Just In – Bike Armor Frame Protection

Their frame protection tape comes in several varieties and patterns, including downtube, chainstay, and cable rub entities. They’re made with 1-1.5mm thick domed polyurethane, which offers impact absorption, cable, scratch and abrasion resistance, all of which help protect your valuable road or mountain bike. The material is flexible and has strong adhesives to keep them in place.

Bike Armor – Extreme Frame Protection

Made in America, our frame protectors feature a polyurethane dome which absorbs impacts and rebounds to its original shape making it more scratch resistant than most metals. Protect your frame from rocks, sticks, trail and road debris and even that rough tailgate carrier. With just the right amount of flexibility and super strong adhesive, our protectors fit your frame and stay in place.

• Downtube Protectors – offer 1.5 mm of protection for your downtube against rocks and sticks. Apply them just below your head tube junction to protect your frame and graphics against damage when transporting your bike in the back of a truck bed. Available in clear!
• Chainstay Protectors – sized to fit most chainstays and wrap tight and clean around the tube. Held in place by our super strong adhesive. Ultimate protection against chain slap.
• Cable Rub Protectors – stick them anywhere to protect against cable housing and brake line rub. Our Mini-Shields raise the raise the housing above the paint and away from the frame for best protection.

Most adhesive frame and chainstay protectors are made of cheap flimsy vinyl or at the best 6mil-14 mil polyurethane material (note 1 mil = .0254mm so 14 mils = .36mm). Our domed protectors are 1.5mm thick which makes them over four times thicker than most frame protectors on the market!

For further information refer to bikearmor.com

The MTB Lab – Installation

I already had a bunch of frame protection tape installed on my bike, but I was still missing a few spots here and there. One of the most prominent was the uppermost section of the downtube, as the rest was covered with an Ibis supplied plastic protector. I went with the cool Skull Carbon downtube protector, and after doing some basic cleaning followed by some rubbing alcohol, it was prepped for installation. I had to trim the protector to fit around a brake housing stop. Otherwise, it fit just fine. After making sure it all fit I removed the backing and applied the protector to the frame making sure not to allow air bubbles to get caught under the material, and slowly wrapped the protector around the tube and pressed it firmly into place. I added a couple of Mini Shields in a few cable rubbing locations, and one on the rear derailleurs spring housing.

The MTB Lab – Impressions

The protectors have done an excellent job, and the extra thickness of 1.0 – 1.5 mm helps with longevity and ruggedness, outlasting most other systems on the market. The dome or beveled up shape of the protectors keep the cables up away from the frame, resolving any additional rubbing and scratching issues. The same design and thickness on the larger downtube and chainstay versions provides impact protection and helps it rebound to its original shape during energy absorption. These characteristics also offer scratch resistance, chip, and debris protection.  The material has lots of flexibility and conformability, so its wraps around frame contours without lifting and the adhesives are robust enough to keep them in place.

I liked the Skull pattern and installed it in several locations on my bike, including the upper downtube, headtube, and the derailleur. I am not sure how much protection the Mini Shield on the derailleur offers, but it looks pretty darn cool!

I do wish there were some rectangular versions for the headtube where cable rubbing issues happen from turning the handlebars, as I think they’d do a more functional job than the smaller Mini Shields (aka Dots) by offering additional coverage. I’d also like to see some crank arm protectors, especially the Rad Skull graphic scheme!

Bike Armor – Product Specs

Downtube Shield

Our Downtube Shield is perfectly sized for Road or MTB down tubes offering protection from rocks and sticks. Protect your expensive frame from chips and scratches to keep your frame looking new, mile after mile. Can Also Be Used As A Chainstay Protector!

Made in America, our domed frame protectors feature polyurethane which will absorb impact and rebound to its original shape making it more scratch resistant than most metals. With just the right amount of flexibility and super strong adhesive, our protectors fit your frame and stay in place.

Specs

• 1.5mm polyurethane dome (Clear version is 1.0mm)
• Three versions
  • Carbon fiber graphic goes with any color frame
  • Carbon fiber graphic with Skulls goes with any color frame
  • Clear base layer allows your paint and logos to show through
• Flexible material fits your frames tubes
• Shields frame against rocks, sticks and other road and trail debris
• Highly-adhesive material stays in place and protects paint
• Fast Free Shipping
• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• Made In The USA
• MSRP – $12.99

 

Fat Chainstay Shields

Mini Shields