clear coat on carbon tubes de-laquering?

[velobaba]

I am wodering what do if clear coat on the carbon tubes (top tube, seat tube, chain stay) is de-laquering. Is it safe to ride if aesthetic don't matter much?

Thanks,
Jalal

[batman1425]

Depends what is causing the finish to flake. Joint failure letting tubes flex or just random bubbling/flaking?

[velobaba]

Seems to be random bubbling/flaking.

Thanks.

Depends what is causing the finish to flake. Joint failure letting tubes flex or just random bubbling/flaking?

[ultraman6970]

1st thing, not all the frames have clear, some stuff just have a gel that was put in there. Cheaper and quicker than clear coat the parts. So its hard to know what you have in there w/o looking at it.

With the time as with car paint the clear coat starts degrading, thats why you see bubbles and like dandruff like over the tubes. Sometimes humidity gets in and starts bubbling the top coat and you get the issue.

There's 1 or 2 KG96 frames at ebay, both have problems in the coat IMO because is way too old, but one of them is a FL, tampa area frame, that thing pretty much is water and humidity that went inside and is rusting the lugs and basically cracking the carbon tubes from the inside out (guy asking too much and the frame is toasted, just in case, dont buy it)

Other times as with cars is just the sun that is taking its toll over the surface.

TO fix it you have to sand and re clear the parts or the whole frame with polyurethane clear coat, it will come back to life right away but you have to sand it 1st.

Have you seen frames and components that have a yellow hue? the clearcoat is too old and failed, sand and reclear...

PRetty much that's all you have to do.

As for why to reclear? carbon fiber doesnt like UV light, thats the reason you have to try to clear. Good clear comes with anti UV light stuff inside.