Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Saratoga calif.
Posts: 1,049
Bikes: Miyata 610(66cm), GT Vantara Hybrid (64cm), Nishiki International (64cm), Peugeot rat rod (62 cm), Trek 800 Burning Man helicopter bike, Bob Jackson frame (to be restored?) plus a never ending stream of neglected waifs from the Bike exchange.
Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 339 Post(s)
Likes: 0
I have spruced up quite a few bikes with faded paint. Here is what I do
strip everything off frame and fork
wipe everything with paint thinner or wd 40 to remove the heavy grease.
Wash with simple green and rinse well, making sure you have cleaned off ALL the grease and dirt
Rub out with 3m white polishing compound. this will remove embedded grease , light scratches, other contaminants like tar or latex paint.
clean with alcohol wearing rubber gloves to keep finger print oil off bike
set up frame for painting. I do a rotisserie with a dowel sttached to a table and the seat tube pushed onto the dowel
wipe down with tack cloth to remove any hair/ dust on metal
Spray frame with Rustoleum Automotive clear , using paint can warmed under hot water . Paint on warm day
As you spray - chain stays first, then seat stay, down tube, top tube, and lastly head tube, rotate the frame on the spit so it never stays in the same position
This will help keep the paint from running.
For best results paint in shade on warm/ hot day using full can of paint that is shaken 1 minute and warmed under water.
working on cold day with cold frame makes paint run much easies. using almost empty can also seems to increase runs. possibly the paint is thinner then.
Do not spray automotive clear on any paint that is not thoroughly cured, as in a few months old at least.
You will be surprised just how much better the paint will look after this treatment.