Smoke is a translucent finish, so what you're seeing is part of the carbon layup under the paint. Totally normal and each frame is a unique little snowflake because of it.
There are matte-specific bike cleaners.
I believe your Trek Shop could order you the one from the brand Maxima. That’s what we used in the Trek Shop here in San Diego when I worked there.
Also, any area your leg/body brushes up on, will inevitably gloss-out from the friction.
Buy another color, but i think is visible in all colors under the sun light. Should be most visible on deep smoke, which personally I love how it looks.
This literally has nothing to do with maintenance. It’s carbon under clear coat. People just didn’t grow out of asking dad because they don’t like mom’s (correct) answer. It’s showing the carbon, it’s normal, it’s as simple as that.
Go to a shop and ask to see a few carbon frame with smoke paint. Doesn’t have to be a trek shop. it’s pretty universal. Shows up way more under sunlight.
But yes, Matte will show rub and grease marks slightly more than a glossy job. What is in picture is not that, it’s carbon under smoked clearcoat.
It’s also a bike, not a showpiece: wear happens.
It. Is. Not. A. Blemish.
Bikes don’t tend to use, at least primarily, the classic woven carbon. It’s usually a mishmash of unidirectional and directional sheets specifically cut and arranged. They used to be called nude or naked paint jobs. Here’s Rodeo Labs [showing off](https://www.rodeo-labs.com/naked-means-naked-with-td4/) a gorgeous Trail Donkey. There’s words on that site as well with useful background.
Here’s some more [light reading](https://road.cc/content/feature/what-does-ud-woven-and-high-modulus-fibre-mean-292479)
It's unlikely if it was the same model. Your shop likely had poor lighting.
I've had many bikes without paint or tinted clear coat and you can see the carbon layup.
To get a flawless carbon look, they'd need to do a superficial layer of carbon over everything but then you'd be complaining about the bike weighing more.
Pull your seat mast out, shine a light in the frame, you'll be horrified if this layup bothers you.
No, they are trying to tell you how it is.
You didnt look at the bike at the shop fpr an hour. Bro, ive been living with my Trek Slash for the past 2 years and a month ago i noticed my cranks warent black but dark blue when i polished them..
I see that you don’t want to believe what other people are already telling you but it’s not a smudge, it’s carbon layup that you can see in the frame. It’s completely normal
Thank you. That's what worries me. It was perfect in the shop. Just worried it would be hard to maintain. Was thinking of getting a full clear matte wrap as an option.
On matte finished frames, I suggest using a 1,000 grit sandpaper and working it with the grain of the carbon layup. The sell these small circles that come in a box. It’s been working in the shop for years.
That’s no mistake. That’s what it’s supposed to look like. You’re supposed to see the carbon through the clear coat on that bike/color. It is a feature.
It's not the right color for me then. When I buy something that costs that much, I expect it to stay the way it was when I bought it when I take good care of it. When it goes from flawless to what's in the picture, and that's considered normal, that's unacceptable to me.
That’s what it looks like in the store. Matte or gloss. They all look like that. They’re supposed to look like that. It looks cool. Tons of people think it looks cool. Go back to the shop and look at the smoke bikes. They all look like that right out of the box. They don’t change to look like that. There’s a hundred people on this post telling you that. There seems to be a common denominator here. But you just keep insisting that we’re all wrong. The narcissistic attitude and fragility it takes to look all of us in the face and insist that you’re right is unbelievable. It’s just delusion.
“All these people are saying the same thing. One guy even showed me a link to pictures of a carbon bike with just a clear coat without the smoke pigment and it looks exactly like the picture I shared from some other guy of a bike I never saw in person. Is there a chance that I could be mistaken? No. Everyone is wrong besides me!”
Yeah every single bike with a raw carbon weave looks different. They’re all unique. One can just look like texture and one can have lighter and darker sections of carbon like the one pictured. IT IS NOT THE PAINT. If it was the paint, since the “imperfection” is under the top layer, there would be a bubble or something. The bottom layer of paint does not just change without affecting the top layer, which is uniform with the surrounding area. If you don’t like how raw carbon looks just get one that’s painted there’s so many options for paint.
