Framebuilders - Chrome plating under paint

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.




View Full Version : Chrome plating under paint


vladuz976
01-31-11, 06:14 AM
Planning on having a lugged steel Keirin frame made in Japan.
Kalavinka, Georama or Samson is what I am thinking about.
They are all in the $1500-2000 range.
$200 extra for Chrome plating under the paint.
Is that worth the money?
Will this keep my frame from rusting better?
Will this affect how the paint itself looks?
How about touch-ups? If I ever want/need to touch up the bike or get a new paint-job, does this complicate/ make things more expensive?


unterhausen
01-31-11, 08:49 AM
I see no reason for chrome under paint, is some of the chrome left exposed? It shouldn't cause any problems. It probably will not have much effect on the way the paint looks, it's covered in primer. Primer does generally affect the final tint of the paint, that's why there are different colors of primer.

Eric Estlund
01-31-11, 09:14 AM
Paint doesn't love to stick to chrome. If you are adding chrome for exposed areas, great, but a good primer does a better job of both sealing the frame and helping paint bond.


vladuz976
01-31-11, 09:22 AM
Thanks for that info.
I think exposed lugs are the most common option I see. Don't really like that though.

unterhausen
01-31-11, 11:39 AM
if you aren't going for chromed lugs/dropouts then there is no reason to get the bike chromed.