erileykc

I've just bought a Rad City e-bike, opened the box and realized I've made a mistake. The bike is a dark, stealth grey color. It's hard to see in the living room and it's going to be a death trap on the road in a busy city at night. I had an inkling that this would be a problem before I ordered but they offered no other colors for this model and the appealing web page pics and seemingly large and bright branding stickers made it seem a bit less invisible. No such luck, it's a ninja bike and no amount of lighting is going to fix it. My first question is do I have to disassemble the bike down to the frame elements, send them off to a paint shop and rebuild it again after the paint job or can I do a reasonable job by simply masking things off and paint small sections at a time with a case of Krylon hi-viz yellow spray cans? How well does spray paint do in bonding to an existing finish? The fenders are a gloss black plastic and I expect thats not a good surface for painting. Any other directions I could go short of the paint shop? Thanks for any suggestions.

Wondering why this is posted in 'Classic & Vintage' ? The few hits my searches came up with for painting on Bike Forums came up in C&V and when I am on the forum its usually in the English Three Speed thread so this is home.

branko_76 

I never rely on the bike frame for visibility. Lights, reflectors, clothing, shoes and helmets can provide all the illumination one needs.

Salamandrine 

Very true. Bike color is nearly irrelevant. Lights, reflector matter. Get a modern headlight, rear flasher, maybe some wheel lights. Pick up some scotchlite or other reflective tape and go to town: rims, pedals, frame, whatever. A lot of modern city tires have a full reflective stripe around them which is very visible at night. With modern lights you can look like a Las Vegas sign rolling down the road, which is good.

CliffordK

I have to agree with others. Wear bright clothing, and invest in good lights. Can you snag power from the E-Bike for lights, or did it come with lights?

I think there are a couple of types of clear reflective paint. I meant to give it a try, but haven't yet. Anyway, it might be worth a try.

Or, as mentioned, add reflective tape to a few critical areas, especially if you have some big flat areas like batteries.

I've seen some mini safety triangles that some people use on the backs of their bikes. They have two different types of triangles at the local bike store, Arriving By Bike, here in Eugene.

zze86

No need to paint. Hi-Viz tape

Giacomo 1 

Painting a bike can be expensive and an all around pain.

So many new bikes come in flat black that your situation is not unique. I agree with the others here, wear reflective clothing and find some reflectors and lights.

Raleigh74

cdmurphy

+100 to this. At night, every bike looks black, unless someone is close enough to run you over. Real lights are by far the most important thing you can do to make yourself visible. Good LED head and tail lights are visible for 1/2 mile+. That will take care of visibility to the front / rear. Wheel/spoke lights will help immensely with side visibility. Reflectors and retro-reflective tape are cheap and easy, but have some serious limitations. All reflectors and tapes require a source of light to reflect. -- You will only be visible if a car's headlights, or some other source of ambient light is striking you. Even more importantly, they only return light back in a narrow beam of perhaps 1-2 degrees towards the source. Your reflectors will show up like a Christmas tree to someone shining a flashlight on you -- but might only glow weakly, or not at all to someone standing 15-20 feet away from them. Certainly add some reflectors and tape, just understand they're almost useless in a number of situations. Things like crossing the path of a car at 90 degrees, you probably wont show up to the driver until you are in their headlight beams. That's probably too late for everyone involved.

Insidious C. 

I bought a Peugeot with hi-viz tape applied to the fork blades. It looked nice. At first I thought it came that way from the factory. Give it a shot. If it looks bad you can always remove it.

Lascauxcaveman 

Lights. Big lights.

Lots of them.

A couple on your helmet, too.

Gary Fountain

You can paint the frame in sections and mask off areas that you don't want to paint but the sections you do want to paint will have to be finely sanded back to allow the new paint to adhere to the surface. This would be quite time consuming to achieve. You would also have to remove any components that might obstruct the spraying process. Plastic components like mudguards can be painted but an additive needs to be introduced into the paint to give it flexibility when dry. The shiny plastic surface also needs to be sanded to help the paint adhere to the surface.

