Bicycle Mechanics - Have you ever painted a wheelset before?

I have a set of silver Mavic Aksiums and considering painting them black. Yes, times are tough. lol

Has anyone ever painted a wheelset before and how long did the paint last?

Never have. But I can tell you this - you want some form of elastic-polymer for the paint base. The fluctuations from rim flex would likely cause a non-elastic paint to fall off.

Never have. But I can tell you this - you want some form of elastic-polymer for the paint base. The fluctuations from rim flex would likely cause a non-elastic paint to fall off.

Thanks Panthers, you've been very good to me tonite.
I think I'm going to have to think this one through first. lol

Avoid getting paint on the braking surface, it makes them squeal like crazy. I haven't intentionally painted a wheel before, but once had overspray land on the rims.

Avoid getting paint on the braking surface, it makes them squeal like crazy. I haven't intentionally painted a wheel before, but once had overspray land on the rims.

I can just imagine the squealling. :mad:

Probably the greatest challenge in doing all this is finding a way to protect the brake friction area... I don't know any tape that is round when applying!

use some 1/8" painter's masking tape from the hardware store to cover the braking surface and lips.

for paint... something enamel or acrylic might work, but be sure to give it a primer coat.

I have a set of silver Mavic Aksiums and considering painting them black. Yes, times are tough. lol

Has anyone ever painted a wheelset before and how long did the paint last?


Mavic rims are not painted, if you didn't know that already. They're anodized black. What's anodizing? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing

Your silver Mavic rims are anodized too. If you paint them as is..... it won't stick very long. You would have to sand off the anodizing, prime them , then paint, clearcoat. How long it stays on..... I can't answer. But I do know this..... you go removing the anodizing, prime and paint them..... and it turns out to not last or look crappy...... how are you going to like that? Can you sell them like that? Good luck with that.

Anodizing does not come off easy.... that's why they are anodized !

Why not just get a pair in Black, and sell your still sellable silver ones. Or, keep them for spares. They're only what $269 a pair?
http://www.treefortbikes.com/113_333222337626__Aksium-Wheelset-Black.html

I have a fixed rear wheel (It cost me $5) that a previous owner painted black. It started peeling from the spokes and the rim. I started using brakes in it and it flaked slowly, squealed, and didn't really stop that well, although that last part may have been the 30 year old center pull brakes and crappy pads.

Why not just get a pair in Black, and sell your still sellable silver ones. Or, keep them for spares. They're only what $269 a pair?
http://www.treefortbikes.com/113_333222337626__Aksium-Wheelset-Black.html

Good question!
I have a set of 2008 Bontrager Racelites that I won't be using - too low spoke count for this 206 pound guy, plus I ride alone a lot on long distances so if I break a spoke, I need to be able to get back - and won't get much for them because everyone trashes them, even if they have been trouble free for me.

For the Mavic Aksiums, I hate those ugly yellow and orange stickers and removed all of them last year. No one will want to purchase them now. lol

So I have 2 sets of wheels; one that I dont want to use (Bontrager), and one set (Aksium) that is silver and makes my black madone look horrible. I can put up with a lot of mismatched stuff, but this I don't want to. So I thought an alternative would be to paint the Mavic's black and avoid spending more money.
If I was to purchase a new set, I would want to spend more for a higher-spoke count wheel, ie. Velocity Deep V or Open Pro.

If anyone has any suggestion, I'm all ears!

Are you planning to paint the braking surface?

Haven't done it - yet - but was considering it for a mismatched set I have.

Blue or green tape to mask the braking surface (and spokes if needed)

I was going to use a 2-part spraycan epoxy if I can find it. You have to shake the can to break the inner seal, and you have a time window to spray.

Then bake them. Attic in the summer is a good place. I use a quartz space heater - heats objects, not air.

These are just my untried and unproven suggestions. But let us know the results.

"For the Mavic Aksiums, I hate those ugly yellow and orange stickers and removed all of them last year. No one will want to purchase them now. lol"

I don't know about that, really. I think there are at least two classes of people who would prefer them like that:

1) People like you who don't like gaudy looking crap
2) People who want to ride nice wheels but don't want them to scream "STEAL ME!!!"

Then there are lots of people like me who don't care if they have stickers or not. If you were local (where the heck are you?), I'd consider taking them off your hands. Give it a try on CL, you might be surprised.

Are you planning to paint the braking surface?

No, and that's actually the dillema; finding a flexible tape that will curve with the wheel. lol

"For the Mavic Aksiums, I hate those ugly yellow and orange stickers and removed all of them last year. No one will want to purchase them now. lol"

I don't know about that, really. I think there are at least two classes of people who would prefer them like that:

1) People like you who don't like gaudy looking crap
2) People who want to ride nice wheels but don't want them to scream "STEAL ME!!!"

Then there are lots of people like me who don't care if they have stickers or not. If you were local (where the heck are you?), I'd consider taking them off your hands. Give it a try on CL, you might be surprised.

Well that's always a personal choice, right? Some people like the yellow stickers and some don't.

I'm in Montreal, Canada.
Yup, will try the classifieds.

No, and that's actually the dillema; finding a flexible tape that will curve with the wheel. lol

Auto paint and body supplier.

I have never done this.

My own opinion is that ANY paint, even epoxy, is going to fail in its adhesion to anodized aluminum, even more so on the SS spokes. Won't be long before you have a wheelset that looks even worse on that bike than when you started.

Hey, you have a Madone. Why be so cheap about it. Bite the bullet, save up some $$$, and get the black wheelset you really want. Just my 2 cents.

I have never done this.

My own opinion is that ANY paint, even epoxy, is going to fail in its adhesion to anodized aluminum, even more so on the SS spokes. Won't be long before you have a wheelset that looks even worse on that bike than when you started.

Hey, you have a Madone. Why be so cheap about it. Bite the bullet, save up some $$$, and get the black wheelset you really want. Just my 2 cents.

LOL I was wondering when this was going to come up.
I purchased the bike last summer, priorities have changed since then.
If I can save a few dollars, I'll do it... but now you're the 2nd or 3rd that has mentionned paint on anodized aluminum isnt a good thing... :o

LOL I was wondering when this was going to come up.
I purchased the bike last summer, priorities have changed since then.
If I can save a few dollars, I'll do it... but now you're the 2nd or 3rd that has mentionned paint on anodized aluminum isnt a good thing... :o

I was originally going to just say that I thought the idea was silly, but I didn't want to offend. I still think it's silly. :)

I was originally going to just say that I thought the idea was silly, but I didn't want to offend. I still think it's silly. :)

"Out of desperation comes silliness."

You can quote me on that. :)

Bling your fixie:
http://www.eighthinch.com/mm5/graphics/wheelsets/aerospoke.jpg

Thanks everyone for your inputs... now where's that can of primer?? :)

No, and that's actually the dillema; finding a flexible tape that will curve with the wheel. lol

I've done years of auto body work, you can use the Pin Striping Tape, it comes in different widths and is very flexible also is meant to be painted on and then removed.

if you sand the rim with 220~400grit wet sandpaper, the primer and paint will have more surface area to adhere to, meaning a more durable coat of paint.