General Cycling Discussion - how to remove all them logos on the bike frame?

i have a raleigh bike and i want my frame to be all one color and simple as possible, but is there a way i can remove those big raleigh logos and stuff on em? i noticed some of the top layer started chipping off and underneath was a layer of black. just wanna know if there's a way to do this?

repaint the bike?

-- S

that's the way to go, repaint the bike

No No! No need to repaint the bike.
Use nail polish remover on the decals. We've been doing it for years.

- Put the polish remover on a cloth.
- soak it on the decal
- scrape with your fingernail or solft wood
- repeat until it is removed
- wash that section of the frame with soap and water.

use nail polish removal? I just want to let you know, the raleigh on my bike on the frame, it's a decal? it doesnt seem to come off, seem like its painted on there.... but i noticed a part of it chipping off when i i tried to pick it off, its like paint kinda and underneath is a layer of black. Will nail polish remover mess up my frame?

The other stuff to try would be lighter-fluid - the sort you put in Zippo's. It's pretty good at softening adhesive without damaging - a record collector friend uses it to remove 20yrd old plus sticky labels from record sleeves.

Richard

okay i tried applying nail polish remover, and nothing happened, it feels like the decal on the frame is like baked into the frame or something, it doesnt even feel like a sticker, are you guys sure i can remove em? i just want the bike one color, the bike is a raleigh m-60....

it looks like this, i just want the frame to be one color, im not sure wut the one color will be if i do happen to remove them decals off....

try scraping them off with some kind of knife

If the decals are painted on, you'll probably have to sand down the whole frame and repaint it.

Is it possible the decals are under a layer of clearcoat?

If so you're going to have to have it stripped and repainted.

Marty

My guess that your frame was clear-coated after the decals were applied. If that is the case then a repaint is the only solution.:(

Buy a new bike, I think the makers name should remain on the bike.

Originally posted by oldroads
No No! No need to repaint the bike.
Use nail polish remover on the decals. We've been doing it for years.

- Put the polish remover on a cloth.
- soak it on the decal
- scrape with your fingernail or solft wood
- repeat until it is removed
- wash that section of the frame with soap and water.

Ah, that worked great. I, too, have a Raliegh that had lots of ugly stickers on it. But I got them all off last night. Now the bike looks pretty tough. Only a few more steps and I'll have a very mean looking fixed-gear commuter.

andy

Gary Klein is known as an innovator and treats frame building like an art-form. I am pleased to have his name on my bike. But then the decals are tastefully done.

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Gary Klein is known as an innovator and treats frame building like an art-form. I am pleased to have his name on my bike. But then the decals are tastefully done.

Yeah, the trick is "tasteful". I think my bike was made in the 80's, and pink and blue and yellow shapes may have been tasteful then, but right now I just want a black frame.

As I said before, it really does look nice. I put on some black handlebar tape. Once I get the other peices, it should look fairly mysterious and imposing. Or maybe I'm just telling myself that because I want to believe it.

andy

The decals have a heavy layer of clear coat, Religh is famous for that. there is no way without removing the paint. SORRY!!

Happy Trails ?

My touring bike has decals on TOP of the paint and those are peeling off after 5 years of abuse. I've taken of 1 decal already.

However, I've asked the manufacturer to put a symbol plus the word Esperanto UNDERNEATH the finishing clear 'paint'. It was done quite nicely, albeit a bit too small..

I'm thinking to remove the decal of my newest bicycle and get a decal of that same symbol + word again.. this time it can be a lot bigger as it involves an aluminum frame.

So, it depends on whether there's a finish or not..

Ivana

Originally posted by steve33
The decals have a heavy layer of clear coat, Religh is famous for that. there is no way without removing the paint. SORRY!!

Happy Trails ?

I think mine had the clear coat over the decals, too, but the thing was beat up enough that there were chips that would let me get a foot-hold for peeling the decals off. We'll see how well it holds up. I'm not too concerned, really, because there are already some pretty nasty scratches on the thing. I like to think of them as building character.

andy

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Gary Klein is known as an innovator and treats frame building like an art-form. I am pleased to have his name on my bike. But then the decals are tastefully done.

The paint on my klein was awesome, but by the time I sold it there were chips and scratches all over it. I almost wanted to send it back and get a repaint done, even though I saw that it was $400.