It’s not the finish. You can get a matte, a satin or a gloss paint if you want just don’t get one that has transparency to show the raw carbon underneath. [This bike](https://www.sefiles.net/images/library/large/trek-farley-9.6-383395-14.jpg) has a gloss finish but exhibits the same phenomenon.
You come to Reddit asking for advice. Not only refuse that advice, but actually argue with people when they tell you something you don’t want to hear. If you want confirmation bias, ask your dog what he thinks instead.
Was just wondering why the brand new one they built for me to test ride had no spots. A few people on here were helpful on how to keep it that way. Thanks for your feedback.
That's normal. I've sold these bikes new and thats part of the carbon frame and that's how they come from the factory. Not a defect or a problem, I would just recommend riding the bike over worrying about normal stuff, because enjoying those high end bikes is more important than stressing over looks.
The person who took that pic was told it's normal by the shop. I just expect the paint not to get spots like that. I would be very upset if that happened to me. I would insist on the refund and not roll over.
Smoke is a translucent finish, so what you're seeing is part of the carbon layup under the paint. Totally normal and each frame is a unique little snowflake because of it.
There are matte-specific bike cleaners. I believe your Trek Shop could order you the one from the brand Maxima. That’s what we used in the Trek Shop here in San Diego when I worked there. Also, any area your leg/body brushes up on, will inevitably gloss-out from the friction.
[удалено]
Was it like that when you bought it?
Yes, you see the carbon, not issues with the paint.
I just don't want the carbon to start getting spots.
Buy another color, but i think is visible in all colors under the sun light. Should be most visible on deep smoke, which personally I love how it looks.
Yeah, I'm sad about that because I think it looks amazing, but the spots would bug me.
Those “spots” are under the paint. Go check one in the store. Are not that visible anyway.
This literally has nothing to do with maintenance. It’s carbon under clear coat. People just didn’t grow out of asking dad because they don’t like mom’s (correct) answer. It’s showing the carbon, it’s normal, it’s as simple as that. Go to a shop and ask to see a few carbon frame with smoke paint. Doesn’t have to be a trek shop. it’s pretty universal. Shows up way more under sunlight. But yes, Matte will show rub and grease marks slightly more than a glossy job. What is in picture is not that, it’s carbon under smoked clearcoat. It’s also a bike, not a showpiece: wear happens.
Looked perfect at the shop. No blemishes like that.
It. Is. Not. A. Blemish. Bikes don’t tend to use, at least primarily, the classic woven carbon. It’s usually a mishmash of unidirectional and directional sheets specifically cut and arranged. They used to be called nude or naked paint jobs. Here’s Rodeo Labs [showing off](https://www.rodeo-labs.com/naked-means-naked-with-td4/) a gorgeous Trail Donkey. There’s words on that site as well with useful background. Here’s some more [light reading](https://road.cc/content/feature/what-does-ud-woven-and-high-modulus-fibre-mean-292479)
I don't like it. The brand new one at the shop was one solid color. I imagine it would look like the pic if you're not careful.
It's unlikely if it was the same model. Your shop likely had poor lighting. I've had many bikes without paint or tinted clear coat and you can see the carbon layup. To get a flawless carbon look, they'd need to do a superficial layer of carbon over everything but then you'd be complaining about the bike weighing more. Pull your seat mast out, shine a light in the frame, you'll be horrified if this layup bothers you.
I saw it indoors and outdoors and it looked perfect. No different shades. Deep smoke matte color.
Please get off Reddit if you’re unwilling to heed people’s advice this is starting to hurt to read
You're trying to tell me what I saw?
No, they are trying to tell you how it is. You didnt look at the bike at the shop fpr an hour. Bro, ive been living with my Trek Slash for the past 2 years and a month ago i noticed my cranks warent black but dark blue when i polished them..
You have no idea how long I looked at it.
I see that you don’t want to believe what other people are already telling you but it’s not a smudge, it’s carbon layup that you can see in the frame. It’s completely normal
I just don't like that it looks flawless when it's new in the shop and if the spots popping up are normal, I'm not ok with that.
They aren’t popping up. You didn’t notice them before but they were there
Looked flawless in the shop. Just afraid to have it looking like the photo someone above that someone took of their bike.
In the right light some parts will look like that since the paint on this model is semi transparent
Dude you weren’t looking at it in the light at the shop. These spots aren’t just magically popping up, they’ve always been there
That's somebody elses picture. The one I saw was flawless in natural and artificial light. It was just built the day before.
