Something wicked this way comes

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
It's a nice safety net if you knock the bike over in the garage or it falls over trailside or whatever. It prevents minor accidents scratching through the clear-coat and making you nervous about the integrity of the carbon over the longer term. Ironically I've gotten more value out of frameskin on several frames from incidents of that type than when the bike has gone cartwheeling down the trail in an off. Never got so much as a scratch when I've done that.

Biggest difference though is a substantial difference to resale value if you like to turn bikes over after a year or two. Everyone says they don't care if a frame's been skinned or not, but try selling a carbon frame with some deep scratches on it and you'll easily see the value a frameskin kit offers.
 

j0w1s

Likes Bikes
I feared as much.

Unfortunately I’m a perfectionist and if I can’t get something 100% I’m like ‘fuck it’ and throw whatever it is across the room.

I have a feeling this could become the biggest ball ache of this whole enterprise.

Recommendations? Google says ridewrap and invisiframe…
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Invisiframe is great. Takes a bit of time to get the hang of fitting but you pay the $$ for a stress less fit.

I dreaded doing it but wasn't as tough to do as I thought.

I didn't want to not skin it then do something stupid and regret it later.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Invisiframe is a fraction thicker and has very slightly tackier adhesive. It is accordingly fractionally harder to apply, but tougher. RideWrap is easier to "float" into position while applying, but based purely off feel would offer slightly less "protection" and is aimed more at simple scuff and scrape prevention. I'd much rather apply RideWrap, but would probably order Invisiframe if I was a more aggressive rider looking for potential on-trail protection.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
The pressure's off in that case. The Sentinel has RideWrap, and both the other frame only have little spots to prevent cable rub... :p
All protected. Now you can find those road gaps at your leisure.

Pity they don't make an invisiframe suit for people. Could save you from the stupid you put it through.
 

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I feared as much.

Unfortunately I’m a perfectionist and if I can’t get something 100% I’m like ‘fuck it’ and throw whatever it is across the room.

I have a feeling this could become the biggest ball ache of this whole enterprise.

Recommendations? Google says ridewrap and invisiframe…
When I picked up my carbon Fuel EX from the shop, I hadn't thought about protection. There I was on a Friday arvo in Bunbury where nobody sells 3m Helicopter tape, or Invisiframe kits. Discovered Altrex Skinz (from Supercheap Auto) and cut my own. A bit tedious and impatience overtook my want of perfection so it wasn't as good as an expertly applied, tailor made kit but it did it's job well.
Definitely worth having some kind of protection on a carbon frame.
 

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
Another bonus with frame protection is it seemingly makes bikes easier to clean. Stuff (particularly grease stains and mud) just seems to stick much less stubbornly.

(no scientific proof of this theory whatsoever, just personal experience).
 

j0w1s

Likes Bikes
Ridewrap was installed, but I have hit a snag with my Hope brakes.

The banjo is atypical in that it adjusts left/right rather than up/down, and the routing of the frame puts the rear brake line at an acute angle that doesn't sit well with me. Super happy with the rest of the build though.

Hopefully I can sell the Hopes and get this thing finished. Thinking of Quadiems, or perhaps Shigura.

I'm taking my kids to Derby this weekend so it looks like I'm hiring a bike.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Ridewrap was installed, but I have hit a snag with my Hope brakes.

The banjo is atypical in that it adjusts left/right rather than up/down, and the routing of the frame puts the rear brake line at an acute angle that doesn't sit well with me. Super happy with the rest of the build though.

Hopefully I can sell the Hopes and get this thing finished. Thinking of Quadiems, or perhaps Shigura.

I'm taking my kids to Derby this weekend so it looks like I'm hiring a bike.
Know anyone with a lathe? It would probably be relatively simple to turn up a spacer/adaptor fitting where the banjo bolt attaches if you like the Hopes otherwise. (I don't have a lathe, sorry)
 

j0w1s

Likes Bikes
Know anyone with a lathe? It would probably be relatively simple to turn up a spacer/adaptor fitting where the banjo bolt attaches if you like the Hopes otherwise. (I don't have a lathe, sorry)
Not super set on the Hopes. I like their design (apart from that banjo) but I have zero ride experience with them.

