Painting my bike

[Skylark]

With the oem bike paints they probably also bake the paint on in an oven so it cures really hard and tough?

I understand why the power coated oem finishes are tough but even the normal paint finishes they use are very hard and scratch resistant.

[RichieT]

After market paints are always softer as those of us that do them don't have access to the technical equipment or paints that the factory guys have. Factory processes use heat, light and air in a way small outfits simply cannot afford and use them in conjunction with paints we simply do not have access to.

 

Ceramic clears are an option, but trust me, if frame painters offered it NO one would pay the price it costs to have it done. Unless you are specifically the type of rider who loves telling everyone how many 'bars' he dropped on this that and everything!!! (In which case my cell number for resprays is....

 

Different 2k and clear systems vary in quality and cost, temp, humidity and many other conditions affect spraying on the day. Guys like Bogus and Cycledelic who have years of experience offer about the best you can get.

 

Lone Two, in answer to your original question powdercoat vs paint - powdercoats are tougher generally, but you can't layer different colours, mask, add decals etc. Also it doesn't scratch but it does chip. Paints are softer but with a few layers of good clear on you can rebuff a lot of surface abuse out. Also, you can do more detailed paintjobs and effects.

 

So, if you want a single colour with nothing laid on it ,maybe think about a powdercoat. Otherwise go for paint, and accept it is not going to be as tough as the factory finish.

 

oh and one more thing, always find a painter or powdercoater and ask them how they want the frame before going crazy with stripper, sander, wire wool etc. So many guys I see on here go mad stripping the frame before even thinking about the next stage and in most cases it is completely unnecessary. The factory finish is often the best base to work up from for a respray. You don't need to go back to bare metal.

Any suggestions for a DIY clearcoat....

[RichieT]

cycledelic never bothered to respond to my email quote request .. (unless their reply is in my junkmail folder) I sent photos of old paint job and new ideas...

cycleart.co.za in Randvaal quoted me R2200 - R2500 for a complete respray of my Anthem including matt finish, if required, and decals

Edited September 2, 2014 by RichieT

[Broker]

You can also try Cycle-Art in Walkerville. Cliff has done some amazing work for me. You have to take the frame stripped from all equipment to him. Pm me if you want his contact details and info on a private person that can strip and rebuild for you.

[RichieT]

BTW, not sure I would trust anyone to strip, store and rebuild my bike. The components are too valuable to leave lying around in some shop

[kingalton]

chat to Abel at target autobody in Pretoria - he has done my scott TT bike and my Cannondale flash 29er.. good work.. PM me for details or just google the place..

[BogusOne]

With the oem bike paints they probably also bake the paint on in an oven so it cures really hard and tough?

I understand why the power coated oem finishes are tough but even the normal paint finishes they use are very hard and scratch resistant.

Any suggestions for a DIY clearcoat....

 

OEM finishes are nothing other than normal 1k base coats and 2k clears. Unless the bicycle industry has some secret lab stowed away somewhere in china/Taiwan in a secure bunker where they develop scratch and chip free coatings that we don't know about...

 

The theory that the OEM paints get "baked on", well it doesn't get baked on, it gets sprayed on and in some cases does go into an "oven" to cure. In most cases where a frame is repainted the painter does not always have access to this facility hence leaving the paint to dry over night etc. Dry does not mean it is fully cured so if you do get your frame back say 2 days after its been painted then yes it will be soft as the paint has not had sufficient time to cure. To us that paint but dont have access to baking ovens (i do sometimes use my wife's oven on smaller parts ) there is an alternative in the form of infrared curing lamps. Expensive but well worth the money.

 

In all my years of painting, not just bikes or frames but cars as well, if the preparation is not done properly then yes your job will chip and scratch easier than OEM finishes. Also inferior (cheap) paints are to be avoided as they just dont hold up.

 

As for a DIY clearcoat the answer is simple. Unless you have a spraygun and compressor then no. Rattecan clearcoat just wont cut it as its so thinned down it will offer little to no protection no matter how many coats you spray on.

[King_Crispy]

cycledelic never bothered to respond to my email quote request .. (unless their reply is in my junkmail folder) I sent photos of old paint job and new ideas...

cycleart.co.za in Randvaal quoted me R2200 - R2500 for a complete respray of my Anthem including matt finish, if required, and decals

Had a Spez done by them a while back. Wasn't impressed. Looked good, not hardened enough. Would scratch if you sneezed on it.

 

Also, if one knows what they are doing decals won't be used

[Plentipotential]

Had mine done at a panel beater I know in Boksburg. Stripped it myself and put some old BB's in the frame to keep the paint off the threads, rest was masked with tape. Paid R 500.00 a few years back. still looks good.

 

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/war63423/Trance.jpg

[LONE TWO]

thanks for all the info guys appreciate it. I will let you know what the outcome is but I am thinking of maybe saving for a while longer and buying a frame I like and then building a bike up.

[Lurch the stalker]

cycledelic never bothered to respond to my email quote request ..

 

Cycledelic responded pretty fast to me and quote was almost smack bang in the middle of your two amounts in the post so seems to be much of a muchness about who does it.