My frames do indeed look very lovely unpainted, it’s a great way to show off the raw golden brazing and steel patina. Very quickly, however, an unpainted frame will start to rust.
Just cover it in a lacquer I hear you cry. Yes, this works temporarily, but firstly, lacquer is slightly porous, so moisture can get though. On top of that, any scratches or damage to the lacquer will let moisture in leading to thin vein of rust growing on the tubes.
Paint and lacquer form a barrier between the steel frame and the environment. Rust also takes up a larger area than unaffected steel, putting undesired forces on the frame.
Raw frames are often used on BMXs, but these just aren’t subject to the wet conditions and power-washing of MTBs.
So, no I won’t be offering raw, unpainted frames to go unpainted. I can supply you an unpainted frame to paint yourself, but if it’s not painted straight away, the warranty will be void.
Check out all our paint and colour options here.
Ex-aerospace engineer Joe Mcewan is the founder and chief engineer of Starling Cycles. Passionate, outspoken and fond of a cuppa and a debate, Joe loves to challenge the established thinking of the industry.