Really, the advice you have been given regarding lights and reflective surfaces for visibility is the best way to go. As has been stated, you won't see the colour of the frame at night unless it's too late.

randyjawa 

I have two battery powered flashing lights, one red and one clear or white. I wear one on my backpack and one on my lapel or near shoulder height if wearing something other than my department store bought bike jacket. I agree with others - bike color has little to do with your visibility. A bright yellow jacket or t-shirt, now that is very easy to see during the day, and, if you get them with reflective stripes, like I have, your visibility increases.

big chainring 

Prism tape.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/290871225/holographic-prism-tape-free-shipping-for

Looks like some kind of bizarre drillium when you put it on components. No reason why it couldn't be put on frame tubes as well.

erileykc

Bad Lag

1. LIGHTS! - In fact, lights are required on a bicycle when riding after dark, just like on an automobile. Without lights, nothing else you do makes any sense at all in the context of night time riding.

2. DEFENSIVE DRIVING/RIDING - Ride properly. Ride well. Ride predictably. Watch out for the other guy. Do all those things you know you should do. Assume the other guy is inebriated and leave yourself an "out", a place to go.

gugie 

Check out what long distance randonneurs like @rhm and @nlerner use. These guys start early and ride late into the night from time to time. Here's a good picture that shows the variety of ways riders make themselves visible:


Reflective jackets and vests are nice, but if you're riding in the summertime and it's warm even after the sun sets, the reflective bands that velcro around your chest work great. Velcro ankle reflectors bobbing up and down with your pedal stroke make it clear that you're a bicyclist. One of the best things about this option is they fold up very small, and can be carried in your pocket or a bike bag. Mine are always in my handlebar bag. Sometimes you get caught in the dark without planning for it - just pull them out, strap them on, and you're good to go. You can find a set of chest and ankle reflectors for under $15.

As others have mentioned, tail and headlights are necessary so cars see you when headlights aren't aimed in your direction. Long distance riders like generator setups; with no batteries, there's no worry about them dying, but the current crop of rechargeable battery powered LED lights are fantastic - just remember to charge them at night.

I'm against strobe lighting - it seems like there's a lighting war out there. I some countries it's illegal to have them. Flashing lights are supposed to indicate emergency vehicles, IMO. It's difficult to judge speed of a bicycle with flashing lights. It's distracting to other cyclists and cars - try riding behind someone with a flashing tail light. Intoxicated drivers can be drawn to the flashing lights. Here's an article to back these claims. Rules for RUSA sanctioned randonneur events (again, those crazy guys that ride all night) essentially outlaw flashing lights.

Rather than add a bunch of reflectors to your beautiful C&V bike, consider the picture above.

And, yes to all those who state that your frame color has little or nothing to do with visibility at night, especially when compared to all of the alternatives above.

nlerner

Please don't get a helmet light. There's nothing worse than one of those blinding me on the bike path coming toward me in the dark.

As a year-round commuter and occasional rando-in-the-dark rider, I can add that the distinction between what you need to see and what you need to be seen is important. Some lights (e.g., LED front lamps) can serve both purposes, particularly at intersections when cars are present, but not all. Reflective clothing of any sort is a really good idea. On the bike, I just have a front and rear lamps, usually powered by dynamos so I don't have to worry about batteries dying. Now I've been hit by cars, but that was in broad daylight!

cdmurphy

I don't think anyone would argue a brighter frame color might have some effect, it's just that compared to good lights, it's probably not worth the bother to repaint. Any area that is open and free enough that you could paint it without disassembling the bike, is also open and free enough to slap some good retro-reflective tape. (3M SOLAS is my favorite by a long shot. Not quite as bright as some prism tapes, but much wider return angles, and very conformable, with amazing adhesive.)

If you still want to paint the bike, there are plenty here who can help (including me), it's just if it were me, painting the bike would be way down my list for safer riding at night.

