Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Chrome, Nickel, Copper, plated frames for SS/FG

I am trying some plated frames - like nickel plated one below

http://www.bikeisland.com/images/020910006.JPG

And of course; we are selling a bunch of Kilo TT in Chrome
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/images/ktt_chrome_2100.jpg

And I am trying to get an almost steam-punk cooper look

What would you like to see? Or do you even like plated frames?
Or maybe you prefer lugged with lugs plated and tubes painted


All this costs a bit more - but is it worth it

this nickel plated lugged frame will be about $299
http://www.bikeisland.com/images/nickel.htm
worth it to plate?

I love that look!

If I were in the market for a frame I think that I'd be all over that. Unfortunately, I'm not.

definitely worth it. I'd love to see a nice lugged, copper-plated frame.

That nickel-plated Premium Brew sure looks nice! Copper would be awesome.

Is there a significant weight difference on the nickel/copper plated frames?

lets see a copper

I created an account just so I could comment on this thread.

I love these plated bikes that BikesDirect and BikeIsland have had recently. My only problem is the brake cable holders and water bottle mounts. Given a choice, I'd buy the lugged version in a heartbeat. But those brake cable holders are a dealbreaker.

Is there any chance of getting them without? If so, consider at least one sold.

Thanks

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Nickel plating larger objects. If it starts to peel, then all hell will break loose.

Sure but the same can be said for chrome....

I like plated lugs, fork ends and stay ends with the rest painted. I do not like all plated or all painted. I think that too much plating spoils it and hides the lugs. Also, it is not advisable to plate around braze-ons like cable stops/guides as it inevitably results in flaws.

with copper plate, would it not weigh a load more?

looks pretty tasty in nickel though... if i didn't love paint and colour as much as i do, then i'd be all for it

nice :)

Plating involves bonding a layer ~.001 to ~.00001* inches thick... weight is not noticeable.



*just a spitball estimate, depends on application, decorative (bike) plating is usually a very thin (think couple layers of atoms thick) layer.

Is there a significant weight difference on the nickel/copper plated frames?

not really

Usually the entire frame is chromed and then only a portion of the chrome is polished (the portion to be left exposed). The drive side chainstay on my derosa was left unpainted and I stripped the badly chipped paint on the non-drive side. My friend tried to polish it but it just won’t shine like the drive side. I have a Gibi (smaller Italian builder) who chromed the entire frame and then redipped a portion of it in blue chrome instead of painting any of it. While it looks great, the blue chrome is incredibly soft and even leaning the bike against a wooden chair or something could damage the blue chrome. How do you intend to protect the chrome?

I created an account just so I could comment on this thread.

I love these plated bikes that BikesDirect and BikeIsland have had recently. My only problem is the brake cable holders and water bottle mounts. Given a choice, I'd buy the lugged version in a heartbeat. But those brake cable holders are a dealbreaker.

Is there any chance of getting them without? If so, consider at least one sold.

Thanks

We are going to start doing some bikes / frames without cable stops and H2O brazeons
but I veiw it this way - having brazeons when you do want them is a one thing: not having brazeonsd when you really need them is another thing altogether

But as a style statement; I understand the naked frame concept - just a matter of having enough demand for them and time to add yet another frame

lets see a copper

Working on it
not an easy task

I'd still like to see you do something like what Volume did with their Cutter:
http://www.customriders.com/prod_imgs/FFVO11703.jpg
damn sexy

Kilo Raw?

We are going to start doing some bikes / frames without cable stops and H2O brazeons
but I veiw it this way - having brazeons when you do want them is a one thing: not having brazeonsd when you really need them is another thing altogether

But as a style statement; I understand the naked frame concept - just a matter of having enough demand for them and time to add yet another frame

You don't NEED braze-ons. If you want to run a cable housing for a rear brake, and a lot of FG setups don't, you can get some really classy old-school Campy chromed cable housing clamps that actually look better than any braze-on. If you want a water bottle, and I don't, you can get bottle chromed steel cages with clamps. The whole point of a FG or SS is its elegant simplicity, and the less junk you put on it the better. Also, chrome or nickel plating or even painting cable guides/stops and the such is difficult to do.

What's the weight difference?

I don't have any problem with water bottle bosses.

Sure but the same can be said for chrome....

This is true, but I have rarely had chrome start to peel, where as for nickel, I have had more than my fair share of experiences peeling issues.

However, I suppose it's fair to say that the nickel plating should last as long as the chrome plating if not longer (seeing as parts are (generally) copper plated, nickel plated, and then chrome plated).

Being said, I still don't know why one would want a nickel plated finish over chrome. I suppose the faster tarnishing of the nickel plating (and copper plating as well) would be more in favor of steampunk, but it doesn't seem very practical, you might as well go ahead and chrome plate it once you've nickel plated it. Though I gather I'm not the audience for this product.

Kilo Raw?

they've already got a raw, but it doesn't look like this. this looks like the tubes were polished before welding. or so I've been told.

if you do a copper-plate run of Kilos I will buy two frames IMMEDIATELY. i will even pre-order them if need be.

please do this!

You don't NEED braze-ons. If you want to run a cable housing for a rear brake, and a lot of FG setups don't, you can get some really classy old-school Campy chromed cable housing clamps that actually look better than any braze-on. If you want a water bottle, and I don't, you can get bottle chromed steel cages with clamps. The whole point of a FG or SS is its elegant simplicity, and the less junk you put on it the better. Also, chrome or nickel plating or even painting cable guides/stops and the such is difficult to do.

