Cerakote: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger?

Cerakote UP North Contact Info

If anyone would like to discuss Cerakote for their MTB or road bike project please get in touch with me (Matt) at Cerakote UP North - Based in Lancaster 01524 963232, mobile 07791 292 683 email: matt@howefab.uk

We would be happy for customers to visit to see the process, the quality and look of finished Cerakote parts and the huge range of colour options available.

Can you repaint carbon frames?

"all threads were coated" - is that a mistake, or can you really spray this into the bolt holes?

all threads headset etc with 50 microns? that's enough to change a bearing fit significantly?

“all threads were coated” – is that a mistake, or can you really spray this into the bolt holes?

Was wondering exactly the same thing, 100 micron reduction in diameter could certainly have an effect.

Also the coating is 25-40 microns, but the Five had 50 microns applied. Again, typo or something else?

Other than those details, think cerakote would tempt me to do a repray (if my bike wasn't fairly old and fairly neglected)

Might even add enough material to stop certain pressfit bottom brackets from creaking...

I wanted to try some of this stuff a few years ago for motorbike parts but it was totally unavailable in the UK. Can't help thinking how awesome a Geometron would look in a fancy colour.

You can see the coating on the inside of the swing arm bearing seats and the shock mount!

To be fair - from the factory those shock mounts are covered in powdercoat. That era of Five clamps the bearings on place too, so might not care about the ID reduction

Cerakote also outlasted any other coating in an abrasion test.

What form did this abrasion test take? How does the coating stand up to real world riding in good old UK grit and mud?

Hi, Yes we can Cerakote Aluminium, steel, polymers, plastics and Carbon fibre. Some slightly different processes and Cerakote series are used for different materials. Cheers Matt

Reply to Kelvin:

The reply link doesnt seem to allow a direct reply!

This is the link to the abrasion test:

UK grit and mud will affect any finish over time. But being ceramic Cerakote does not allow water ingress so you will not get the capillary action of water getting between the surface and the coating resulting in popping the coating off and leaving a corroded surface underneath.

Can’t help thinking how awesome a Geometron would look in a fancy colour.

You and me both. Stop torturing yourself!

Raw is still good though.

Reply to Mashr,

Cerakote can coat threads, nuts and bolts. We do it all the time. The fit is not affected and the cerakote stays on the threads.

Reply to a11y:

Raw is awesome, Cerakote have a clear laquer that gives all the protection of ceramic but can be applied on polished alloy surfaces. It wont allow water ingress and capillary action corroded between the surfaces and the Cerakote

Thanks for the reply. Any tests showing how good the abrasion resistance is on a non-flat surface, like a tube?

It’s 25-40 microns (50mm microns is a typo) 😎

Just noticed one of the official Cerakote colours is called 'NRA Blue'. There's one for the Republicans amongst us.

I’m sure we could sort that out alongside the rest on powder coat and a lacquered frame.

Cerakote is not indestructible just like any other finish but the difference is that Cerakote doesn’t allow water incress if it gets chipped or scratched. This is a major plus point.

Raw is awesome, Cerakote have a clear laquer that gives all the protection of ceramic but can be applied on polished alloy surfaces. It wont allow water ingress and capillary action corroded between the surfaces and the Cerakote

That's something I'll keep in mind for future. I had issues with sweat staining my raw finish in the past but resolved that with liberal use of phosphoric acid on one raw bike, whereas my other raw bike is fine. I'm aware normal lacquer on raw polished isn't a particularly durable finish.

Yes all threads can be coated. This bike went back together easily, no powder coat to rub down to try to make fit and all surfaces around the bottom bracket and headstock sprayed and protected inside and out

Any tests showing how good the abrasion resistance is on a non-flat surface, like a tube?

I’m sure we could sort that out alongside ... powder coat and a lacquered frame.

That would be a very interesting test, would love to see the results of that.

Cerakote looks amazing, if it proves to be at least as abrasion resistant as powder I'd be up for a respray.

I once spent about 2 days polishing my Geometron to a mirror finish. It looked amazing but it was starting to dull before I even got the thing built. It was back to normal after a few rides.

A highly polished G1 with a clear finish would be amazing.

I need to know how to reply and it link the message I’m replying to as the reply side isn’t working

Use the "B-QUOTE" button, and paste the original message inside the tags.

Sharkattack - watch this;

This is your answer

Use the “B-QUOTE” button, and paste the original message inside the tags.

Cheers, hope this works!

Just noticed one of the official Cerakote colours is called ‘NRA Blue’. There’s one for the Republicans amongst us.

i think National Racing Alliance 😉 there are some oddly named colours that’s for sure!

You can see the coating on the inside of the swing arm bearing seats and the shock mount!

This frame went together fine, around these areas we would do around 25 micron coating and then areas under the frame rails and around the headstock tube (not inside the headstock tube) around 40 microns.

I have nothing to add beyond purrrrrrrple...!

