Take a look at your planet x sl's

Mines developed little white spots around the head tube and the most forward parts of the cross and down tubes. Has anyone else’s?

I had a pair of old pace forks go like this once before and they were replaced.

A course of antibiotics perhaps? I’d hate a road frame to snap at the head tube whilst I’m on the drops.

drop them an e-mail (they usually get back straight away)!

I’m intreeyouegged, though they used to say that lowering the saddle and twisting the frame could cause this 😉

Ha,ha.

sounds like a reaction with water droplets or a spray that you use.

Got a pic? Sounds cosmetic.

In all seriousness have you no idea what’s doing it? Could it be to do with something in the environment near you, or do you ride through any chemical or quarrying industry areas. What about cleaning chemicals? Weird.

It’s a road bike yeah? I’m thinking road salt tbh. The Toras on the GFs Specialized got lots of small corrosion marks on the front of the stanchions. She had only used it to ride too and from Uni on the local roads (well actually pavements as I can’t get her to ride on roads but that is another matter).

To be honest the reply that I was looking for was “yeah that’s fine, mine has been like that for years….you’re not going to die”.

I don’t think it’s salt from the roads as the BB area and chainstays are clear.
I doubt any great deal of sweat is making it to the headtube.
It’s underneath the carbon laquer; there’s no deformation or irregularity to the external profile.
I wash the bike when it needs it; with soap and water because I’m too tight to buy Fenwicks.
The bikes used mainly for a rural commute, all other rides are up the Rhondda valleys so not intensively industrialised.

Don’t worry about the stars; i got them off my daughter for good behaviour.

Think I’ll stick an email off to PX.

I wash the bike when it needs it; with soap and water because I’m too tight to buy Fenwicks.

What kind of soap? Don’t tell me dish washing liquid please (it contains salt).

And seriously if you can spend £1000 on a bike, but resent spending £10 once a year for some proper bike wash… well…

well…what? I deserve to die an awful death because of some white spot carbon viral infection? You tend not to use dish washing liquid on cars because in contains salt which is abrasive to the paintwork; as I generally hose the bike down any residual salt (particularly on these area’s) isn’t going to be significant.

£10 for 10l of Fenwicks; good for caravans I hear.

proper bike wash

Didn’t I read something about some high-end manufacturers withdrawing warranties from products washed with ‘proper bike wash’ as it’s too harsh and damages some plastics?

Have they always been there or did they just appear?

I wouldn’t let muc off, Fenwicks etc any where near my frames.

Those spots look cosmetic, it’s between the lacquer and cosmetic weave so it’s unlikely to be structural.

I wouldn’t let muc off, Fenwicks etc any where near my frames.

+1, everyone knows fenwicks and muc off causes carbon to fail catastrophically. Just like everyone knows carbon warps under exposure to direct sunlight. Or that it melts when it gets too hot. Or cracks when it gets too cold.

I was referring to the effect bike cleaners can sometimes have on paintwork and anodising.

a friend of mines whyte frame went like this apparently it was air bubbles underneath the laquere. It causes no problems at all but whyte replaced his frame under the 5 year warranty.

There still in the process of sorting the warranty and his still riding it off road with no problems at all.