Strongly disagree. People ride bikes for all different reasons and many of us like the ability to run not only a bottle cage but also a trixie multitool as well. It's pretty shallow to say you like a bike less because it has 2 tiny holes brazed onto one of the tubes. Many of us use those holes and appreciate them being there. Remember- these are street bikes not track race bikes.

You don't NEED braze-ons. If you want to run a cable housing for a rear brake, and a lot of FG setups don't, you can get some really classy old-school Campy chromed cable housing clamps that actually look better than any braze-on. If you want a water bottle, and I don't, you can get bottle chromed steel cages with clamps. The whole point of a FG or SS is its elegant simplicity, and the less junk you put on it the better. Also, chrome or nickel plating or even painting cable guides/stops and the such is difficult to do.

And here I was thinking the point of a SS/FG was, you know, for riding. And since I do get thirsty on rides, well, I like a bottle cage.

Strongly disagree. People ride bikes for all different reasons and many of us like the ability to run not only a bottle cage but also a trixie multitool as well. It's pretty shallow to say you like a bike less because it has 2 tiny holes brazed onto one of the tubes. Many of us use those holes and appreciate them being there. Remember- these are street bikes not track race bikes.

Who said anything about race bikes? I guess you've never heard of seatpost bags? I carry a spare tire (tubular), minipump and 15mm wheel axle nut wrench in there, and still have plenty of room for other tools if necessary. Oh, and although you didn't ask, if I need to carry more stuff or water, I just wear a small backpack or camelback. But I guess I'm just a really shallow person for disdaining something so essential as water bottle bosses. :rolleyes:

And here I was thinking the point of a SS/FG was, you know, for riding. And since I do get thirsty on rides, well, I like a bottle cage.

Buddy, as I said, you CAN mount a water bottle cage with clamps on a frame with standard size round steel tubing. They make cages that come with clamps. You DON'T need braze-on bosses. I do bring water on longer rides. I use a camelback, which also acts as a backpack to carry other items.

We'll argue about just about everything, huh?

We'll argue about just about everything, huh?

Well, everything EXCEPT the topic

We'll argue about just about everything, huh?
u're still asking that question? :P

Anyway. I want that frame! I would get it in a heartbeat even tho.. I really am not in a market to buy frames now. I'll probably make my friends get it. Heh. As for braze-ons, I really don't care either way.

if you do a copper-plate run of Kilos I will buy two frames IMMEDIATELY. i will even pre-order them if need be.

please do this!

YES! YES!! YES !!!
+1 MILLION
I am definitely into a frame with the look of copper plating. Woo! :lol:

On the topic of plating, I'd like to see a black-chrome plating. That would be awesome.

I would also really like to see a copper plated frame.

I would really like it to be without braze-ons too but I understand that most people use them.

Any word on the type of geometry? More road? Track?

I use a camelback, which also acts as a backpack to carry other items.

A bottle cage and a wedge bag are a lot more comfortable than wearing a backpack hydration device for a long ride [especially if it is hot outside].

Remember, It's all just opinions. No one is saying you are wrong, just that we disagree based on the style riding we do. Your responses come across as rude and arrogant even by BFSSFG standards.

Your responses come across as rude and arrogant even by BFSSFG standards.

You call me "shallow" and I'm "rude and arrogant" when I question this? Who is being "rude and arrogant" here? You might want to look up the definitions of these terms. :lol:

If it makes you feel better, I too, use a camelback :D I find it handy to carry a pump, my cell, a patch kit, and my keys. And of course, I use it to drink water :D

On the topic of plating, I'd like to see a black-chrome plating. That would be awesome.

I love BlackChrome and I am working on sample in that finish now

of course, it is CNY so everything is on hold for 2 weeks

as soon as I can get Copper and BlackChrome samples; I will post them

I love BlackChrome and I am working on sample in that finish now

of course, it is CNY so everything is on hold for 2 weeks

as soon as I can get Copper and BlackChrome samples; I will post them

I'll try asking you again...what will be the range of frame sizes?

Id actually buy one this time if the bike was:

More track geo
No brazeons or bottle cage bosses
Copper plated

I'll try asking you again...what will be the range of frame sizes?

Based on the pics provided by BikeIsland, it's the PB frameset. Safe to assume frame sizes/geo would be the same as what's currently available?

Based on the pics provided by BikeIsland, it's the PB frameset. Safe to assume frame sizes/geo would be the same as what's currently available?

I hope not. Smallest PB is 52cm, which is too big for me. :(

I love BlackChrome and I am working on sample in that finish now

of course, it is CNY so everything is on hold for 2 weeks

as soon as I can get Copper and BlackChrome samples; I will post them

oh man Black Chrome sounds amazing. i would even consider buying your samples if they are in the 51-53cm range. definitely fired up about this, i will put up an article on my blog as well when you get them in.

I'm a huge fan of nickel plating. It's everything that's great about chrome, but a little mellower and warmer. I especially love it on guitar parts.

A darker shade of nickel plating would be nice; you gotta differentiate it from the chrome kilo....

oh man Black Chrome sounds amazing. i would even consider buying your samples if they are in the 51-53cm range. definitely fired up about this, i will put up an article on my blog as well when you get them in.
I think that would only be incentive if anyone actually reads your blog...

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc319/8-DJ/truth-itworks.gif
..

if you do a copper-plate run of Kilos I will buy two frames IMMEDIATELY. i will even pre-order them if need be.

please do this!

I'm with this guy