycle frame......

Not being derogatory to OP or anyone else! 🙂

Exactly.... like YouTube! We'll be onto Nazi's next! Though I'm sure the SS would require papers for the bike! It's a German Capra... it has papers!!!! :/

giddyrob - Member
Exactly.... like YouTube! We'll be onto Nazi's next! Though I'm sure the SS would require papers for the bike! It's a German Capra... it has papers!!!! :/

Jeffsy here. Bought second-hand with invisi already applied thankfully.

Looking a bit worse for wear by now but really not keen on replacing it as I would be doing it myself for financial reasons.

NOT a job I look forward to! 😀

Sounds like unless Lee does it you're better off going solo :/

The time the OP has spent on this thread, taking pictures, reading replies.. he could have stuck the tape on with his own hair, finger prints and bubbles showing...

Just saying

Bit late to this one but on those pictures, number three looks the worst example as there is a flap of loose film on the inside of the elbow between seat and chain stay, surely prime to come adrift?
I've never used the stuff but is it always going to be fighting a loosing battle getting it super neat and flawless on a year old bike?
Is it fairly pliable and what we are seeing there isn't, for example, where it sits on top of tiny paint dings?

Just asking, not saying!

Good as gold on the very minor dings. On the perfect bits it's messed up.

Hence my frustration on the job.

There is no damage to the bike where the edges are. It's contamination, which was not on the bike when it went in.

Anyhow, if they come up trumps I'll sing their praises. Very easy to get bogged down. The majority of you guys agree it's not good enough so that was the reason to start the post. Not to have a go.

Thanks guys 🙂

Not sure I get all this fuss. Job sounds a PITA and bikes get knocked about if ridden anyway. If you want it to stay like new then just hang it on the wall instead.
All I did with mine was a few bits of tape to prevent cable rub. I'm happy with that.
If I'd have wanted it doing I'd have either been happy with what you got for £58 or tried to do it myself in the time it probably took to strip it.

So what I'm taking away from this, is that a lot of people are happy with a substandard job, despite paying what you have advertised as the cost for doing the job properly.

Maybe I should re-think my career choice and work ethic.. 😀

Me too 😉

I'm not sure what a good invisitape job should look like ?
The pictures look ok on my phone. I always thought it was to protect the frame and you removed it before you sold it. If that's the case a few bubbles ect is irrelevant. Saying that it's the op's money so his call.

The problem with Invisiframe is that it's a bit of a trap for the slightly obsessive (I'm holding my hand up) You put the stuff on your frame to keep it protected but it just create another thing to try and get perfect... You can't win 🙂
For the record I quite enjoyed doing and didn't feel like it was time wasted on a new frame.. and my other bike is scratched to bits

[quote=taxi25 ]I'm not sure what a good [b]invisi[/b]tape job should look like ?
The clue is in the name 😉

To be fair to the fitter, it looks like a few issues at play here.
The bit around the decal, always going to get air traps there, very hard to avoid.
Contamination, yep, a few bits here and there, probably being rushed or interrupted, mid job..
When was it fitted, during the recent hot spell, would be tricky in 35 deg workshop.
Some of the silvery bits, called silvering in the trade, it will go away as the adhesive cures.
Some of the edges need looking at.
Some orange peel paint finish which doesn't help with the finish when the wrap has gone on.
Some of the areas, they have tried to apply to areas where a cut or slightly different shape piece would have worked better. (Swingarm)

Overall, I wouldn't do it for £60.
Context, I wrap commercial vehicles, I wouldn't wrap anyones bike or car, too much hassle.

Let the kids do it next time, kids love stickers. Maybe Minions and Frozen theme?

Looks bad from a few cm, bet it's fine when sitting on the bike though. First tumble into the rocky dirt of the Alps and it's going to look much worse 🙂

Looks like a horrible job, one slip and you've lost hours of work and an expensive kit.

Just my 2p....he has paid for a service, which, let's be honest looks pretty poor in places.
The "just get out and ride it" comments do wind me up a little as i bet you wouldn't really be happy if that was the standard of work on your new pride and joy.
You pay for something and you want it to be the best job possible, that job simply isn't so he has a right to complain.

Looks like a horrible job, one slip and you've lost hours of work and an expensive kit.

Same thing works for vinyl tape strips as well, it's similar stuff. Tried it with some cheap tape from eBay and it worked fine too.

TheDTs comment about silvering is spot on, I had this effect but it mostly disappeared after a couple of days.

I'd just ask for a bit of cash back, and a promise for them to refit any bits that start to peel off in the new 6 months.

I've done quite a few Invisiframe kits, and the last one on my Five looks invisible. No discernable bubbles, marks or anything. Looks like they either didn't clean parts of the frame, or didn't bother cleaning the section of the bike just before fitting, and maybe did it in a dirty workshop, or outside.

It also looks like they didn't use enough soap mix in a couple of places, so you got that silvering finish.

It's still gonna do its job, so if you get say £30 back for the poor job, in 12 months time you can whip it off and fit one yourself next time 🙂