Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Painting a road bike?

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Painting a road bike?

Old 05-11-20, 02:21 AM
  #1  
maglia_grigia
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 25

Bikes: Bianchi C2C Via Nirone 7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Painting a road bike?

So I have this old road bike, it is nothing special, a Carrera Zelos (I believe 2013) that I kind of fell into owning.

I'm not a hard core cyclist at all, but just want to get out for some exercise once or twice a week, as well as the odd commute - and for this, the bike is completely suitable.
Will no doubt end up getting something a bit more up to date, but ultimately the Carerra isn't going to be worth selling.

What I would love to do is a project on the aesthetics. Turn this bike into something I have genuine affinity for.
Paint job, wheels, saddle, handle bar tape, a few stickers as well.

I've seen a few YouTube tutorials and have an idea of how to do the painting bit. But I'm worried about taking apart and putting back together. The YT tutorials seem to gloss over this as if they just assume anyone who has a bike can do this no problem. I have this concern / nightmare about turning up at a bike shop with a bike in a dozen pieces and hoping that the shop take pity on me.

Would appreciate any guidance on how easy it would be for someone who hasn't done it before (and hasn't done much more than change a tyre). Would I need specialist tools, other than allen keys and a spanner? What are the potential problem areas? I'm ultra concerned about the cabling and gears.

I guess I could leave a few components on and do a bit of masking but I'd probably very quickly reach a point of no return when disassembling it so I'm very cautious not to the start this until I know I will have a fairly good chance of being able to finish it.

Any help much appreciated.
maglia_grigia is offline  
Old 05-11-20, 05:43 AM
  #2  
thehammerdog
Senior Member
 
thehammerdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NWNJ
Posts: 3,704

Bikes: Road bike is a Carbon Bianchi C2C & Grandis (1980's), Gary Fisher Mt Bike, Trek Tandem & Mongoose SS MTB circa 1992.

Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 722 Post(s)
Liked 353 Times in 226 Posts
Originally Posted by maglia_grigia
So I have this old road bike, it is nothing special, a Carrera Zelos (I believe 2013) that I kind of fell into owning.

I'm not a hard core cyclist at all, but just want to get out for some exercise once or twice a week, as well as the odd commute - and for this, the bike is completely suitable.
Will no doubt end up getting something a bit more up to date, but ultimately the Carerra isn't going to be worth selling.

What I would love to do is a project on the aesthetics. Turn this bike into something I have genuine affinity for.
Paint job, wheels, saddle, handle bar tape, a few stickers as well.

I've seen a few YouTube tutorials and have an idea of how to do the painting bit. But I'm worried about taking apart and putting back together. The YT tutorials seem to gloss over this as if they just assume anyone who has a bike can do this no problem. I have this concern / nightmare about turning up at a bike shop with a bike in a dozen pieces and hoping that the shop take pity on me.

Would appreciate any guidance on how easy it would be for someone who hasn't done it before (and hasn't done much more than change a tyre). Would I need specialist tools, other than allen keys and a spanner? What are the potential problem areas? I'm ultra concerned about the cabling and gears.

I guess I could leave a few components on and do a bit of masking but I'd probably very quickly reach a point of no return when disassembling it so I'm very cautious not to the start this until I know I will have a fairly good chance of being able to finish it.

Any help much appreciated.
ton of time. ton of effort. results will vary.
pay some local dude.
powder coating cheaper.
guy in nj color factory does good work.
affordable $200.00.
thehammerdog is offline  
Old 05-11-20, 05:55 AM
  #3  
Lemond1985
Sophomore Member
 
Lemond1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times in 631 Posts
Disassembly and re-assembly are the easiest parts of the entire job. But you could probably pay a bike shop to agree to remove the components for you, and them put them back on when the paint is dry. If you do it yourself, yes 90% could be done with a couple allen wrenches, but you will probably need some specialized tools for the bottom bracket cups unless you are willing to just tape them off.

