SchumiJunior

I’m looking to have my bike custom painted for me by a very reputable pro and one thing I’m curious about is the downtube decals on my Specialized bike. I see new decals made available on Amazon/eBay/name your source but am curious about their finish. Specifically, if these are vinyl decals I assume they are thick enough to leave an edge which I don’t want. I’m nearly 100% sure Specialized/Trek/whoever don’t usually paint the logos on the bike but, that’s exactly what it looks like on my bike. There seems to be a seemless edge between the surfaces. Can anyone advise on how this is done and how I can guide my painter??

DrIsotope

Mfrs. use dry transfer decals. They're really, really, really thin, and are applied between the colorcoat and the clearcoat.

SchumiJunior

ferten

I also used decals for my bike some years ago but I did not get them from the manufacturer. I went to a local bike shop in my town which does customizations.

_ForceD_

easyupbug 

A "very reputable pro" will want to give you the outcome you are looking for and can give you advise on what he/she has used to give you exactly what you want, should have examples to discuss and know all of the options available from the numerous decal sales outlets.

2cam16

I doubt it. I've tried Specialized before and they told me they don't. No harm in trying though.

SchumiJunior

TimothyH

+1 for velocals.

fietsbob

No imagination.. why not put your name on it rather than a factory brand.. ?

(Merida is the actual ROC factory ..they own a lot of their client company too..

or have some one do real art on it , under clear coat...





....

Andrew R Stewart 

I suspect that an auto painter who does the high end vehicles he does will also be able to have great results on a bike frame. The reason I state this (which many would think is not needed to be said) is because I've had more then a few auto painters who have done sub standard frame work. The surface aspects of cars and bikes is very different. Much tighter curves with almost no flat surfaces. The chance for overspray in many places. Lots of edges. points and corners (think about lugs and drop outs) for paint to collect on, or to not cover evenly (depending on the paint's chemistry and additives many times). I've seen lemon peel, under coverage, over spray, drips, way to thick amounts, obscured details, poor paint adhesion, incomplete prep/cleaning/soak tank solution drying, decal placement errors and more from guys who can do car show quality on a fancy rod.

Sometimes I felt this was because of what I call the plater's dismissiveness. The job isn't one that they can get into, not one they will be praised for by his peers, takes far more prep and detail attention then what they estimated for. If the job isn't a Harley Hog or a Colt 45 from WWII the plater won't do his better work (and apologies to those platers who do good bike work, I wish I knew who you are). Sometimes I think the auto painter's poor bike results is from a lack of experience with the different surfaces a frame has. Sometimes it's from a lack of estimating a high enough price to cover the time it takes. I'm sure there are other reasons for an otherwise competent car painter to not do his better work on a bike frame.

I've had about 12 different painters do my frames and seen a few times more that number's results in the shops I've wrenched at. You can tell pretty quickly if the painter knew his stuff and did his better work. The non bike specific painters that I've seen better work from are usually those who do non car work often. Motorcycles, boats/wave runners, art work as examples. I strongly suggest having a focused talk with a potential painter if you can't see his previous bike work.

I've had the pleasure to work with a well known bike painter for a few frames of mine. It takes us about a week of nearly full time hours to complete a paint job. I do all the grunt stuff and he squirts the paint (way overly simplified of course). The paint jobs are first rate. Proper surface prep with phosphate etching. Primer which is best choice for the sealer coat before the initial paint layers are applied. Wet sanding between paint layers. Clear over the decal locations before and after the decals are applied and final clear over all. The last job had two colors, edge masking and panel masking with decals. There were, maybe, 8 different primer/sealer/paints/clear applications in total. Besides his doing all the work then only thing that would have reduced the total time would be a proper baking oven (compared to the hot car interior we used)

As to decal types and availability. easyupbug has it best. Your painter will know this stuff. If he doesn't then that's a demerit against his doing the work. Also a good painter has decal suppliers and options that up lay people don't always even know about.

The guy who has let me help do my jobs taught me that the paint job is pretty much the only thing your buddies will see. A poor job equated with a poorly made frame. You get to chose what you want your bike to look like. And unless there's a bro deal at play (and beware if there is, don't ask how I know that) expect to pay for the better work, it costs more then poor work does.


Last item I'll mention is that a good relationship with a shop that sells the brand of bike you have can sometimes be the source of decals. Andy

easyupbug 

If you have confidence your painter after all of Andy's wise comments Velocal's has the thinnest decals I have ever seen advertised and I have bought from several around the World. They say their waterslides are an amazing 0.0005" thick and give a true no edge decal finish.

SchumiJunior

SchumiJunior

brian3069

https://www.velocals.com/specialized...eatured&page=1

zebede

I have done my own several times, copied images from internet or from my own photos and replicate in AutoCAD (it what i use). Any graphic program would work. Then use a color laser to print on clear or white decal paper. However, none of the printers I have access to will print white, which can be a problem. I would probably just buy decals in the future, it looks like ALOT more is available now.

mtbikerinpa

I just did my first foray into a vynil stencil job instead of decals under clearcoat. The thing that had me disappointed with decals under clear is when it gets damaged it can peel the decal and leave a big patch of peel. stencil is a much more tedious artwork process but the results while looking comparable are more durable in the long term. My local sign guy did a page of decals power cut out on his machine for 12 bucks and 20 minutes.

obrentharris 

No good deed goes unpunished?

Brent