Raven paintwork

[goosander]

I'm a bit disappointed with the paintwork (or rather powder coating) on my bike, its less than 2.5 years old and I've now got rust starting to appear in several places.  Does anyone else have this problem?

The worst place is where the chain stays join the dropouts, I think it is because the join creates a 'sharp' edge and the power coating is more prone to wear which then allows water in.

Rather than just touching up, I'm considering having the whole frame re-coated.  I had been under the impression that powder coating was very tough, so does anyone know whether I'm likely to have the same issues again or is just the case that the original powder coating wasn't the best.

[Pallium]

Goosander,
I've got a 3 year old Raven Tour and there's rust coming through from the bosses on the front fork and all cable guides. I've touched up some of the rust marks but the cable guides are under the top tube so aren't very accessible and will have to be left alone. I've seen a picture of a Raven Tour where the rust from the cable guides migrated to the top tube and looked horrible. I'm going to give the bike a respray after about 10 years, I think that no serious damage will occur and the rust is only a cosmetic flaw. The paintwork is the only thing I don't like about the Raven Tour.

[stutho]

I too have the odd spot of rust, It is kind of what I would expect for a bike that is used every day in all weathers.  The rust is mainly on the cable guides and is nothing serious. Thorn now use stainless for the cable guides on some models.  When I get a respray (possibly next year) I am going to see if it possible  to 'upgrade' the guides and bosses to stainless. 

stutho

[Pallium]

Stutho,
My thoughts exactly

[onmybike]

My Raven Tour is about 8 months old and has truly appalling powdercoat. I noticed last week that it was flaking off around the rear dropouts. Not scratching off, as it manages to do very easily elsewhere, but actually coming off in flakes. Yikes. And there's already rust in the fork bosses too - this bike has spent its short life so far in Adelaide, Australia - the driest city on the driest continent, and I live 10km inland, so I can't make an 'all weathers' excuse for the rust. Given that I'm heading to India (Monsoon season!) in a few months, it's a pretty sad statement that I'm considering a respray already for my new bike.

[goosander]

OK, so it sounds like I'm not alone here.  I didn't expect the bike to be rust free forever but I think it should manage more than a couple of years (my previous steel framed hybrid was still good after 10 years).  A friend of mine has suggested that the rusting is probably due to the frames not being degreased adequately before being powder coated.

I don't have a problem with the cable guides on my bike (I think they are stainless) but as well as rust at the point where the chain stays are brazed/welded to the dropouts, the powder coating has flaked off the drops in a similar manner to that described by onmybike.  I'm not so bothered about the dropouts because they are stainless and I think it is inevitable that the coating will wear off due to the action of removing & reinserting the wheel.

If I get mine re-coated, I think I'll have the contact areas of the dropouts masked so there isn't any coating to flake off.

[stutho]

Hmmm, Mirror polished dropouts - it might just catch on !!!   

[rualexander]

Just done an oil change on partner's Raven Tour and had a good look at the paintwork while I was at it. Similar condition to the previous comments, slight rusty around braze-ons etc. but the stainless steel parts (rear dropouts, eccentric bosses, etc.) have lost nearly all of their paint and whats left is flaking off in large pieces. The rest of the paint on the frame is still in good condition. Looks like an adhesion problem on the stainless steel?