I don't like the look of matte paint that seems to be currently in vogue. What concerns me more is what happens to it in the long run. I imagine it ends up being all scratches? Unfortunately for me, the few bikes I'm considering both have a matte finish.

I have imperfections on all my glossy and matte frames. It's a tool, not a jewel... I'm too busy riding to notice.

It's a good question vin. I'm curious about the answer as well. A bike, like a car, may be a tool but that doesn't mean it can't look great and I am curious about the long term durability of matte paint.

IME, they look old before their time. wouldn't consider one.

If you like matte finish, buy one... if not, don't...pretty is in the eye of the beholder, or so they say.
I have nothing against matte, but none of my bikes are matte finish. IMO color and finish have nothing to do with a bikes performance, but simple truth is when folks have pretty bikes, in their opinion, they ride it more.

Matt finishes tend to get a little shinier where they get burnished or rubbed on. You can't really restore it back to matt. I would not pay big bucks for a really nice bike with a matt finish. To me it says primer and unfinished. I think it is just a trend and will eventually go away. I want shiny paint!

Yup, the real issue to matt finishes is keeping them matt. Every time that you clean it, it gets a little shinier.

I've noticed that while grease/road grime is easily wiped off a gloss finish, it has a tendency to stain a matte finish, requiring a cleaner to remove.

One could always strip the bike down, give it a light sanding with extra fine emery, and spray it with a couple coats of clear. Done with care, I believe it would turn out quite nice.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I think matte black is sexy as hell! I think it makes my bike look a little bit aggressive. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

In the Long run we all Die.

Matte paint does have a clear coat, so I suppose if one were to polish it, it'd become glossy?

the matte finish on my recently purchased fork, polished up to between a satin and gloss with a little rubbing compound, old rag, and an hour of incredibly boring labor. i think if i were to have sprung for some real polishing compound (never gonna happen), or decided to use my drill and a buffing wheel, i could have gotten an even glossier finish. not easy to get in all the nooks and crannies though.

my sworks is matte and while I like the bike I loathe the matte finish. there are several bikes out there you can only buy with matte and if a bike fits great and is what you want I guess it's not a deal breaker for most people but given a choice I would prefer a non-matte without quetion. Mine is matte because it was a warranty replacement and a huge upgrade in terms of the frame. I had no choice but I would never prefer matte. I enjoyed keeping my gloss finish bike clean and looking perfect. My matte already has shiny wear areas and attracts dust like a magnet. Just horrible and yeah...I've read almost everything I could find on keeping matte looking good. I loathe it and have come close to selling the bike with full Ultegra in order to buy a lesser 105 equipped gloss finish. I don't think I'll do that but it says a lot that I have thought often about it.

I have two very similar carbon bikes, one gloss and the other matte black. IMO the matte tends to show smudges, fine scratches, dust and dirt less than the gloss bike.

My son Had a rich red matte powder coated trek man bike for a while, the color looked great. The bike wasn't as great, glad he outgrew it and we were able to sell it. It was the color that sold it.