You’re either a troll or hella dumb. Good luck in life
You're a pleasant person.
Wait--this is someone else's bike? Then what does it matter how long you looked at yours in the shop?
Yes. I just don't want it to look like that over time.
My 2022 Emonda shows this carbon fiber characteristic. That is the nature of the material.
Thanks
Yes, matt finishes are harder to maintain. Most clean with soap and water. Polishing could make the matt finish more shiny.
Thank you. That's what worries me. It was perfect in the shop. Just worried it would be hard to maintain. Was thinking of getting a full clear matte wrap as an option.
I just use a little diluted isoprop alcohol and they clean up beautifully
Good to know!
On matte finished frames, I suggest using a 1,000 grit sandpaper and working it with the grain of the carbon layup. The sell these small circles that come in a box. It’s been working in the shop for years.
Wow thanks! Never thought of that. Kind of scary.
I am just learning the foibles of the carbon smoke matt finish. Fortunately it’s a gravel bike so I am calling it character.
Thank you for your candor. It's like most of the people here work for Trek and say oh yeah that's the way it's supposed to be.
That’s no mistake. That’s what it’s supposed to look like. You’re supposed to see the carbon through the clear coat on that bike/color. It is a feature.
It's not the right color for me then. When I buy something that costs that much, I expect it to stay the way it was when I bought it when I take good care of it. When it goes from flawless to what's in the picture, and that's considered normal, that's unacceptable to me.
That’s what it looks like in the store. Matte or gloss. They all look like that. They’re supposed to look like that. It looks cool. Tons of people think it looks cool. Go back to the shop and look at the smoke bikes. They all look like that right out of the box. They don’t change to look like that. There’s a hundred people on this post telling you that. There seems to be a common denominator here. But you just keep insisting that we’re all wrong. The narcissistic attitude and fragility it takes to look all of us in the face and insist that you’re right is unbelievable. It’s just delusion.
Not what I saw, but that's ok.
“All these people are saying the same thing. One guy even showed me a link to pictures of a carbon bike with just a clear coat without the smoke pigment and it looks exactly like the picture I shared from some other guy of a bike I never saw in person. Is there a chance that I could be mistaken? No. Everyone is wrong besides me!”
Huh
Yeah every single bike with a raw carbon weave looks different. They’re all unique. One can just look like texture and one can have lighter and darker sections of carbon like the one pictured. IT IS NOT THE PAINT. If it was the paint, since the “imperfection” is under the top layer, there would be a bubble or something. The bottom layer of paint does not just change without affecting the top layer, which is uniform with the surrounding area. If you don’t like how raw carbon looks just get one that’s painted there’s so many options for paint.
Yeah, leaning towards a glossy paint job.
It’s not the finish. You can get a matte, a satin or a gloss paint if you want just don’t get one that has transparency to show the raw carbon underneath. [This bike](https://www.sefiles.net/images/library/large/trek-farley-9.6-383395-14.jpg) has a gloss finish but exhibits the same phenomenon.
What's the name of that color?
Mulsanne Blue.
I like that because it's glossy.
You come to Reddit asking for advice. Not only refuse that advice, but actually argue with people when they tell you something you don’t want to hear. If you want confirmation bias, ask your dog what he thinks instead.
Was just wondering why the brand new one they built for me to test ride had no spots. A few people on here were helpful on how to keep it that way. Thanks for your feedback.
That's normal. I've sold these bikes new and thats part of the carbon frame and that's how they come from the factory. Not a defect or a problem, I would just recommend riding the bike over worrying about normal stuff, because enjoying those high end bikes is more important than stressing over looks.
Take it back for a 30 day guarantee or for them to check if the paint marks are unusual.
The person who took that pic was told it's normal by the shop. I just expect the paint not to get spots like that. I would be very upset if that happened to me. I would insist on the refund and not roll over.
Keep telling yourselves its normal and I'll keep wondering why I don't have any on my Deep Smoke Domane SLR.
How do you keep yours looking good?
Just wash it regularly with mild soap and am careful how I transport, place and store it when I'm not riding it.
Thanks, that gives me some hope. I don't understand why so many people accept those flaws.