Rockshox paint flaking

[Edge540]

Has anyone encountered a problem with Rockshox paint flaking off. This fork is roughly 2 years old and recently the paint seems to start bubbling first and then flakes off. It appears to be  a sort of corrosion and yes I do live on the coast but even so this can't be normal. As can be seen in the pics it's not starting from chip marks and I like to think I look after my stuff reasonably well. Anyone encountered this before?

[Iwan Kemp]

That doesn't look right and / or like the original paint job. Have never seen anything like that. Was the fork bought aftermarket or did it come OE on the bike?

[Maximis]

Never seen that before... Could it be the cleaning solution fluid you are using? The fork on my old bike started fading and it became badly discolored. I checked my cleaning fluid and I wasn’t diluting it correctly - was almost using it concentrated rookie error that i learned from. I’m also on the coast so I don’t honk it’s that...

[Edge540]

It's not the original fork but was bought new as an upgrade. I hadn't thought of cleaning fluid, using Nam bike wash or the Sportsmans bike wash. Guess I may be in for a Bogus job in the not too distant future

[PhilipV]

Sram brakes.

What are the odds that you or a bike shop spilled some brake fluid on it?

Sram runs Dot brake fluid, very corrosive and nasty stuff that.

[Edge540]

I guess that's also a possibility but it's not localized, it's doing it both sides inside and out so I doubt that's it.

[ichnusa]

First thought: brake fluid

[Capricorn]

is that revelation sticker on skew or is that just the photo angle that makes it seem that way.

Bit unusual. Is the bike stored anywhere near solvents, the fumes of which that could harm the paint?

[RiverInTheRoad]

That's brake fluid as the others have said. Or something similar. Some mechanic spilled oil. The pattern appears as if something was "running/flowing" down the leg.

[Edge540]

I'm inclined to go more with cleaning products rather than brake fluid as it's on both legs inside and out and the crown. Now to find a decal kit so I can have it resprayed.

[ichnusa]

Could be that a rag wet with brake fluid was used to wipe the shock lowers after spilling down the left leg...

[V12man]

Could be that a rag wet with brake fluid was used to wipe the shock lowers after spilling down the left leg...

Modern dot fluid is paint friendly.

 

Personally I would send that one back to sram for investigation as a warrantee claim.

[pista]

A friend of mine fell on the Transkei beach and had a wave go over his bike.He washed it off at the hotel but a few weeks later his fork did something similar.His frame also had a few places where the corrosion started.

[BikeisLife]

I'm inclined to go more with cleaning products rather than brake fluid as it's on both legs inside and out and the crown. Now to find a decal kit so I can have it resprayed.

If you come right with decals, let me know. Also keen on  getting some new decals.

[capediver]

Looks like typical aluminium corrosion caused by moisture getting under the paint .... if you scrape a little of the paint off there, you find white powder underneath...so it's bad paint job either as new or if re-furbished later which allowed moisture to penetrate paint.

[Edge540]

Modern dot fluid is paint friendly.

 

Personally I would send that one back to sram for investigation as a warrantee claim.

While it would be wonderful to get a warranty claim I don't want to try my luck if it's something which I stuffed up, I know I've never spilt brake fluid but it is possible the LBS did while servicing. Maybe I should ask them to have a look and see if they think it's worth sending it to Sram especially considering it's around 2 years old.