All mountain bike frames should have a glossy finish. And I am willing to die on this very tiny hill.

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I’ve tested countless mountain bikes over the years and owned more than a few. If there’s one mountain bike frame feature I’ve come to prefer — nay, expect — it’s a glossy finish. You, on the other hand, might argue that matte is the better choice.

But you are wrong.

This is my (mostly) tongue-in-cheek defense of the glossy mountain bike frame finish.

Smooth is fast

When it comes to bike components, smooth is fast. We want our fork stanchions and dropper posts to be as smooth and friction-free as possible. This is the reason Kashima is so damn sexy. A shiny, smooth finish says, “This is a highly refined machine that is designed to go fast.”

I suspect the popularity of matte finishes can be seen as a rejection of the triathlete aesthetic that’s all about aerodynamics and marginal gains. In fact, skipping that clear coat layer saves grams, which could make you faster. Though I appreciate weight savings as much or more than the next rider, ultimately a shiny, glossy finish is the only way to go for my mountain bikes because…

Smooth is clean

My biggest problem with matte frame finishes is that they’re so dang hard to keep clean. Actually, they don’t even look very clean when they start out, which I get could be part of the draw. A matte frame finish always looks a little dull, so it’s not as obvious when your bike has a patina of dirt showing from being well ridden or worse, dusty because you haven’t ridden that thing in months.

I like to keep my bikes relatively clean, and I wash them regularly. Believe me, it’s much easier (and more satisfying) to wash a bike with a glossy finish. By the time I’m done, the bike literally sparkles.

Of course, today’s bikes come with all manner of protection affixed to their frames, often installed at the factory. There’s a sleeve to encase the chainstay, a plastic cover to shield the lower down tube, and reams of helicopter tape to protect against every speck of sand and drop of water that might want to touch our bikes.

Me? I try to minimize that stuff as much as possible, to let the full glory of my frame finish shine through. Yellowed, scuffed-up surface protection ends up looking duller, or even more so, than a matte finish over time. When part of my frame starts looking scratched up, I hit it with a little clear coat from a spray can and ride on.

Smooth looks good

Maybe this is related to my job as a mountain bike journalist, but I also like glossy bike frames because they photograph the best. Matte bikes tend to recede into the background of photos, whereas a glossy bike projects newness, excitement, and optimism.

And really, this is what mountain biking is all about for me. Mountain biking puts a shine on my life, and I think my bike should reflect that.