Put one big strip of helitape on the downtube of my bike. So many little chips just to either side of it…

I can see the point of it if you are likely to sell the bike second hand while it is still a sellable item.

Personally, I tend to keep my frames for so long that they become out of date, no amount of molly coddling will preserve and intrinsic value, and they gain a for higher sentimental value.

If I was looking at two identical frames for sale, of go for the one that said ‘Invisiframed from new’, not so much because it would likely have less chips, but the general perception that the previous owner probably took some care of it.

I’ve only ever had two done. A Production Privee Shan Gulf painted beauty that was all about the gorgeous paintwork. Would have been a crime not to try to take care of it.

Then I’ve just spent nearly 4.5k on a knee bike so I want to try and retain as much resell value as I can on that.

I always end up with a steel frame and like the scars gained from riding. Bit of protection in high rub and most prone to damage areas and that’s it. I can’t even get a screen protector on a phone without royally **** it up so wouldn’t even want to try InvisiFrame

Never cross my mind to do this tbh. A bit of helitape in the most high wear places is as about as coddled as any of my bikes has ever been.

This.

“Never cross my mind to do this tbh. A bit of helitape in the most high wear places is as about as coddled as any of my bikes has ever been.”

Exactly.

the general perception that the previous owner probably took some care of it

Presumably that’s exactly what they want you to think, but is it the case?

I know people that get Invisiframe so they can ride thousands of miles, then take it off before selling and pretend it’s basically new. Dunno if that helps the value more than “Invisiframed from new”, but it surprised me that someone would go to the bother.

Only one bike I have now has Invisiframe, because it came included. Seems like a good idea. If any bike deserves it this one does. But had it not been included I’d probably just clear tape under the downtube. My bikes are bought to be used. It’s not done any real damage but I did notice the two places being rubbed by cables and the top of a bike rack clamp are, of course, missed by Invsiframe. The only other frame I previously enquired about getting done they didn’t have a kit for and weren’t interested in doing custom. Seemed odd considering it’s high end, and more common than some of the obscure frames listed.

I think the real niggle is this should be fitted from the factory, likely at much lower cost. Or better yet, use a paint or finish that doesn’t need wrapping to stop scratches and big chips flaking off. Some are better than others. Had a matte frame recently that never chipped and scratches would polish out.

Helitape doesn’t stop frames cracking, I usually keep frames to failure. Some last a couple of months. some last a couple of decades.

Some protection in high wear areas. I find that paint get’s scuffed anyway riding in muddy gritty conditions so you’d need to do the whole lot. For a metal frame I’d sooner put the money to a powder coat after a couple of years. £80 will get me a standard gloss £130 will get me something from the posh special range.

Scratched invisiframe looks just as bad as a scratched frame. Sometimes worse if the edges peel or go yellow. It reminds me of badly scratched phone screen protectors. Or old wrapped text books while in school.

Maybe we should wrap bikes in wallpaper?

I’m willing to pay a bit more for an invisiframed bike and I know many others are too…. So it helps protect the investment in my eyes.

It’s not for me (not that I’ve ever had a bike that would come close to warranting it anyway!), but Mrs M’s new bike arrived on Tuesday and I’ll be wrapping it tomorrow. Horses for courses.

Mrs Devbrix 2015 SC 5010 was Invisiframed from new and looked horrendous with loads of scapes and dings after a year or so. She put it up for sale last year and I stripped off the Invisiframe and the frame really looked like new. Was very impressed how well it had protected it. If you do intend to sell a bike in future def worth doing.

I had a bouncing 9c delivered last week and I opted to invisiframe it. I’m not completely sure why, but I thought it was worth a punt.

I don’t know if I’ll ever sell it, but I can get a bit precious about new stuff. Plus it’s my first carbon bike and by far my most expensive. Maybe this’ll help me cope with the first knocks a little better 😀

Worst that can happen is that I wasted a bit of cash and don’t do it next time.

