WHAT IS ED COATING?
ED stands for Electrophoretic Deposition. For steel frame bicycles, what this means is that the conductive steel frame and fork are placed in an liquid that has paint particles suspended in it. The bath is put under the influence of an electric field, and the paint particles are attracted to the charged frame and fork. The particles are fused to the frame and fork in a perfectly uniform thickness. The thickness of the coating can be adjusted based on the strength of the electric field.
WHAT DOES THE ED COATING LOOK LIKE ON THE FINISHED BIKE?
From the outside, you really won't notice a difference, since the ED coat is then gone over with a powder coat. This double coating provides tremendous protection for the frame set from wear and from the elements. On the inside of the tubes, it is a whole different story. We only used to apply frame protectant to the inside of the tubes if a customer requested it. Now, all of the tubes have a uniform ED coating on the inside to protect the raw steel from moisture and to inhibit corrosion. We chose to use a black colored coating, and you can see the difference.
WHAT ARE THE TOP BENEFITS OF USING AN ED COATING ON BICYCLES?
1. The process applies coatings which generally have a very uniform coating thickness without porosity.
2. Complex fabricated objects can easily be coated, both inside cavities as well as on the outside surfaces.
WHY DID WE CHOOSE TO START USING AN ED COATING?
Handsome Cycles has always used a powder coating finish for our frame sets, and still do. We decided to add an extra layer of protection for our frame sets to inhibit the formation of rust in the interior and exterior of the tubing. Because we stand behind the craftsmanship of our frame sets for life, we felt it was important to add this extra layer of protection, especially on the insides of our tubing, so that deterioration from rust, was less of a possibility for our riders. Click the image below to see a test done by Oshkosh Finishing Services.
DOESN'T THIS PROCESS ADD TO THE COST OF MANUFACTURING?
Yes, it does, but we have been able to add this value to our bikes without raising the final price. It is important to us to provide the best possible bike for the fairest price. While our competitors are raising their prices without adding any extra value, we are adding value without raising our prices. In the long run, we hope you are happy with your purchase, and that you tell your friends about your Handsome experience.
