Help Me Choose a Finish: Matte White or Gloss White?

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Matte White or Gloss White?

Matte White
5
19%
Gloss White
22
81%
 
Total votes: 27

bilwit
Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:49 am
Location: Seattle, WA

by bilwit

About to drop some bux on an Orbea Orca Aero. It's a fat pig but I hope I can get it to sub-7kg, certainly should be lighter than my current steel bike (7.64kg). Always loved the look of plain white with black decals (inverse of my current bike). Matte black looks really good but I'm not sure if matte white has the same appeal, also never had a non-gloss bike before, is it really that much more of a hassle cleaning? I read somewhere that Movistar changed from matte to gloss this year because of it and theirs is primarily navy.
Last edited by bilwit on Thu Jul 06, 2017 7:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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hannawald
Posts: 1692
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:28 pm
Location: Czech Republic

by hannawald

I think matt and white, it would be hard to clean, gloss is easier.. that's why i vote for glossy. it depends, what colour you combine it with, some metalic accent will be nice..

on the other hand if you want to clean it properly, matt may be nicer
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commendatore
Posts: 273
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:51 am
Location: North Carolina

by commendatore

The matte white top tube on my R3 picks up so much dirt I keep a spray bottle of simple green and a rag next to the bike.

If my whole bike were that color it would only ever look dirty.

ianeire
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:08 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland

by ianeire

I have a matt grey/eggshell SuperSix and it is absolutely impossible to keep it clean, so if you're anyway OCD about that aspect of your bike a light colour matt is absolutely not the right choice.

DaReef
Posts: 158
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 2:36 am

by DaReef

Ignoring the maintenance issue, matte for sure.

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toshi
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:32 am

by toshi

ianeire wrote:I have a matt grey/eggshell SuperSix and it is absolutely impossible to keep it clean, so if you're anyway OCD about that aspect of your bike a light colour matt is absolutely not the right choice.


This. I had a matte grey Scott — impossible to keep clean and really hard to clean, the area around the cranks was a total mess. Only degreaser or windex would take road grime off and it required some effort.

The only acceptable matte finish color is black.

bilwit
Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:49 am
Location: Seattle, WA

by bilwit

I figured as much. Just put in an order for Gloss White, thanks all :o

AJS914
Posts: 5392
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

toshi wrote:This. I had a matte grey Scott — impossible to keep clean and really hard to clean, the area around the cranks was a total mess. Only degreaser or windex would take road grime off and it required some effort.



You should try some car detailing quick spray.

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toshi
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:32 am

by toshi

AJS914 wrote:
toshi wrote:This. I had a matte grey Scott — impossible to keep clean and really hard to clean, the area around the cranks was a total mess. Only degreaser or windex would take road grime off and it required some effort.



You should try some car detailing quick spray.


I have both Meguiar's Quick Detailer and Meguiar's waterless wash and wax spray — neither put a dent in the grease. It could have been a product of the particular matte clear coat Scott used, plus the muted grey color. Really tough to clean.

AJS914
Posts: 5392
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

Unfortunate, my matte c59 sparkles right up with Meguires.

Shrike
Posts: 2019
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 5:08 pm

by Shrike

Matte looks better, more modern, to me eye. But as the guys above said, it's problematic. I have matte black/white on my bike and the crankset area isn't cleanable with regular cleaning products. Black hides it well, my bike hasn't never really looked newish since after a few rides. The white matte parts have some stains that I need to deal with eventually.

beanbiken
Posts: 828
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 10:13 pm
Location: Great Southern Land

by beanbiken

I'm in crash repair as a business/living. As per above while matte may currently be fashionable it is most impractical. You just can't work with it. I believe it will run it's course and lose favour in time...... hopefully :wink:

White and matte should not be in the same sentence :D

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themidge
Posts: 1528
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:19 pm
Location: underneath sweet Scottish rain

by themidge

If you want your bike to look properly clean then white in general is usually a bad start.
My vitus 979 has a sort of semi gloss, white finish and if you pick it up by the frame with even slightly dirty or greasy hands it leaves a grimy mark :(
Especially annoying after you've just washed it.

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Gazelleer
Posts: 735
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 3:13 pm
Location: Netherlands

by Gazelleer

Voted gloss. Matte finishes are just so... dull

bikewithnoname
Posts: 1732
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:29 pm
Location: Paris

by bikewithnoname

As an owner of a white gloss bike, and knowing a friend with a light grey Matte bike trust me, gloss is the only way light coloured bikes stay showroom fresh.

Make sure you have a few packs of baby wipes in the locker to keep the new bike shiny!
"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." Oscar Wilde

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