toaster999":goz9hdla said:
WTF is Zolatone anyway? Come on Wookie give us a history lesson!
Forgive me butting into an olde thread. I've a Bear Valley frame. It's in a state, but got it from a mate of mine who acquired it new. I'd always admired it and when the chance to nab it came up I took his fingers off. As he recalls it from the original literature that came with the bike (which, alas, he no longer has) Zolatone contains PTFE, I guess to make it more reistant to mud sticking to it etc.
I've cleaned up the 600lx groupset a treat but need to get round to doing the frame. Unfortunately, there's a Saracen and an Elswick Hopper in the queue in front of it so it may be a goodly while yet before it gets on the bench. Meanwhile i may experiment with paints and applications to try and reproduce the finish. I'm thinking suitable thick grey paint applied with a small emulsion roller may give a similar micro-stippled finish, or grey bumper paint sprayed on and the surface rolelred before it dries.