Bicycle Mechanics - Polycarbonate fenders -- paintable?

I want to install a set of fenders on my old Motobecane and I'm wondering if the polycarbonate varieties available will accept paint or not.

They will accept paint, but read the paint can carefully for what materials it sticks to, and be prepared to do several coats. I have found that sometimes, a first coat on stuff like polycarbonate will be perennially sticky.

Check R/C car forums. The bodies of most r/c cars are some variety of poly carb, I believe.

Krylon has a line called FUSION which is designed specificaly for use on plastics.

You may have to scuff the surface of the fender in order to get an acceptable receiving surface for your paint. 800 grit sandpaper is good for this.

Dave

you can use Rustoleum plastic primer, http://www.rustoleum.com/Product.asp?frm_product_id=341&SBL=1&dds=40 and on top of it use any paint or color you like..

Polycarbonate has a pretty high surface energy. Acrylics should adhere well.

Is polycarbonate the name of the plastic they use? I have SKS plastic fenders and would like to try painting them too. I have kind of afraid since plastic stretches and changes hardness with temperature, maybe paint wouldn't last long?

email these kats and tell them you have their fenders:
www.planetbike.com, and then post their reply.

SKS was the brand I was thinking of, and yeah -- polycarbonate is the term they use, which is about as generic and unenlightening as calling an alloy frame 'metal'. I think I'll have to head to the LBS and hold one in my hands to determine what formulation of plastic it actually is.

I've used Dupli-Color's bumper paint before; it's probably equivalent to Krylon Fusion. It's designed to be able to flex with the plastic substrate rather than flake off.

Of course, if I can paint them, the next magical trick will be matching that old Motobecane pale gold color...

[QUOTE=mswantak]which is about as generic and unenlightening as calling an alloy frame 'metal'. /QUOTE]

Yup, one of my pet peeves. What kind of metal frame wouldn't be an "alloy"?

Is polycarbonate the name of the plastic they use? I have SKS plastic fenders and would like to try painting them too. I have kind of afraid since plastic stretches and changes hardness with temperature, maybe paint wouldn't last long?

Actually, polycarbonate is a specific kind of plastic.

You might look at some guides to painting cars. When painting the flexible plastic work on cars one needs to use an additive to the paint to give it extra flexibility (otherwise the paint will crack as the plastic flexes). There are also cans of touch-up paint for bumpers that presumably have this feature. Otherwise, you shouldn't have much trouble painting the fenders.