I’m one type – just wouldn’t bother. I kind of like the wear and tear look. Mrs M is the other, and I’ve just invisiframed her new Transition. We’ll see how it lasts, but as Benos said, worst that happens is a bit of cash gone and not doing it again…

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Meh, cover the high wear points of cable rub etc. but otherwise crack on regardless. For the cost of an invisiframe kit your more than half way to a good respray, either to give your bike a new lease if life or for resale value when you sell.

Did my MY15 Spitfire myself. Wasn’t to bad a job and was about £55 for the kit when i bought it. Kind of a waste as the frame was replaced under warranty. The replacement was the anodised black MY16 version, and I was told no point doing that one as it wouldn’t stick properly.

Ended up using black Gorilla tape where it was needed, but there was bird I missed i e. Where my shorts rubbed on the top tube. Frame snapped and invisiframe wouldn’t have helped.

Got the HB160 done by the shop from new. Couple of nicks but nothing major, and the carbon is canny hard and clear laquered. Rockguard is useful as it wraps around the lower down tube and I’ve had a couple of rock strikes where the OEM guard isn’t.

BFe came find second hand done with a mix of gloss and matt invisiframe. It’s battered but not as bad as it would be without it.

It’s not the type of owners: it’s the type of frame.
Boutique carbon fibre = Invisiframe
Titanium = nothing
The rest = bits of helitape in high wear areas.

Sorted!

or is the desire to spunk another £90 plus fitting

If you look for invisiframe sponsored athletes they have discount codes for 10%-20% so will lessen the cost.

Fitting isnt that tough, I managed it on my new bike over several nights in not ideal conditions (freezing garage) and the fit is fine with no bubbles or gaps between pieces, cos you soak the frame and piece of kit you get lots of attempts to get those pieces exactly where they need to be, bubble free.

I initially only wanted the pieces for my frame to cover the rear triangle for footrub, the cost of the those pieces made it more sensible to buy the full kit.

Two types of mtb owners – invisiframers and non invisiframers

I think the above posts probably tell you that you’re wrong there.

My 2015 RM Instinct looks so battered from uplift days and the like that it’ll effect what it sells for, when/if I sell it. So when I bought an immaculate 2nd hand bike, also carbon, I Invisiframed it to keep it looking that way. First time I’ve done it.
I have a ti bike – no Invisiframe needed. And a 29er Hardtail – never considered Invisiframe.

Having sold two carbon bikes in the recent past, I would 100% invisiframe a new carbon or alloy bike. My current bike is steel and powdercoated, so i’m not bothering as it’s a very robust finish and easy (and cheap) to get repainted.

ETA – I can absolutely guarantee I would have made back the cost of the invisiframe kits (and more) when I sold the bikes on.

What about us ‘middle of the road’ types – i.e. heli tape. I’ve got the tape on all cable rub areas, downtube, and doubled up on the chainstay, as well as shorts rub area on the top tube.

Does occasionally need changing.

Use it also on the road bike, chainstay, and cable rub areas.

For me, there is definitely an aesthetic I like about acquired wear as long as it doesn’t compromise the strength of the frame. Something beautiful about a well used high quality tool that is very different from a pristine bit of kit. I feel the same way about other items as well (eg well used high quality leather boots). Always struggled to understand what it was, but apparently the Japanese have terms for it which seems to come close (at least that is my naïve understanding): wabi sabi.

A new bike is on the cards to replace my orange five, possibly a bird aether 9. I’ll either go raw aluminium with some helitape (or maybe its not even needed) or carbon. If carbon, the thread seems to suggest I should invisiframe that. Hadn’t really considered that as something I might need to do.

Last new bike I bought was 1998, so battered and bashed is ok for me.

But I think its just something else the industry invents to get us to shell out more money. Apparently it preserves resale value, but Im not sure its worth the extra costs, given the threads and YT vids about the difficulty in applying it, air bubbles and normal depreciation anyway.

And tbh falling in areas where things like rocks protrude at all angles isnt going to protect it to the degree, nor is any of this tape free from damage itself. A bit like having set lottery numbers, you feel you need to always replace it to keep it looking shiny. A bit addictive and thats just more money.