From trying Shimano and SRAM on a couple of hire bikes I have come to realise I’m a modulation whore.

SRAM had some modulation but lacked power (I think they were code or guide R). Shimano had super nice levers and power but I didn’t get on with the on/off feel, although perhaps that’s something you get used to.

That has led me to Shigura or (by triangulation) Quadiem.
 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
That has led me to Shigura, or by triangulation Quadiem.
Throwing a spanner in - Cura 4s. They're awesome. Heaps of power, light weight, unidirectional lever, mineral oil (fuck DOT), and nice lever modulation. None of the squishy vagueness of SRAM, but also no light switch effect of Shimano.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Throwing a spanner in - Cura 4s. They're awesome. Heaps of power, light weight, unidirectional lever, mineral oil (fuck DOT), and nice lever modulation. None of the squishy vagueness of SRAM, but also no light switch effect of Shimano.
I generally agree except about them having modulation. I even tried downsizing from 203mm rotors to 180mm and the bite-point engagement feel was still (much) too sudden for my tastes. I also found the levers shit (sorry, lol - just my opinion, it's a very personal thing). I couldn't easily get the pads to sit near the rotor, which meant heaps of free-stroke then, thunk - contact. I like my brakes setup up with absolute minimum free-stroke possible though, and like the levers nice and far from the bars too. If you're a "I like the brake to almost pull to the bars at maximum effort" type, the Curas would probably be great.

@j0w1s - banjo fitting issues aside - the Hopes sound like your type of brake (even despite my obvious bias). Especially if you chuck some Uberbike Race Matrix pads in them.
 

j0w1s

Likes Bikes
Throwing a spanner in - Cura 4s. They're awesome. Heaps of power, light weight, unidirectional lever, mineral oil (fuck DOT), and nice lever modulation. None of the squishy vagueness of SRAM, but also no light switch effect of Shimano.
another spanner - Magura MT7? cant wait to see this bike built.
That’s no spanner, thanks. There have been so many fuck ups on this build that I will take all the advice I can get.

Really happy how it’s coming together though and I have some super nice parts on the bike but there is something to be said for the value and convenience of prebuilt bikes (thank you COVID).

I am maxed out on budget and my wife has been super patient with all of this, but it’s kind of a $1 in, $1 out scenario at the moment so I will have to wait until I sell the Hopes…
 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
I generally agree except about them having modulation. I even tried downsizing from 203mm rotors to 180mm and the bite-point engagement feel was still (much) too sudden for my tastes. I also found the levers shit (sorry, lol - just my opinion, it's a very personal thing). I couldn't easily get the pads to sit near the rotor, which meant heaps of free-stroke then, thunk - contact. I like my brakes setup up with absolute minimum free-stroke possible though, and like the levers nice and far from the bars too. If you're a "I like the brake to almost pull to the bars at maximum effort" type, the Curas would probably be great.
Funny. Not my experience at all so far, though lock down means I've only ridden them a couple of times. I'm kind of opposite to you though, I like my levers set up basically as close to the bar as possible that allows lever throw to terminate at ~8mm from the grip.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Funny. Not my experience at all so far, though lock down means I've only ridden them a couple of times. I'm kind of opposite to you though, I like my levers set up basically as close to the bar as possible that allows lever throw to terminate at ~8mm from the grip.
If we ever swap bikes on a ride, we both need to be very careful... :p
 

mooboyj

Likes Dirt
I've come from using Avid Elixirs (still use them on my commuter) and value feel over power. I use the lower end Tektro 4 pots and love the power and feel they have. I liken them to having similar power to a Shimano 2 pot (I have these on my Surge Evo). but the feel of my Elixir 5s.

I've also tried the Quadiems and loved them. They had the feel I liked in Elixirs with extra power.

I use the Tektro 4 pots on my Tallboy LT with 203/180mm rotors and I'm in Hobart and mostly ride the Glenorchy MTB park.
 
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