Steel mountain bike frames, like Starling’s, do indeed look very lovely unpainted. It’s a great way to show off the raw golden brazing and steel patina. But, sorry to say, an unpainted steel mountain bike frame will start to rust very quickly.
“Just cover it in a lacquer!” I hear you cry.
Yes, this works temporarily, but firstly, lacquer is slightly porous, so moisture can get through.
On top of that, any scratches or damage to the lacquer will let moisture in, leading to a thin vein of rust growing on the tubes.
Paint and lacquer form a barrier between the steel frame and the environment. Rust also takes up a larger area than unaffected steel, putting undesired forces on the frame.
Raw frames are often used on BMXs, but these just aren’t subject to the wet conditions and power-washing of MTBs.
It’s also just not practical these days. Our Core Frames are shipped to the workshop painted from our factory. We buy them in pre-painted batches, which helps with stock control and keeps our pricing reasonable. Our custom, UK-made frames are powder-coated in Bristol but still aren’t immune to rust.
So, no, sorry, we can’t let you ride around on unpainted frames.
I can supply you with an unpainted frame to paint yourself, but if it’s not painted straight away, the warranty will be void. Email us if you have any questions!
Ex-aerospace engineer Joe Mcewan is the founder and chief engineer of Starling Cycles. Passionate, outspoken and fond of a cuppa and a debate, Joe loves to challenge the established thinking of the industry.
