Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - anyone stripped and painted their chrome pista yet?

who's done it and how'd it turn out? im thinking of picking up a used one for cheap and repainting it.

why re-paint it? the chrome looks great.

im not into the chrome look at all...
i plan on buying a used pista for cheap and making it look the way i want it to, sorta the same deal as building up a road conversion fixie except it is already set up, has track ends and geometry. it would be my bad weather fixie.

There are plenty of Bianchi Pistas around that aren't chrome. You could get one of those and save yourself the hassle (at the bery least it would be easier to repaint if you still wanted to). The black ones with red decals look pretty sharp as do the battleship grey ones.

Similarly, if you're looking for an inexpensive, not-too-shabby off the shelf complete bike, check out the windsor (a rebadged Fuji) and mercier (a rebadged KHS Flite 100) deals on eBay. You can get either for under $350US. I'm not sure how the components stack up relative to the Pista, but a lot of folks seem to really like the KHS Flite 100/Mercier set-up.

m.

mcatano is right on, there are plenty of other models around. To re-paint would cost over $100 to get it done right, why bother? Just get one with a colour you prefer.

yeah, i like the battleship grey ones but those dont pop up as often. these chrome pistas have been popping up lately for pretty cheap.

Just hold out!

I just saw a Pista Concept frame on eBay go for $214. There are deals to be had!

Just lay low, set your bidding program on stun and you'll be set.

why re-paint it? the chrome looks great.

I agree. Why f-ing bother?

there is a cheap one for sale locally. im not fond of how the 04 looks. therefore-- paint.
geezo whiz, youd think i was talking about repainting a vanilla or something :rolleyes:

Maybe I am wrong since no one else has mentioned it yet, but can you paint over chrome? If it is possible I would say go for it, you might run into some problems though.

Are you asking how to do it yourself, or how to go about getting someone to do it for you?

thanks jy, thats what i was wondering. i guess i didnt phrase my question properly. from what ive read, the pista chrome scrapes off rather easily... not sure how chrome reacts to chemical strippers.

there is a cheap one for sale locally. im not fond of how the 04 looks. therefore-- paint.
geezo whiz, youd think i was talking about repainting a vanilla or something :rolleyes:

not that, just that you said "pick one up for cheap and re-paint it". Seems like a lot of hassle when you can get other frames out there that are not chrome. In fact, almost every other track frame I've seen is not chrome. If you get a great deal on one, sure, go for it, but you might find it pays to look around more, call a few shops etc. Many places have track frames lying about for good prices, i.e. American Cyclery in S.F.

I think I looked into painting chrome once. As I remember, you can get something to etch it so that primer will stick to it. However, that may not be accurate.

I'm not sure, but i think a good quality automotive etching primer will make a suitible base for paint on top of chrome. You could just call a paint shop and ask...

problem with chrome is it's to smooth for paint to stick really well.
you could rough it up with sand paper pre paint.
another option is acid. muriatic acid is the name its sold under, is actually the old name for hydrochloric acid as i recall loves eating non-ferrous metal... ie. the nickle in the plate. i can explain why, but it involves a chemistry lecture. the stuff is available at hardware stores. usually in 40% form. you can cut it with water to make it less reactive.
i've used it at shipyards to strip everything off navel brass fittings. does a great job.
oh yeah, watch out cause it'll eat through concrete.
it ate right into a jetty once after sitting for a few minutes. not pretty.

put some black tape over the chrome. Or get another color (blue, yellow, brown, red, orange, etc.) elec tape at home depot. In the future, if you're ready to get a differen't frame and unload the pista, chrome will get you more money on the back end. If you do a good job you could leave a certain amount of chrome exposed as an accent, like the back half of the seatstays and chain stays, for example. or maybe leave the chrome an inch on either side of the bianchi stickers. It could look really killer.

problem with chrome is it's to smooth for paint to stick really well.
you could rough it up with sand paper pre paint.
another option is acid. muriatic acid is the name its sold under, is actually the old name for hydrochloric acid as i recall loves eating non-ferrous metal... ie. the nickle in the plate. i can explain why, but it involves a chemistry lecture. the stuff is available at hardware stores. usually in 40% form. you can cut it with water to make it less reactive.
i've used it at shipyards to strip everything off navel brass fittings. does a great job.
oh yeah, watch out cause it'll eat through concrete.
it ate right into a jetty once after sitting for a few minutes. not pretty.


