Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Post your debadged Bikes Direct bikes

Looking for ideas on how to get rid of the horrendous decals on the Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno, so please post pics of your solutions.

Unfortunately the decals are under clear coat.. I was thinking of using rubbing compound or fine sand paper to take up the clear and remove the decals, then polish everything with rubbing compound to make the white shine like the clear.. but i'm not sure how good it would look. Other ideas i've heard are to cover them with tape or stickers, or repaint the whole thing, neither of which sound too appealing either.

Anyways yeah, lemme see your bikes..

Looking for ideas on how to get rid of the horrendous decals on the Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno, so please post pics of your solutions.

Unfortunately the decals are under clear coat.. I was thinking of using rubbing compound or fine sand paper to take up the clear and remove the decals, then polish everything with rubbing compound to make the white shine like the clear.. but i'm not sure how good it would look. Other ideas i've heard are to cover them with tape or stickers, or repaint the whole thing, neither of which sound too appealing either.

Anyways yeah, lemme see your bikes..

I don't have experience taking decals off from those bikes but I do detail cars professionally and have some experience with sanding and clear coats. If you break through the clear coat it will never touch up the same. Even if you try to re-spray clear over the spot there's a good chance you'll still have visible marks. If you really can't stand it I think your best bet is to strip and repaint. Trying to get the decals out from under the clear is just going to leave you with a big ugly mess and probably more time into it than just sending it to a powder coater for about $100.

Trying to get the decals out from under the clear is just going to leave you with a big ugly mess and probably more time into it than just sending it to a powder coater for about $100.

yeah that's kind of what i figured... i can't really stand the decals but I won't be able to stand a sloppy removal job even more. $100 for a new powder coat doesn't sound too bad, though I'm pretty hesitant to spend money to replace a brand new, virtually flawless paint job from the factory just because of some decals.

I don't know the bike apart from the pictures on the net, but is it possible to paint a coloured band over the top?

I don't know the bike apart from the pictures on the net, but is it possible to paint a coloured band over the top?

i'm sure it's possible but the way the seat tube decals are, it would mean most of the seat tube would need to be be covered to be "even"

http://imageshack.us/a/img208/8201/p1010024xm.jpg

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/8518/57213834.jpg

I'm thinking of designing my own stickers to cover them, or perhaps just some plain white vinyl like the kind they use for sign making.. i dunno though.. not sure which would look tackier

If you're just going to cover them, maybe make it useful and use that reflective tape ;)

If the existing paint is still pristine, how about painting the whole frame a solid colour without going to the trouble of stripping it? (I may have just highlighted my ignorance of frame painting :rolleyes: )

As the non owner, I know my opinion doesn't carry a lot of weight but to me, it doesn't look too bad.

Yeah... some white 3M reflective tape seems like a good idea.

I've gotta agree, those decals look hideous.

This calls for NeffyWrap (http://neffywrap.com/)TM. Impress the roadies.
http://757gottint.com/Images/1-3m-dinoc-carbon-fiber-ca421_1.jpg

^ lol fake crabon for a fake motobecane

the white reflective tape idea doesn't sound too bad.. at least anything like that can be easily undone when it comes time to sell

plastidip everything!
http://cdn.caswellplating.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/9/5922103905p.jpeg

Way to heavy. Fake crabon is much better.

+1 dip it

Thread title fail btw

You knew the bike was covered with those hideous decals before you bought it. Just ride the damn thing.

I just used white electrical tape

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc399/vng2327/motobecane/IMG_20121027_095736.jpg

I just used white electrical tape

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc399/vng2327/motobecane/IMG_20121027_095736.jpg

yeah, that's not bad from a distance, but the edges of the tape would bug me i think

You knew the bike was covered with those hideous decals before you bought it. Just ride the damn thing.

thanks for stopping riding your bike long enough to make the most insightful and informative post of the entire thread. kudos to you

Thanks to you too - for starting the dumbest thread this forum has seen in a while.

I'm simply being logical, while you are looking for hypothetical hoops to jump through in order to solve a "problem" that only exists in your head. If you don't like the way the bike looks, you shouldn't have bought it.

Thanks to you too - for starting the dumbest thread this forum has seen in a while.

Bro. Go ride your bike instead of posting in dumb threads. You're wasting your time and being a dick while doing it.

Scrod's advice was the best though. Ride it hard. If you leave the stickers you will be less upset when you get scratches on it and then the bike will start to look awesome. Worry about the paint on your Lladro figurines.

