Terrible paint used on $8,000 Specialized bike and no customer support

[Elkman]

One of my Turbo Creo SL bikes that is months old has paint worn down on the forks and after dozens of bikes I have bought or had custom built the Specialized carbon frame exterior paint is softer than anything I have encountered in the past 40 years. Worst part is that there is no touchup paint available from Specialized for even their current bike models.

I will need to go to a custom paint shop to get the color matched and the fork paint fixed. To spend $8,000 for a bike and have a problem with poor paint finish and not to get support from the manufacturer is upsetting. Expensive bike with cheap paint is not something I expected but now I realize that my next e-bikes are going to be ones from Giant or Trek or Canyon.

I have a 20 years old Trek carbon bike and a 45 years old Reynolds 531 frame with Imron paint and they both look good as when new. Whoever is making the CF frames for Specialized has quality control problems with their output. Specialized is now big enough to not care about customer support after a bike is purchased.

 

[mschwett]

troubling! share a pic? what color? there are tons of riders in the Facebook creo group and no reports of similar problems - mine has a few chips after 6,000 miles but nothing unusual.

I doubt it’s cheap paint. my guess is durability was not a high priority, or perhaps a QC problem.

 

[BioWheel]

My VadoSL paint hasn't had any issues. I'm pretty careful though. Can you attach a picture Elkman? And - don't go to the manufacturer like you stated (curious what they said though). Go to the LBS. They may be more reasonable.

 

[rich c]

What is rubbing on the fork to wear any kind of paint?

 

[McDecoy]

What colour is your Creo? I read Specialized doesn't sell touch-up paint because of counterfeit concerns. But there are a few independent companies that sell touch-up paints for Specialized bikes, like Rotaris paint.

Maybe not what you'd wish on your new bike, but as close as you will get to repair.

 

[Mike_V]

If the best prep for that job is an 'old fashioned' etching primer like Zinc Chromate, Ex: aluminum aircraft, it's too much bother.

 

[mschwett]

If the best prep for that job is an 'old fashioned' etching primer like Zinc Chromate, Ex: aluminum aircraft, it's too much bother.

i don't think you'd use an etching primer on carbon fiber. never painted it myself but others have used fairly standard epoxy primers.

 

[GuruUno]

"Specialized doesn't sell touch-up paint because of counterfeit concerns"
PLEASE, provide me some validation to that statement, as it's befuddling.

 

[rayray]

i don't think you'd use an etching primer on carbon fiber. never painted it myself but others have used fairly standard epoxy primers.

To add to this….. I was considering having my carbon Creo repainted because I don’t really like the clear-coated carbon fiber on the top bar. I was told by a Specialized rep that it must be painted by an approved shop, or the frame warranty will be voided. The closest approved shop is 125 miles away, not to mention the fact that I reconsidered due to the assumed high cost. That shop does some beautiful custom work though, so if I was willing to spend the money, I suppose I could handle the drive a couple of times.

 

[mschwett]

To add to this….. I was considering having my carbon Creo repainted because I don’t really like the clear-coated carbon fiber on the top bar. I was told by a Specialized rep that it must be painted by an approved shop, or the frame warranty will be voided. The closest approved shop is 125 miles away, not to mention the fact that I reconsidered due to the assumed high cost. That shop does some beautiful custom work though, so if I was willing to spend the money, I suppose I could handle the drive a couple of times.

there are some really beautiful custom painted carbon frames out there!! i've often thought that if i get tired of either of my carbon bikes i could get 3/4 the impact of "new bike day" for 1/4 the cost just by having someone do a super slick custom paint job.

 

[AvalancheRun]

Also having an issue with my paint. Only a month old and I've been so careful with it. I have a front bag (bought from them), but it's hardly touching the frame.

Any suggestions?

 

[AvalancheRun]

paint is softer than anything I have encountered in the past 40 years

Yeah, no kidding! My oldest bike is 30 years old, lives outside, and the paint is in awesome shape. My Gazelle also has like two scratches and I've not been careful with it. This is the bike I wanted to keep looking nice, and of course, it's got more scratches in a month than all the others combined!