For actually painting it, to DO IT RIGHT*, you need to strip everything, then de-grease, then scuff / sand the existing paint / powdercoat, then paint with a compatible topcoat. Even better, top all that with a good 2k urethane clearcoat. Unfortunately, the good automotive paints, like what the factory used are very expensive, and in some cases quite dangerous to work with. (It can be done in your garage, but it's expensive and a ton of work. -- Think $200-300 in paint and materials, assuming you have access to a compressor and spray gun already.)

* Anything you do using spraycans of Krylon, no matter how good it looks when you finish, won't hold up anything like factory paint, or a good automotive paint. That's fine if you just want it bright, and don't really care how it looks, just be aware that a few years down the road, it will probably look like someone painted it with housepaint using a broom. (I'm not saying don't do it, just don't think it's like having factory paint in a brighter color.)

A middle-ground option might be to have the frame sent off for powder coating. Depending on where you live, costs run between $100-200 for a frame and fork, and will result in a shiny, very durable finish. Still more expense and trouble than reflective tape, but much better results than rattle cans, at about 1/4 the cost of a wet paint job.

erileykc

Sigh ... Internet forums. I appreciate the on topic suggestions including for specific brands and types of reflective tape and the gory details on real deal frame painting prep and I suspect I'll go down the tape path at least till I've had a chance to evaluate the results. As to flogging the lighting even after the OP has explained that he has his light game in hand, well I know you're all trying to save my life for me but really the questions was about painting. I'm not randonnuering or getting back to my suburban villa late after a trail ride. I'm riding year round in a dense urban area in the dark for part of the year and I know that being ultra visible has genuinely saved my life more than once. My current bikes are silver, orange and red ( my black Raleigh Tourist does not get ridden after dark under the conditions described ). I also know that a bike frame has a larger cross section than I do and that it will register in the peripheral vision as a bike before a person will IF its clearly visible as a bike frame. A few parts of a second's awareness on the part of a driver may be all the difference between getting home for dinner and never getting back again and if painting the frame gets that little edge even once I think it's worth the time and expense. As to strobbing lights, no emergency vehicles that I'm aware of in my area use strobbing white lights and even if they do I don't expect to be confusing anyone with an ambulance as I ride. If I do well good, all the less chance of dying in that encounter. When the city steps up to the plate and makes cycling infrastructure safe and widespread I'll reconsider being on the winning side of any lighting wars

But that was a bit long winded. Really the question was about painting.

mrv 

howdy - I've powder coated a couple of frames when I had access to a spray booth and oven. It sounds like that is not your case. So I won't bother throwing that album link here.
I did get gifted a beat up Surly SteamRoller from my LBS.
I believe - could be wrong - that SURLY originally powder coated it. For the most part powder coating is nice & tough, but if done wrong can trap moisture under the powder, as the powder is basically plastic that you melt over the frame. Since I assume Surly would do a good job powder coating, I just scuffed the powder so I could rattle can over it. I also removed some surface corrosion, so I also primered the whole deal.
Please keep in mind if you opt to rattle can the frame, spray paint is soft. It's not tough stuff. So you might want to paint it in a way that you can touch it up once or twice a year to keep it from looking like... .bad.

So if I was standing in your shoes, I think I would consider painting bands of brightness on the main tubes. I kinda-sorta did this with the Surly, which hopefully you can see in the photo link. I added my LBS's color in bands after I completely gave it a matte black painting. Took like 3 cans after I primered the whole thing gray. Grey. whatever.

