Commuting - Powder coat options...

My 1982 Bianchi is showing signs of rust at the lugs. Since I've owned this bike for 26 years, I want to protect it. This winter I am going to strip it and have it powder coated. Part of me wants to keep it's original color black. Part of me says that this is a commuter bike, and I should paint it a bright color (canary yellow?). Yet another part of me says that a nice British racing green will compliment the honey Brooks saddle nicely...

What to do?

Of those choices I would go for the British Racing Green.

If I were to do mine I would go for a VW red:

http://thumbs.automart.com/imgs/ag/automart/autodata/pictures/VEHICLE/2008/Volkswagen/thumb/80VWGED2-E0420031530011000.jpg

Would your powder-coating shop de-rust the frame or do you need to do that yourself first?

I second the vote for green.

Media-blasting the fork and frame removing all paint, rust, and stickers and powder-coating is $100. Well worth it. So, two votes for BRG. I think they can add a metallic fleck for $10 more.

My 1982 Bianchi is showing signs of rust at the lugs. Since I've owned this bike for 26 years, I want to protect it. This winter I am going to strip it and have it powder coated. Part of me wants to keep it's original color black. Part of me says that this is a commuter bike, and I should paint it a bright color (canary yellow?). Yet another part of me says that a nice British racing green will compliment the honey Brooks saddle nicely...

What to do?

Same question... for my 25 year old custom frame. I've been thinking about something bright, perhaps even retro-reflective if it exists.

Would love to know what kind of options exist.

My road bike is a beautiful red... and I'll keep it that way, but my commuter, I'm willing to go into the range of gaudy, just to be noticed on my commute. So, looking for suggestions.

Riddel I can't help but notice, you must be a pretty big dude. That frame is quite large!!! I can feel the boys crack just looking at it!!!

Edit to add: just to make the post relevant, that's a classy bike. BRG. When I get to having my bike blasted and painted, I want to get some sort of reflective paint. I'm sure that if they can make reflective tape, they must be able to do the same with paint. I'd love to get the bike all reflective. but mine is a 2008 Giant. Not a classy vintage Bianchi.

Riddel I can't help but notice, you must be a pretty big dude. That frame is quite large!!! I can feel the boys crack just looking at it!!!...

Clydesdale as charged :o. I can straddle the top-bar flat-footed. What's more amazing is that I bought that bike when I was 14 years old. Who ever that sales rep was, he new his stuff. He made me buy a big frame and said I would grow into it. Here I am pushing 40, and it fits well. I've had it so long it's a part of who I am.

Go to the local powdercoat shop and ask about what colors they are shooting on upcoming orders. I know people that have had bike frames or similar sized things coated for as little as $30 by tossing them in with other orders.

FYI, if you're interested in color options, this powder coating place in Seattle has links to the color charts and brochures of some of the big suppliers of powder coat colors.

I'd assume that practically any powder coating place deals with either these same suppliers or similar....in any case, I thought you might be interested in these links to give you an idea of what options are available:
http://seattlepowdercoat.com/colors__textures

There's enough bland bikes on the road already. No way I'd contribute to creating another one of them.

It's a Bianchi! Celeste! ;)

Do they make a hi-viz neon green powdercoat? When I build up another bike, I'm kinda hooked on making it orange... unless I can find a hi-viz green. That would be awesome.

Do they make a hi-viz neon green powdercoat? When I build up another bike, I'm kinda hooked on making it orange... unless I can find a hi-viz green. That would be awesome.

Yeah, nothing like a good, retina searing color for a bike. Plus, it may cut down on the likelihood of it getting stolen. "Well, officer, it's a 2007 Rolls Canthardly with a tubus rear rack, SKS fenders, a Shimano dynohub with a Lumotec IQ Fly headlight. Oh, yeah, it's painted hi-vis yellow and currently being rode by a recently blinded person." :roflmao2:

I like the look of British racing green. My car and bike both have a color very similar to BRG, both by accident since before owning either I kind of was against anything but black or metalic greys on either. But I've grown into it, and I like it. On top of that, I've been told that the honey colored Brooks would look great on my bike and I agree - I just need to find the $$$.

And, obviously you had BRG in the back of your mind or you wouldn't have mentioned it.

Update:

Well I didn't go for the British racing green. I wanted to go brighter. Hopefully, this will look the way I think it will in the sun light. It has a metallic fleck. The color was called "Light Orange Sparkle". The powder coat shop slowed down over the holidays. I sent it to them before Christmas. They've had it more than six weeks. They just emailed me this pic. I'll be building it back up over the winter to be ridden in spring. I think I'm going to go with 105 components and bar end shifters. I can't wait to get it back.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/riddei63/powdercoat.jpg?t=1232644051

What do you guys think?

Very cool. How did they do the fork? Just masking tape on the steer tube? Are you going to need to face the headtube and bb?

The frame and fork were done separately. Apparently, he placed it in the head-tube for the picture. Yeah, we'll have to reface during the rebuild.

I got the bike back, the color exceeds my expectations. I just ordered a 105 group, triple rings, and nine cog rear. Switching to bar end shifters from the down-tube. I've got sticker shock for sure, but the bike will be pretty slick when done.