Some of the main benefits:

250-1000 degrees centigrade temp range without affecting the coating or colour (range depends on the Series of cerakote used)

Thermal shock resistant
Totally resistant to brake fluid, wheel wash, brake cleaner, acid cleaners, petrol/diesal.
If it chips it wont allow water ingress so the chip stays a chip it does not haze or crack paint around the chip.
Totally resistant to road salt, mud, road grime etc
Ultra thin 25-40 microns single coating process.

No lacquer and no primer to think about.

We can Cerakote designs onto the frame and leave no ridge between the Cerakote layers, unlike decals that will peel off and hold dirt and grime on the edges of the logo.

Looks good. Any reason why you couldn't clear coat steel with it?

Plenty of companies have had difficulties with clear-coated steel rusting under the lacquer over time, some have stopped offering it because they've not been able to get it right.

That would be a very interesting test, would love to see the results of that.

Cerakote looks amazing, if it proves to be at least as abrasion resistant as powder I’d be up for a respray.

We will set up a test as soon as we can, its on the cards to do this but we need to find some time as the workshop is quite busy at the moment coming out of the summer months as we do alot of motorcycle parts as well as everything else.

That’s something I’ll keep in mind for future. I had issues with sweat staining my raw finish in the past but resolved that with liberal use of phosphoric acid on one raw bike, whereas my other raw bike is fine. I’m aware normal lacquer on raw polished isn’t a particularly durable finish.

Contact me directly and we can go through the options on the MC5100, I would be up for doing some extra MTB related tests on it also.

A link to our facebook, showing some other projects we do and alot of colour options etc:

A highly polished G1 with a clear finish would be amazing.

TBH I like the slightly dull look my G15 has at the moment - it's nice and even so doesn't look out of place. However, oooft

Contact me directly and we can go through the options on the MC5100, I would be up for doing some extra MTB related tests on it also.

I'll see. I might be exchanging one of my polished frames for an anodised black one (Geometron owners, we can't help but fanny around with stuff) so might not have the issue to deal with in future if it all works out.

Looks good. Any reason why you couldn’t clear coat steel with it?

Plenty of companies have had difficulties with clear-coated steel rusting under the lacquer over time, some have stopped offering it because they’ve not been able to get it right.

That is a question I am going to ask Cerakote technical now, personally I cant think why it cannot be done as we have clear cerakote lacquers available for all surface finishes.

so whats the crack... i send you my frame with everything removed and you paint it?

Does it go over the existing paint? or strip back to bare then painted?

If there is any damage to the frame, chips, scuffs etc are you able to fill/fix those?

And is there a pallet of colours to browse?

@cerakote_up_north Not bike related (car) however how is the colour match between plastic and aluminium parts (coated in the same colour)? Do they come out indistinguishable? Is there any texture to the finish (or can there be)?

Isn't it lighter than powdercoat and wet paint too? I know that's why some pro-road frame makers have been looking into it.

Cerakote does look good and I’ve wondered just how durable it really is, certainly I was surprised to see 76Projects offering it on their enduro Garmin mounts. That will be a test. I’m almost tempted to buy one as a relatively cheap way to see how it fares in what must be one of the worst places on a bike aside from crank arms

https://76projects.com/collections/mtb/products/enduromount

Unite have been offering it on pedals, stems and other parts too. Be very interesting to see how the pedals stand up (from rubbing rather than impacts)

so whats the crack… i send you my frame with everything removed and you paint it?

Does it go over the existing paint? or strip back to bare then painted?

If there is any damage to the frame, chips, scuffs etc are you able to fill/fix those?

And is there a pallet of colours to browse?

The frame should be stripped down completely, we will then drop it off at a chemical stripping company local to us. This removes all the grime and old paint.

We then prepare the frame by bead blasting it with 100 grit aluminium oxide media, this is a very fine media and is only used to give a key to the metal, it does not remove any material.

Then the frame is sprayed with the 1 or 2 coats of Cerakote, left for a while for the solvents to evaporate and then baked in an oven for a set amount of time to cure. This is H series, E series, V series (this process takes 1-2 hours cure)

For C series Cerakote this is an air dry cure that it moveable in 24 hours but takes 5 days to fully harden.

Chips and scratches cannot really be touched up, paint touch up pens rely on sticking to the edges of the paint that is still there but Cerakote is ceramic and once cured paint wont stick to it, even Cerakote wont stick to Cerakote.

Ceramic coatings are tougher than paint but far thinner this is the beauty of Cerakote, it gives a vibrant UV stable hard coating that protects the material underneath from pretty much anything it will come into contact with.

For a scratch or chip to be repaired on a painted surface you need to rub down the area around the damage to give the paint something to stick to so you end up doing alot more work than the size of the chip/scratch (to do a proper job)

Cerakote as mentioned above might chip or scratch but wont allow water ingress so the area will not continue to chip further as the surrounding coating will not haze or fracture under the surface.

It is why the Military use Cerakote on almost all there weapons, gear and vehicles as its designed for harsh enviroments.