spectastic

I'm getting some helicopter tape to cover the most vulnerable parts, but I don't really want to cover the whole thing. So far, I got the bottom side of the down tube, lateral sides of the top tube, and the rear/sides of the seat stays. Now I'm out of tape. I'm wondering where else I should apply it.

DrIsotope

On my bike, the point where the seattube and chainstays meet the bottom bracket has been sand-blasted to a nice matte finish. The sides of my wheels look much worse. It's just part of the character.

tyrion

Gravel bikes should be beat up and dirty.

spectastic

I just want to protect the frame from rock strikes and such. Then I'll cover it with dirt and ****

rosefarts

Mine seems to take the most hits at the BB shell and chainstays. Limestone singletrack is about the worst offender. It can flip some pretty big stuff at your frame. Actual gravel and hardpack roads just send tiny stuff. Maybe eventually it would "sandblast" like a previous reply mentioned.

Between the powder coating and the 853 steel, I'm not too worried.

TimothyH

Frame protection on a well ridden gravel bike is a fantasy.

This was our ride Saturday...





-Tim-

biketampa

that's definitely the areas that get the most crap. and I've been lazy on occasion cleaning my bike after a long ride and come back for the next ride and it won't shifter as the cable routing on the underside of the bottom bracket is all gunked up.

Metaluna

The section of chainstay just behind the bottom bracket, facing the chainrings usually takes a beating from chain drops, especially when the chain gets wedged between the small chainring and chainstay. A lot of carbon bikes (e.g. my Niner RLT9 RDO) come with a metal plate stuck on this area for extra protection. I have at least three frames (including one steel) that are gouged up in that area.

For general chainstay protection, I use the MTB trick of wrapping it with a section of old inner tube. Sometimes you can't get close enough to the bottom bracket to guard against chain drops though. I've thought about getting a sheet of brass from a hobby store and using a combination of tin snips and a ball peen hammer to fabricate a protector plate.

DimplePimple

I find the rider to be the most vulnerable in my case.

spectastic

I've seen the inner tube trick. I was thinking of something a little fancier that still lets me appreciate the bike's paint job, as vain as that sounds, it's my pride and joy.

3 frames sounds like an awful lot to be having paint chips in that area. is gravel biking more prone to chain drops, or was this a misadjusted limit screw issue? but I can see how that area would be pretty important to protect.

shelbyfv

It's normal and not indicative of maladjustment. Unless you have one of the newer clutch rear derailleurs, the chain may/will whack the chainstay over rough terrain. You don't have to drop the chain to have chips. Lots of protection options.