I hope you know how much work you are getting yourself into with painting a bike frame, unless you are a pro, or don't care how it turns out, you are looking at weeks or months of time spent on this. And if you are perfectionist, some moments of unbelievable frustration.
Lemond1985 is offline  
Likes For Lemond1985:
Old 05-11-20, 06:41 AM
  #4  
maglia_grigia
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 25

Bikes: Bianchi C2C Via Nirone 7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by thehammerdog
ton of time. ton of effort. results will vary.
pay some local dude.
powder coating cheaper.
guy in nj color factory does good work.
affordable $200.00.
Thanks man. I've had a look at this and I can't see anyone near me that does this.
I'm in Scotland and perhaps there could be a gap in the market as plenty of cyclists about.
maglia_grigia is offline  
Old 05-11-20, 06:43 AM
  #5  
maglia_grigia
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 25

Bikes: Bianchi C2C Via Nirone 7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Lemond1985
Disassembly and re-assembly are the easiest parts of the entire job. But you could probably pay a bike shop to agree to remove the components for you, and them put them back on when the paint is dry. If you do it yourself, yes 90% could be done with a couple allen wrenches, but you will probably need some specialized tools for the bottom bracket cups unless you are willing to just tape them off.

I hope you know how much work you are getting yourself into with painting a bike frame, unless you are a pro, or don't care how it turns out, you are looking at weeks or months of time spent on this. And if you are perfectionist, some moments of unbelievable frustration.
I guess I certainly don't mind if it's not perfect. It would be good if I managed to learn how to do it and got my knowledge up.

But if it costs loads in tools and things that I won't use regularly, then I guess best to get a bike shop to assist.
maglia_grigia is offline  
Old 05-11-20, 08:57 AM
  #6  
topflightpro
Senior Member
 
topflightpro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,567
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1851 Post(s)
Liked 675 Times in 427 Posts
The only thing that would be difficult to remove and reinstall would be the crankset and BB. A chain tool is cheap enough to buy to remove and reinstall the chain. Everything else requires either a 4 or 5 mm allen wrench.
topflightpro is offline  
Old 05-11-20, 09:43 AM
  #7  
maglia_grigia
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 25

Bikes: Bianchi C2C Via Nirone 7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by topflightpro
The only thing that would be difficult to remove and reinstall would be the crankset and BB. A chain tool is cheap enough to buy to remove and reinstall the chain. Everything else requires either a 4 or 5 mm allen wrench.
Thanks - that's helpful.
maglia_grigia is offline  
Old 05-11-20, 10:49 AM
  #8  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,531

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10897 Post(s)
Liked 7,384 Times in 4,144 Posts
Quick Google search shows this is an aluminum frame and steel fork. Assuming that is correct, the a powdercoat is the best mix of cost and quality.
Google around for powdercoaters- its a common service at machine shops, auto and motor sport garages, etc.
then Google prismatic colors. Its a common powder and has thousands of options.
you have to strip the bike of all components, then either paint strip or have the shop sandblast the current paint away. Either way, the shop will sandblast to ensure a good surface for the powder. They they spray on the powder and bake it.

Another option is to use spray.bike paint. I have used it on 3 bikes and have another that will eventually be painted with the stuff.
Results are 100% dependent on your preparation and following the directions. The more prep time you take, the better the results. It has proven to be durable which is a common complaint for regular spray can paint jobs.
mstateglfr is offline  
Likes For mstateglfr:
Old 05-11-20, 12:31 PM
  #9  
philbob57
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Chicago North Shore
Posts: 2,331

Bikes: frankenbike based on MKM frame

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 714 Post(s)
Liked 602 Times in 371 Posts
If you decide not to do it yourself, Bob Jackson in Leeds might, and their price is very reasonable.
philbob57 is offline  
Likes For philbob57:
Old 05-12-20, 01:33 AM
  #10  
maglia_grigia
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 25

Bikes: Bianchi C2C Via Nirone 7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Quick Google search shows this is an aluminum frame and steel fork. Assuming that is correct, the a powdercoat is the best mix of cost and quality.
Google around for powdercoaters- its a common service at machine shops, auto and motor sport garages, etc.
then Google prismatic colors. Its a common powder and has thousands of options.
you have to strip the bike of all components, then either paint strip or have the shop sandblast the current paint away. Either way, the shop will sandblast to ensure a good surface for the powder. They they spray on the powder and bake it.