Actually, there are powders that are translucent for powder coating. If you have a chrome base it makes the final product look anodized. A dark maroon/candy apple would be nice over the chrome, or even black (makes it look like black chrome, HOT!). There are NO problems with the powder sticking in that case since its electronicaly bonded and cooked to the metal. Look at the Eastwood company website (they make and sell products for auto restoration) for more color choices when it comes to powdercoating, and powdercoating equipment. You can actually outfit yourself to powder coat pretty inexpensively with some infrared heating lamps instead of a booth.

that black chrome sounds amazing.
i should check that out the next time i'm finishing a frame

There just has to be a chrome/silver/or white base before the last color can go on.

I refinished my wife's Nishiki for her, or, I should say, I tried to refinish it.
It had an industrial chrome finish under the paint, and I haven't found a primer that will reliably stick to it.
So, if the Pista has a true chrome finish (hard to believe) it might turn out more trouble than expected.

if the Pista has a true chrome finish (hard to believe) it might turn out more trouble than expected.
do you mean the hard chrome? not the decorative type?
i didn't know they even used the decorative chrome finish on bikes, thought it would wear off with rubbing pretty quick

There are two types of chrome used for this type of application. Both are true chrome but the process is differant. The most durable is triple plated chrome. The process (simplified of course) is: polish, bronze, nickel, then chomium. The other process only uses nickel then chromium, this not having such a "beefy" base tends to make it flake rather easily. Also there is of course the variant of prep work and how maleable the metal you are chroming is, if the prep is not done correctly it doesn't matter which chroming process was used. And depending on what type of tubing (how maleable or elestic it is and its heat expanstion and contraction properties during the process) used on the frame will also contribute to chrome flaking and irregularities.

The pista looks like cheap chrome mostly because the chrome is clear coated over to protect the decals.

Cuevas Bikes used the triple plated version on their bikes. It holds up very well.

My Keirin frame UNO is chrome. It was originally red "I think" . The Keirin racer took off all the paint and the chrome undeath the frame was there. We just had buffed the frame on it is outstanding. I will repaint the frame because it is not triple plated to take on the elements of the North East.

Will post pics soon.

S/F,
CEYA!


There are two types of chrome used for this type of application. Both are true chrome but the process is differant. The most durable is triple plated chrome. The process (simplified of course) is: polish, bronze, nickel, then chomium. The other process only uses nickel then chromium, this not having such a "beefy" base tends to make it flake rather easily. Also there is of course the variant of prep work and how maleable the metal you are chroming is, if the prep is not done correctly it doesn't matter which chroming process was used. And depending on what type of tubing (how maleable or elestic it is and its heat expanstion and contraction properties during the process) used on the frame will also contribute to chrome flaking and irregularities.

The pista looks like cheap chrome mostly because the chrome is clear coated over to protect the decals.

Battleship grey pista (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=7125583172&rd=1) on eBay with a decent b.i.n. price.

m.

Here is my UNO Keirin Frame.. Gettting ready to be put together.

S/F,
CEYA!


Cuevas Bikes used the triple plated version on their bikes. It holds up very well.

My Keirin frame UNO is chrome. It was originally red "I think" . The Keirin racer took off all the paint and the chrome undeath the frame was there. We just had buffed the frame on it is outstanding. I will repaint the frame because it is not triple plated to take on the elements of the North East.

Will post pics soon.

S/F,
CEYA!

I looked into painting over chrome once. They said it would cost more than it was worth (as in it wouldn't last that long).
Stripping the chrome involved chemicals that could weaken the frame, same as the chrome process *can* cause some brittleness.
Google 'chrome embrittlement' for some links, and look here... http://www.vmplating.com/training3.htm

Best bet is to buy a different frame, if you haven't already got the pista.

(oh, and just to show the all chrome 531 frame I had for a few days...)

Most frames with chrome parts are completely cover in chrome and just polished in the exposed areas. My frame falls in the section. Some of my old frames fall in the section also.

I will paint over it since it wasn't meant for the frame to be exposed except on certain parts.

S/F,
CEYA!

Here is my UNO Keirin Frame.. Gettting ready to be put together.

S/F,
CEYA!


That is damn gorgeous!

That is damn gorgeous!


PT, Thanks , I will post pics once completed.

S/F,
CEYA!