# Ceramic coated frames, really! With pics!



## edoz (Jan 16, 2004)

I got the two frames back from STB today and I am pretty pleased with the result. 




































The coating looks good, Roger did a super job masking the head badge but there's one catch. 
The coating is about .0005" thick, so it shows EVERYTHING! Smooth them fillets out. As you can see in the last pic, the tiny little pinholes you get sometimes with fillet brazing are very obvious. Hopefully Roger aka crazy8 will chime in and answer all your technical questions.


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

*Very, very cool!*

I'm very interested in this, as I'm about to move to SLC and (gasp!) find/train a new powdercoater (those of you who have had to go through this know why I'm not excited about having to do that...)

Random questions:
-What prep is required, and is it done at the coating end? I assume some kind of media blasting has to happen to get the coating to adhere, and that you can't just coat greasy dirty tubes.
-*Rough* idea of cost/frame (if you'd rather not post that, please drop me an email)?
-Expected lifetime? UV problems?

Looks like a really neat option. I have a couple of my own personal bikes that I'm always too lazy to get powdercoated that I could potentially use as guinea pigs.

-Walt


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

Have had Moto parts done here...

Swain Tech Coatings | Industrial Coatings | High Performance Racing Coatings | Technical coatings to solve problems of heat, wear, corrosion, and friction

...I have drug these coated parts over rocks like a champ never once showed signs of anything! Huge dents in expansion chambers the coating never gave!

Never gave much thought to doing a bicycle frame, usually just redo them with Dupont Imron (that in it self is really tough paint)

Hum? Got me to thinking maybe my trials bike since it gets roughed up by rocks might benefit from cermic!

Friend of mine did a bicycle with "yellow truck bed coating" for no real world reason other than he owned the company and it was an advertising gig! Held up well, weight more, kinda weird as it dampened the riding of the bike!


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## edoz (Jan 16, 2004)

Walt said:


> Random questions:
> -What prep is required, and is it done at the coating end? I assume some kind of media blasting has to happen to get the coating to adhere, and that you can't just coat greasy dirty tubes.
> -*Rough* idea of cost/frame (if you'd rather not post that, please drop me an email)?
> -Expected lifetime? UV problems?
> ...


Totally UV impervious, and more durable than powdercoat. Ceramic coatings are used on jet engine parts, turbocharger internals and a whole slew of other high wear and high heat applications. STB does a lot of chainring coating and also some firearm stuff. He also can do chains and cassettes. 
The prep for a tig frame is probably non existent on your end. It looks to be the same type of prep you'd do for paint/powder, unless it's got rough spots or fillets that aren't smooth enough, I'm pretty sure that costs extra. $125 for just normal prep and coating.


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## kroe (Mar 30, 2009)

What's the weight difference between coating with the matte ceramic and paint or powdercoat? My current frame is the first painted frame I have had in years (previous were anodized), and the durability is poor. For the price you listed I may get my frame done over next winter. Assume they could also do aluminum? 

Edoz, your fillet grazed frame with the breezed dropouts in black is gorgeous!


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## kroe (Mar 30, 2009)

What's the weight difference between coating with the matte ceramic and paint or powdercoat? My current frame is the first painted frame I have had in years (previous were anodized), and the durability is poor. For the price you listed I may get my frame done over next winter. Assume they could also do aluminum? 

Edoz, your fillet brazed frame with the breezer dropouts in black is gorgeous!


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## crazy8 (Apr 21, 2009)

The difference in weight is approx 1/3 that of paint or powder coat. The ceramic I used on these frames can be used on any metal, and I can also use a different ceramic on carbon fiber and composites. The best test of the protective and durability qualities will be on the steel frames due to rust and corrosion. With the thin layer masking and plugging of headtube and bb shell isn't necessary and these areas are also protected. Corrosion testing has shown steel plate coated with the ceramic withstood 3500 hrs in a salt mist and fog chamber with a elevated temp of 95* without any sign of breakdown and corrosion.


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## edoz (Jan 16, 2004)

kroe said:


> What's the weight difference between coating with the matte ceramic and paint or powdercoat? My current frame is the first painted frame I have had in years (previous were anodized), and the durability is poor. For the price you listed I may get my frame done over next winter. Assume they could also do aluminum?
> 
> Edoz, your fillet brazed frame with the breezer dropouts in black is gorgeous!


If I had to guess, I'd say it's lighter although I don't have a scale in the shop so I didn't weight either before and after. I'm sure aluminum wouldn't be a problem, they do other aluminum parts. 
Thanks, I like the black one, too.


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## crazy8 (Apr 21, 2009)

*Ceramic Coated Edoz Bike Frames*

Yeah Eric, I like the black one best myself. I've said this already but it reminds me of my 2000 GT ZaskarX in Bad Ass Black. Loved riding that bike and still have it hanging in the shop, but hands down the matte black Edoz is the sharper looking.


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## crazy8 (Apr 21, 2009)

Edoz, I was wondering, did you finish the builds on both the coated frames? You talked about installing the headset and seat-tube fit. I'd like to know more about how it built up with photo's if you took any. And has there been any feedback from the owners yet or not ridden much and to soon to know?
The steel frames will be the most challenging test of the ceramic.


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## edoz (Jan 16, 2004)

crazy8 said:


> Edoz, I was wondering, did you finish the builds on both the coated frames? You talked about installing the headset and seat-tube fit. I'd like to know more about how it built up with photo's if you took any. And has there been any feedback from the owners yet or not ridden much and to soon to know?
> The steel frames will be the most challenging test of the ceramic.


I did not. I installed a seatpost in each frame to clamp in a workstand so I could apply decals. I put bolts in all the bosses for the customers and installed a bb and headset in each frame just to test the fit. There's been very little feedback as they got built as soon as they arrived and the owners headed off to NC for a 24hr race and then to Pisgah for the week. 
This is what I've gotten back so far.


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## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

you should look into having some stripping done around your seat tube sleeve. The nice detail disappears in a flat single color.


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## BShow (Jun 15, 2006)

Is this just an external coating or do the inside of the pipes get coated as well? i.e. will something like this negate the need for applications of framesaver? Are single colors the only option or can patterns, details and colors be masked into the coating?


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## crazy8 (Apr 21, 2009)

BShow: The ceramic is a external protective finish, but on the steel frames I also applied it inside the head-tube, BB shell, seat tube, and threads of bosses so these areas are also protected from rusting. As for the insides of the tubing a rust inhibitor/converter would still be prudent.

Multiple colors, graphics, and designs are possible through masking, stencil, and various other application techniques, although the process is a bit more complicated than with paint.


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## BShow (Jun 15, 2006)

Awesome.... I really like the look of the black one and it'll be interesting to see where things go from here.


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## edoz (Jan 16, 2004)

customfab said:


> you should look into having some stripping done around your seat tube sleeve. The nice detail disappears in a flat single color.


Yeah it does, but it's not quite as bad in person. It helps it out with the frame being flat and the seatpost being semi gloss, too.


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