Another option is to use spray.bike paint. I have used it on 3 bikes and have another that will eventually be painted with the stuff.
Results are 100% dependent on your preparation and following the directions. The more prep time you take, the better the results. It has proven to be durable which is a common complaint for regular spray can paint jobs.
Thanks. I had looked at the spray.bike site and nearly pulled the trigger, apart from my concern of not being able to dissemble and reassemble.

Going to see a second hand bike tomorrow, so that might allow me to tinker with the old Carrera and not feel like I am depriving myself of exercise if it is sitting in bits for a few weeks as I figure it out.

Appreciate I could go to a bike shop, but I guess it's partly about the process for me and ultimately if I can work out how to do this, then it will be a lot more satisfying.
maglia_grigia is offline  
Old 05-12-20, 03:30 PM
  #11  
Lemond1985
Sophomore Member
 
Lemond1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times in 631 Posts
Consider brush painting, the results I have seen posted here have been very impressive. Paint seems to come out quite smooth and glossy. No wasted paint, plus you can do it indoors. And one 15 dollar quart can could probably paint several bikes.

I don't know what types of aerosol paints you have available locally, but much of it these days is very poor quality. I have seen some Spray Bike paint jobs, and if you look closely at the texture, it's quite rough, flat, and bumpy, almost like stucco. I was not at all impressed, but some people find it adequate. I guess it depends on whether you're happy with what's called a "5 foot paint job", that looks good as long as you stay 5 feet away.
Lemond1985 is offline  
Likes For Lemond1985:
Old 05-12-20, 05:10 PM
  #12  
Lemond1985
Sophomore Member
 
Lemond1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times in 631 Posts
Wow, that looks great. I had never seen a clearcoat applied to that stuff. Makes all the difference in the world.
Lemond1985 is offline  
Old 05-12-20, 06:57 PM
  #13  
Wileyone 
Senior Member
 
Wileyone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: GWN
Posts: 2,541
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 605 Times in 402 Posts
Originally Posted by Lemond1985
Wow, that looks great. I had never seen a clearcoat applied to that stuff. Makes all the difference in the world.
Not sure what you mean? The primer is Max 2k primer/filler the colour was automative grade matched at an auto shop and put into a rattlecan.The clear was Max 2k high gloss glamour coat. All three cans cost $100 Cad. I can't put a price on the time and elbow grease. But it was a fun project.
Wileyone is offline  
Old 05-12-20, 07:03 PM
  #14  
Lemond1985
Sophomore Member
 
Lemond1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times in 631 Posts
Sorry, misunderstood. When I said "rough, flat and bumpy" I was referring to results obtained with spray.bike (not professional auto paint) which is what the OP had mentioned.

Thanks. I had looked at the spray.bike site and nearly pulled the trigger, apart from my concern of not being able to dissemble and reassemble.

Going to see a second hand bike tomorrow, so that might allow me to tinker with the old Carrera and not feel like I am depriving myself of exercise if it is sitting in bits for a few weeks as I figure it out.

Appreciate I could go to a bike shop, but I guess it's partly about the process for me and ultimately if I can work out how to do this, then it will be a lot more satisfying.
Lemond1985 is offline  
Old 05-12-20, 07:09 PM
  #15  
Wileyone 
Senior Member
 
Wileyone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: GWN
Posts: 2,541
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 605 Times in 402 Posts
Originally Posted by Lemond1985
Sorry, misunderstood. When I said "rough, flat and bumpy" I was referring to results obtained with spray.bike (not professional auto paint) which is what the OP had mentioned.
Which may not be the paints fault but the painters, as I mentioned earlier.

I see all these posts about people saying they have good results with a brush. But have you ever noticed in the photos there are no close ups.
Wileyone is offline  
Old 05-12-20, 10:25 PM
  #16  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,531

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10897 Post(s)
Liked 7,384 Times in 4,144 Posts
Originally Posted by Wileyone
Which may not be the paints fault but the painters, as I mentioned earlier.

I see all these posts about people saying they have good results with a brush. But have you ever noticed in the photos there are no close ups.
Its as if this thread is missing half the posts.
mstateglfr is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.