Alt Bike Culture - painting a mountain bike frame

Hi

I will be painting my mountain bike frame. First i will need to remove all the paint off my frame. (what will i need for that). Then do i need a primer. Is the primer the same coulour as the paint? I will be painting orange.

Any help will be appresiated!:thumb:

Youtube has nice tutorials on painting one's bike, including using a gloss finish (clear coat) to make it look great! Good luck, have fun!

Also this looks helpful even if it is for a BMX bike: http://panamapaul.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Paint-a-BMX-Bike-Frame

Can i ask how do i get the paint of my old frames?

Also what brand of paints do you use i am after a viper green?

Thanks

I used regular spray paint you find in the hardware store. I used camoflauge paint cause that's the scheme I was looking for. I just painted over the old paint. Didn't do nothing other that a good washing and wiping down. Taped everything off cause I was too lazy to remove the components. The picture below is of the fender after completing it today, but the paint on the frame and rear rack are a year old and holding up good.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/6074680701_edc3106aa3_z.jpg

THE PICTURE BELOW WAS TAKEN A YEAR AGO. THE PAINT IS STILL HOLDING UP GOOD, A FEW NICKS HERE AND THERE. THE PAINT ON THE PUMP DID WEAR OFF AFTER SIX MONTHS. IT JUST DIDN'T BOND GOOD WITH WHATEVER ITS MADE OF. BUT THE FRAME IS ALUMINIUM AND THE PAINT IS HOLDING REAL GOOD ON THAT. I IMAGINE A STEEL FRAME WOULD BE THE SAME.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4746250912_c15955f491.jpg

You dont HAVE to remove all the old paint. In fact, it can provide a good pre-primed surface for repainting.
The best primer is grey or flat white. I prefer the latter, especially for a color like orange.
You must sand the frame well and get it very smooth, however. I always finish sand with 600 Wet-Dry grit before applying anything.

The best paint in a spray can is automotive paint. It is sometime found in large cans and often as touch up paint in smaller ones. It is expensive, but it is tough. Whatever color you use, you will always want an EXTRA can of gloss clear. There is always room for one more can's worth.

My advice is to skip painting your bike yourself altogether. Have it professionally powder-coated, if you can. Otherwise, rent the powder-coating equipment and paint it yourself. If you do it yourself, sanding it will be a real BI***H! Powder-coat paint is thicker than any other type of spray-can paint and is more chip-resistant.

GO with Powder_Coating! :thumb:

subscrbing

I recently painted my gary fisher mountain bike. This is A LOT of work.

After failed attempts to remove the paint with sanding and scraping I used stripeeze. This stuff is great.... it brushes on in thick goopy layers, after sitting for 10 to 15 min it will literally wipe off with a rag. After some detail work (getting paint out of little nooks and crannies with dental tools and dremel) it was ready for paint. Taped it all up and sealed areas i didnt want to have painted then I used a self etching primer (2 coats) because my frame is aluminum. The steel handle bars and forks seemed to like the self etching primer as well. After a day of curing I used two cans of Krylon contractor grade flat black spray paint. The bike came out looking great with one big problem.... my paint is chipping off.
I'm thinking maybe a clear coat will fix it. Any suggestions on preventing paint chipping?

My advice is to skip painting your bike yourself altogether. Have it professionally powder-coated, if you can. Otherwise, rent the powder-coating equipment and paint it yourself. If you do it yourself, sanding it will be a real BI***H! Powder-coat paint is thicker than any other type of spray-can paint and is more chip-resistant.

GO with Powder_Coating! :thumb:


+100! As long as it is all going to be just one color this is the only way to go. Take all the parts off and bring it in. They do it all.

Don in Austin

To 'just' paint it, get 0000 guage wire wool and rub the frame down with existing paint on. If you want to do a pro job powder coating will be probably cheaper - and will be zero effort.