Framebuilders - would you galvanize or bate a rey853 ?

Hi all,

second post - you are all welcome to laugh at me for this question :D

got this 2001 Fuji Roubaix Pro 853.

http://i10.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/2f/c5/51c0_1.JPG

I want a new coat.

Suddenly I had the 'crazy' idea of galvanizing/bating this fella.
I also ask myself if it makes sense to coat the frame after the surface refinement.
If you have suggestions, examples, ideas or opinions just post them here!

I hope this is the right forum...

cheers!

My suggestion is paint.

My suggestion is paint.

could u please be a little more precise?

I don't think I understand what "galvanizing/bating" means. I would leave it alone if it is as nice as it seems to be. Otherwise, painting is preferable to other options. Definitely use some framesaver on it.

I would say don't.
If you want a gas pipe bike, buy a gas pipe frame.
No need to turn a good frame into one.

I would say don't.
If you want a gas pipe bike, buy a gas pipe frame.
No need to turn a good frame into one.

Thx, I was also thinking of some other modifications:

http://jasondoesitall.com/bikewith2brains/coppermodel2.jpg

there are many surface treatments you could give a bike frame. paint is the obvious but not the only one.

galvanized would be pretty f-ing rad. if you can afford it go for it.

The are paints that look a lot like Galvi. What is "bating"?

I don't mess with the upper end tubes, but there was something in the 753, or 853 about not coating them due to hydrogen embritlement. It might have been chrome since there can't have been much demand for galvi. Still, could be similar issues. Even with the chrome there were some makers who coated it anyway, and came out ok.

Galvi is applied in a number of ways with electricity, hot did, and thermal diffusion. There could be issues with any of these. The acids used, the levels of heat... Try the company.

I wondered if he meant chrome. That is a bad idea in my mind because the framebuilder didn't finish the frame for chrome. Chrome requires a very high level of finish, and even then it looks funky half the time.

Galvanizing heats it up to 800 degrees or so. I don't suppose that's enough to mess up the heat treating or the brazing on a bike, but I'd hate to experiment on a nice frame, too. It could warp things. It will definitely goober up any threads or bearing seat areas.

If any of the tubes are completely sealed, they'll drill big vent holes in them prior to galvanizing. Something about not liking those pesky little explosions of molten metal.

bating = etching, mordating, pickling, staining...

thx for the warnings as far as the process is concerned.

A polish plus a clear coat is, I think, a bit more reasonable and probably more appropriate than a chrome finish - for a steel frame.

you could strip it down to steel and then clear powder....it is a like or or not type of finish....see www.rivbike.com for some pics

I wondered if he meant chrome. That is a bad idea in my mind because the framebuilder didn't finish the frame for chrome. Chrome requires a very high level of finish, and even then it looks funky half the time.

Mercian, at least, won't even attempt to chrome 853 because the tubes are so thin they are afraid to take more off polishing it for chrome.