Paint going bad with time?

[Risto Varanka]

Suppose you have a new bike, say white, with powdercoated paint on steel tubes. Can the paintjob
degrade over time just from UV radiation or other semi-magical factors? Would it become dimmer,
pale, or even kind of stained? Does that happen like in five years or two decades?

Which colours are not "safe"?

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Bluto]

[email protected] wrote:

> Can the paintjob degrade over time just from UV radiation or other semi-magical factors?

Yes.

> Would it become dimmer, pale, or even kind of stained?

Yes.

> Does that happen like in five years or two decades?

Yes.

> Which colours are not "safe"?

Painted ones.

Paint is resin plus pigments or dyes. At its best, it degrades over time. Electrostatic powdercoats
are the most durable coatings, but are still heir to the weaknesses of any painted surface. Black
changes the least in color over time.

For the longest life of your paint job, store your bike indoors and out of direct sunlight.

Aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel frames do nicely without paint.

Chalo Colina