OEM finishes are nothing other than normal 1k base coats and 2k clears. Unless the bicycle industry has some secret lab stowed away somewhere in china/Taiwan in a secure bunker where they develop scratch and chip free coatings that we don't know about... The theory that the OEM paints get "baked on", well it doesn't get baked on, it gets sprayed on and in some cases does go into an "oven" to cure. In most cases where a frame is repainted the painter does not always have access to this facility hence leaving the paint to dry over night etc. Dry does not mean it is fully cured so if you do get your frame back say 2 days after its been painted then yes it will be soft as the paint has not had sufficient time to cure. To us that paint but dont have access to baking ovens (i do sometimes use my wife's oven on smaller parts ) there is an alternative in the form of infrared curing lamps. Expensive but well worth the money. In all my years of painting, not just bikes or frames but cars as well, if the preparation is not done properly then yes your job will chip and scratch easier than OEM finishes. Also inferior (cheap) paints are to be avoided as they just dont hold up. As for a DIY clearcoat the answer is simple. Unless you have a spraygun and compressor then no. Rattecan clearcoat just wont cut it as its so thinned down it will offer little to no protection no matter how many coats you spray on.
