Raw 2024 Propel

[eins4eins]

looks awesome!

And finally a real build thread again. Just putting expensive parts on an expensive frame is nice to see, but this is much more interesting.

[Dannnnn]

I've just sanded an S-works frame back to raw carbon for my race bike.

So much work but looks so very good when lacquered.

[Mr.Gib]

That crank looks so nice.

That's the only part I've ever stripped - a first gen Sram GXP. It's still the best looking crank in my stable. I expected my rattle can clear coat job to look shitty and eventually end up chipped and scratched, but somehow it's pristine after years of use. But no way I would ever trust myself to do a frame.

[reedplayer]

I sanded more than 20 framesets to this day and only two times I have seen a fork with more removable material than that. It’s 2024 and in terms of paint, Giant is still in 2010. In my experience, you can remove 10-20g of weight at the fork and 50-80g at the frame in most cases. Specialized being a notable exception with their superlight paintjobs (20g-30g on the newest S-Works SL8).

Great work, and thanks for sharing, i was not aware, that black paintjobs can cause so much weight.

I find it interesting, how much weight "Giant" (for shure among other manufacturers) obviously could save, just by using the same, weight-saving, painting process as "Specialized" .

[eins4eins]

at the same time, this is also specialized:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxOlHDks ... BiNWFlZA==

[Maddie]

at the same time, this is also specialized:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxOlHDks ... BiNWFlZA==

Yeah, this happens too. The Venge frame from my girlfriend was a special edition that was painted on a standard paintjob. That means two paintjobs and each had clearcoat. But Specialized are not the only ones who do this. Also, painters are humans and make mistakes. That's why frames are oversprayed and not thrown away. Most manufacturers have plenty surprises below the paint Maybe I'll start a thread at some point to reveal these stories.

[eins4eins]

sure, mistakes happen. But if superior quality, and with that weight, are usp, something like this shouldn't pass quality control and end up in the hand of customers who paid full price.

I removed paint from my cannondale systemsix and it was alomst 280gr in total for the frameset. I swore i'll never do that shitty work again, but nothing beats a gloss clear coated raw carbon frame for me.

[LouisN]

After inspecting the frame and fork, I started to remove the paintjob on the fork. 95% of the surface area got the well-known knife method. You have much more control compared to sanding, especially if you are using an electric sander. I own one and have used it many times in the past but I prefer to stay away from it now. Working in tight areas or around corners, it’s almost impossible to not damage the first layer of carbon. After I was done with the knife, I used 600 and then 800 sandpaper.

Great job Maddie.
Care to share how you do the "well known" knife method ?
I hand sanded my frame 100%. It was fine but very time consuming.
I have a new project waiting right now ...

Louis

[Maddie]

@Louis, Dangerholm made a great video about it some time ago. He explains it very well:



Yesterday evening I realized that the frame weight was not exact. Some protection that I used during the paint removal made its way into the frame and I forgot to remove it. The frame is actually 870g. It is definitely lighter than I expected initially.

Some more pics of the frame

This is going to look wild clearcoated

[xadubo33]

Very good work, I also did the same thing on my frame/ fork (cento 10sl on post "wilier") the weight of the paint and the different layer of appret and varnish we save 145grs. But for the future I discovered the stripping by aerogomage which works well without damaging the carbon

[LouisN]

One needs to get the proper equipment for "gentle bead blasting" though...

Louis

[xadubo33]

Ready from home there is a craftsman who initially uses it to renovate very fragile antique furniture, talking with him he agreed to make a test on a broken carbon frame. In view of the result a friend makes it is bluffing, for a cost of +/- 100 €

[Abl3rider]

Very cool, you really know what you are doing. Look forward to seeing it in finished form. Just one question; if you are doing this mainly for weight reduction, than why didn’t you select the SL version? I’m sure you have your reasons. I have the 2017 TCR Advanced SL and it’s an amazing bike. Soon I hope to obtain the 2024 Propel Advanced SL with the new Black/Moonstone colorway. If I do land it, there’s no way I’d consider stripping it because that color fade looks sick and I’d so screw it up as a first timer. But it’d be fun to try on the TCR as a retirement project in a few years.
Thanks for sharing!

[Maddie]

Thanks for all the kind words. The reason I didn't go for the SL is very simple: travelling with the ISP is a major PITA. I was thinking about the Liv Enviliv Advanced SL that has a conventional seatpost and the lighter layup. But it was not available in a size that suited me (geometry is different to the Propel) and the price was also significantly higher. But it was certainly a frame that I did consider.

A bit of a warning regarding media blasting. I know that guys like Martin from ETOE and Alistair from Fatcreations are doing it with great success. It's definitely an interesting and time saving method. I also had a company in Germany (StreamTec) doing some work for me with media blasting and carbon. But the owner said to me that he stopped working on very light carbon frames. He mentioned that when he can easily squeeze tubes with index finger and thumb, then he won't work on the frame. The risk of damaging very thin sections even with the greatest care is definitely there.

But what am I talking about. We're all adults and everybody should know what he or she is doing as soon as you start working on a frame. DIY forever

Quick update: The Farsport wheels are scheduled to arrive this week. And I finished painting the logos on Sunday. The frame plus fork and seatpost are now on the way to my painter to get clearcoated. It may take a while until my frame is back in order to start with the build.

[JJU]

How's the frame project going, love to see some updates?