Mine has some small pimple-sized chips in the paint from locking up, but I'm one of those jerks who strips the rubber off his u-locks. This is after slightly more than a year of regular use:

http://i.imgur.com/gMwoHOZ.jpg

The finish on the 2013 frames is actually very durable. The only big drawback with the matte black is that you'll leave fingerprints on it if you even think about touching it.

well sheeeeeiiiitttt.

I don't plan on locking it up often if it all (that's what my clockwork will be for).

This is why I was asking, it felt harder (not sure if thats the best way to describe it) and smoother than other matte paints I've seen; but damn you're right about being a fingerprint magnet. Matte Purple BTW

FWIW the matte paint on my scrambler seemed to be slightly more durable than the gloss silver on my leader

Finally got my fork and all that in the mail yesterday. Put it all together, need to pick up a black stem/seat post and go back to drops, I hate pursuits.

It normal to hear a few pops on a fresh frame? I'm hoping it's just the frame settling but did two real hard stops and it made a pretty noticeable pop sound.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306362

Frames don't make "popping sounds". It was most likely your drivetrain because your chain is too damn tight.

Also, are your straps installed upside-down?

I've gotten pops from new wheels before. Can't tell if those wheels are new though, too much fog on the lens of your potato.

Its not my chain, I know what chain crackle sounds like. Its a pretty audible pop, couod be the bbor crank and its just coming through the frame? Ive only heard ot three times now in about fiteen or twenty miles, its just when I really power down on it.

Had my lbs do the bb//crank since I lack the tool so I assume its not that.

And they arent new wheels.

Assuming you've ridden a bike before and know even the most elementary physics, how can a frame - that is one piece and has no moving parts whatsoever - make such sounds?

Theres a thing called welds and a certain company is rather notorious for ****ty welds.

Plus Ive never rode an aluminum frame and wasnt sure if it was common or what.

I know when you weld on cars that sometimes it will make a couple noises at first as the metal settles.

Oh, you're one of those guys.

Leader's welds are actually quite good these days so stop sniveling.

I really don't have any problems with the welds on my frame as I said earlier but I figured if you were going to be a dick, I should be too.

any other suggestions on what the pop could be?

Edit : could the chain stays possibly be the cause? Just made it do it again and it sounds like its comig from the rear

Definitely the frame protesting the mismatched colorway; green fork, white front rim, black frame. :eek:

You probably didn't torque something right.

You forgot chrome stem and bars.

I definitely want to get new wheels for it soon, probably just all black non hipster ones that are actually light and picked uo a green fork cause it was dirt cheap and wanted something drilled for a front brake just incase I decode to mount one. Fifty bucks for an aluminum fork is too good to pAss up.

Can I be a dick too??? It's been torture attempting to be nice.

I just bought a Bontrager carbon fork.....$49.98 with freight.

i agree, but on that note, i have a older leader and no complaints. even talk with the guys at leader ...oddly they dont know the year my bike was from but LEADER is A+ in mybook'
http://prollyisnotprobably.com/old/a...0x355-2135.jpg

I wouldn't be surprised.... they once shared a picture of a delogoed VISP on their facebook thinking it was one of their own until someone pointed it out.

That's only because they had dumb kids running their facebook page.

Maybe it's your brain rattling around in your skull. Dude, frames don't make noise.

+1

TT is back! :lol:

Woke up sober today and looked over the bike, LBS didn't torque my crank arms down far enough which was the cause of the noise. Problem solved for now.

Gotta love social media interns.

wooo yay TT is back.. Where has he been?

No way, dude. It was totally the frame.