If I was your best-bud, I'd recommend the following:
1. Tape off large sections of the main tubes (seat tube, top tube, down tube, seat & chain stays
- after removing wheels & seat & cables - hopefully that's in your capability wheelhouse, but if you've been commuting decades, probably.
2. Scuff the paint with a high number grit paper to take the shiny finish off, but don't go down to bare steel
3. Re-tape wherever you buggard up the tape scuffing the paint.
4. Wrap with newspaper & masking tape the lugs and bottom bracket and anywhere else you don't want over spray
5. Spray paint your hi-viz color(s) bands
6. Consider a clear coat --- Remember, the top coat is the finish. So if you want shiny, use a high gloss clear.
>> I'm recommending not painting the lugs and joints and such as it's harder to get those areas looking good, and it sounds like you don't want to pull the bottom bracket & head set.
If you can get nice sharp bands, it might look factory-ish.
>> A few other thoughts: don't paint when it's too cold or too humid; watch your background / over spray if you're in a garage; let the paint sit untouched as long as you can in as warm as an environment as you can get. like an attic if that's possible.
- Any threaded holes should have a fastener in them so you don't get paint in the threads. You don't want that as it'll act like super glue when you screw whatever back into it!!

Post some photos when you're done!

CLICK ME: https://photos.app.goo.gl/uZSgrpK1DCgYpsKf1



masking:

cdmurphy

I get that you just want to hop in here, and be told exactly what you want to hear, and nothing else. Wouldn't that be nice? Unfortunately, the internet doesn't work that way. We're all taking time out of our day to try to help you with your problem. None of us needs to do that, and rather than thanks, or even silence, we get attitude about how useless we are for not helping you just right. Despite what you seem to think, most of us actually want to help, rather than just narrowly stick to the prompt. If you had said "I want to paint my bike yellow, because I think it looks cool", you probably wouldn't have gotten so much "useless" information.

Go ahead and paint it if you want it a different color, we were just trying to point out that compared to lights, or even reflectors in the right situation, the color of your bike might as well be lost in the noise.

Colnago Mixte

I was gonna suggest shade of florescent, or even glow in the dark, Plastidip. Easy to apply, cheap, and 100% removable if you change your mind. It actually protects the original paint and decals, and comes off easily with a little Goo Gone. I would think 2 or 3 of the 11 oz aerosol cans of the stuff would be plenty for a bike frame.

Bad Lag

You can disassemble it yourself or you can pay someone else to do it for you.

Adhesion is entirely dependent upon the quality of the prep. Simply "masking things off" is almost certain to lead to improper prep and subsequently, a poor paint job.

Spinay70

I just want to hop in here to say that you are at level 10 on the tensionmeter with the snarky response! Wow, such fire!

You say you are putting in time by answering, off topic, the OPs question...Think about THEIR TIME you are wasting with your reply that completely misses the mark.

If your time is so precious that its so valuable as to not having your post acknowledged and praised, maybe dont reply with off topic opinions? Just saying.

Most people, that have questions, sign up and post DO EXPECT their original enquiries to be answered. Because, believe it or not, there are other people who value THEIR time as well and do not want to engage the forums long winded 'outrage' guy in order to have a question answered.

Certainly if that is the case, there would be a note posted somewhere saying 'in order to have posts answered concisely, you must be a member for 7 seasons'. If there is, i missed it as well.

Hope i didnt take up too much of your time chiming in from the peanut gallery to point out the obvious. Derp.

Ah, the internet indeed.

Spinay

cdmurphy

You just joined today to tell me off? You wouldn't happen to be the OP in disguise would you? Stuff like that never happens on the internet. :-)

Just in case you are actually someone other than the OP -- I think it comes down to common courtesy. The OP wanted something (help and information) from members of this forum. He has every right to ask, and the members have every right to respond in whatever (polite) manner they see fit. We don't owe him a perfect answer -- his time isn't worth any more than ours. All of the responses were people genuinely trying to help, even if their "answers" may have been at right angles to his desires. I know I wasn't expecting gushing thanks, or even thanks at all, but no one deserved snarky derision for their efforts either. I don't see how you can spin that as anything other than being rude.

Despite the apparently low quality of our answers, I and several others did in fact tell him in reasonable detail how to paint his bike, and / or offered several decent alternatives. It's up to the OP to do what he will with that information.