One key element to installing whatever protection film (cosmetic or protective), ensure that you have everything that you need immediately at hand and available.
Take your time and exercise a pinch of patience. Clean everything immaculately. Wash your hands well and keep your fingers off of the adhesive if at all possible. Keep fingers wet. Use plenty of soap solution.
Go slow and work all bubbles out gently.

 

Note that some manufacturers will void your frame warranty! Trek did this to me. I pulled up some of the Ride Wap and it pull paint off the carbon frame. Took it to a carbon repair shop, who said that should not happen. Treks warranty clearly states this will void warranty.
Best part? Trek sells Ride Wrap on their site, with the model specific kit!

 

I use the universal stuff for cars from Amazon. I bought a small roll a few years ago. I don't need to cover up my entire bike. I just cut and cover the places that seem to get the most chips. Which for me, is on the down tube and behind the seat tube/BB junction area.

 

Nothing

 

A mixture of skill, luck, and not giving a damn about surface damage, which is the only thing ride wraps and thin films provide. Makes sense to have some good protection low on the down tube, but I've never understood spending money and time (or even more money for someone to do it for you) to wrap a bike in order to get maybe as much money back in resale.

 

No protection is best....

 

I've used precut kits from frameskin, invisiframe, ridewrap, and also cutting my own out of a roll of bulk 3m tape.

By far the best is ridewrap in terms of quality and coverage. They also sell individual replacement pieces.

 

For the underside of things I use 3M Scotch Rubber Mastic Tape (2228). Amazon link.
I use this rubber tape, on the area on the rear triangle where the rear wheel will kick rocks and dirt onto the frame.


For the shiny parts I use 3M Clear Paint Surface Protection Vinyl Film. Amazon link.
This covers my top tube and some high risk areas on my all bikes. When I first installed this clear cover, there was some air trapped under it, but over time it disappeared. It film has put up real abuse.

 

Just applied a couple to wife n i’s new newer bikes. I used DyedBro on top tube n seat stays and Wilderwild on downtube. Both are very thick, DyedBro is precut and Wilderwild is 4” x 6’ roll. DyedBro I overheated downtube and it blistered recommend doing seat or chainstay first to practice. DyedBro can be applied dry and pretty easy to pull up w wet fingers and remove bubbles. Wilderwild piece I touch the dry adhesive and it blurred the tape somewhat need to apply soapy water to both frame and adhesive side of tape to apply it. Would’ve loved to have a custom cut kit from Ride Wrap but not an option for my bike. Both good products wifes bike looks great mine i combined brands and just don’t !
$5 cloth edged squeegee off Amazon helps too

 

Wifes

 

I use this as well. But I have a vinyl cutter. I measure, draw and precut everything before applying.

 

Where is the option to delete my own post? This was a comment responding to someone but it dropped into the main thread...

 

Although I share your experiences regarding carbon vs aluminum (and only buy carbon for the very same reasons) there’s one difference, if you hit it really hard it may loose its integrity.
(Most damages are reparable however.)
Aluminum will dent and is thus, a little bit, more durable, but when it breaks it does without warning.
For me the benefits of carbon outweigh the negatives.

 

Will search for the perfect one shortly. Daughter is getting a new bike for next season and I need to make it her approved color

 

Years ago I wrapped my daughter's bike to make it an approved color.

vinyl-wrap-thread-2021-edition.1183705

I had a lot of fun doing it and have since wrapped a number of things in our home with the left over bits of wrap, including folding TV table.

 

Of course none of my bikes are "mainstream" enough to warrant one of the frame protection companies to make a kit for it 😝
In leau of pre-cut options I've found that Miles Wide Everclear works great. It comes in 2"x60" rolls and is really thick at 12mil for ~$20. It's pretty easy and forgiving to work with too. For the cranks I've been going with Crankskins, it's nice to have a pre-cut piece to slap on.

 

A bike is a piece of sporting equipment meant to be used. In 3 years your $5k bike will be worth $1500...just ride it, don't wrap it.

 

One rubberized pad on the underside of the downtube so the tailgate pad doesn't wear through the paint. That's it.

 

Dried sweat.

 

I do the minimum for frame protection by using the $50 All Mountain Style kits on my fancy carbon bikes. I figured $50 and a few minutes of my time is worth some impact and scratch protection. There is no way that I have the patience to install a Ride Wrap kit or anything similar.

My steel hardtails and fatbike can get dinged and scratched and I don't really care mostly because they're metal.

 

A follow-up with pictures. Here's what the black rubber 3M Scotch Mastic Tape (2228). Amazon link. You can see where the rear wheel kicks dirt, rocks and sand onto the main triangle. I need to address the chain stays, as I ran out of the tape. But there is tape all the way up the seat tube.

Here's an image of the clear tape on my top tube. I run the tape running along the top tube, from the seat tube intersection to the head tube. You can see the edge of the tape below my cosmic horror (Quasar )sticker, you can see a small bubble near the right side of the image, on the top of the top tube. When I installed the tape, there were hundreds of air bubbles; over time the bubbles faded...

You might be able to see some tape on the down tube, I put there for protection from tailgate pads...

I hope this helps thinking about DYI paint protection for their bikes.

 

I use a bunch of zip ties on my chainstay. Thought it would look good. It doesn't.

I just realized I have some rubberized sticky-back stuff over at the shop that might just fit the bill better. I used it to line speaker boxes.

Overall though, modern steel frames are looking better to me, and I think I might invest in one.