If you leave the stickers you will be less upset when you get scratches on it

that is definitely something to think about.. though the plastidip looks like it might be interesting. not sure how durable it would be, but at least it's not permanent

i know more of yall have debadged your bikes.. post em if you got em :D

Bro. Go ride your bike instead of posting in dumb threads. You're wasting your time and being a dick while doing it.

Dude, I'm really not trying to start an internet fight with you here. I don't need to "go ride my bike". I just woke up, am eating a bowl of cereal and hanging out online until I go down to my shop.

Again, I'm just offering actual logic. Apologies if that offends you in some imaginary way.

I'm just offering actual logic.

I guess I didn't see the logic behind "you knew it was like that, so don't change it". I knew it had craptastic graphics, and I knew it came with a bunch of POS parts too. I knew I wanted to change those things before I even went to meet the guy I bought it from.

I'm just looking for examples of how people debadged their bikes, and happy for any other suggestions on how to do it. Your suggestion of "leave it alone" has been duly noted. Thanks. Enjoy your cereal.

Let's end 2012 on a positive note.

I did it to '89 Miyata Alumicross with the Miami Vice decals using a heat gun/hair dryer. Worked fine, left a very fine outline in the clear coat of where the decal used to be...not noticeable, and it disappeared once the tube was waxed. But, it seems entirely dependent on the OEM clear coat technique; does not work well with most modern bikes.

What can work nicely with white bikes is color block the decal itself with a matching white paint, then cover with cool decal, like a light silver or black reflective checked flag pattern on clear background. If you release the artist within you might end up with something that looks pure custom & expensive. Of course, if you botch it up then you will likely be headed to powder coat guy.

what? there was a "miami vice" edition miyata? I kind of want to see this.

I did it to '89 Miyata Alumicross with the Miami Vice decals using a heat gun/hair dryer. Worked fine, left a very fine outline in the clear coat of where the decal used to be

you just heated the area where the decal was, and then what? use a plastic spatula to pull it up? that sounds promising. the white paint job is pretty forgiving; i already managed to pretty much completely hide a few deep scratches using rubbing compound


What can work nicely with white bikes is color block the decal itself with a matching white paint, then cover with cool decal, like a light silver or black reflective checked flag pattern on clear background. If you release the artist within you might end up with something that looks pure custom & expensive. Of course, if you botch it up then you will likely be headed to powder coat guy.

i hadn't thought about covering the decal and then using another fancy decal on top.. that would be cool, though I could see where getting custom graphics printed might cost as much as a powder coat.

and actually, in the "leave it" camp, overnight i put a polished aluminum crankset and polished water bottle cage on.. perhaps with some more polished bits the silver decals will at least fade into the background :lol:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7252/1000211a.jpg

How I got rid of the decals.

Finally. A picture. Great.

:lol:

However, that bike isn't debadged - it's overbadged.

Finally. A picture. Great.

there was one right after your fail post that said "thread title fail btw", btw

:lol:

However, that bike isn't debadged - it's overbadged.

He left it outside overnight and the graffiti guys got to it :D

I would strip it down and paint it. Won't cost much at all. And you pick any color you want. As long as you do it right, it will be perfect.

I would strip it down and paint it. Won't cost much at all. And you pick any color you want. As long as you do it right, it will be perfect.

im leaning toward powder coating if i decide i really can't live with the graphics, though the plastidip thing still interests me. I had considered doing that for a rack I resprayed, i might try it out and see how it works on the rack before doing a whole frame. i've googled and not been able to find many (any) pics of frames that have been plastidipped, though i have seen a few that have had truck bed tire liner. those look really bad. the plastidip black is a nice matte black, but i'm not sure how the other colors would look. the fact you can just remove it when you don't like it, and it actually protects the frame/paint makes it appealing, though the added weight and weird texture might be downsides. plus, depending on how much you spend, powder coat might start to seem affordable

that all being said, i'm honestly surprised by how just a little silver (well aluminum) seems to have toned the decals down.. not sure if it's cause of the matching silver color of the decal or if the black crank and bash ring was too much contrast or what. if the outline color wasn't red i'd probably stop caring all together..

I thought debadging was just something the "car tuner" guys did to make their cars (be it Ford, Honda, VW) look even more generic. :p

For actual advise, I've found guitar picks to work well at getting under decals without scratching anything. I like Dunlop 0.73mm nylons.

How about chalkboard paint? Then you can draw your own branding at your fancy pants tastes change.

Anyone else find it ironic that OP is telling Scrod to go ride his bike in a thread about a problem which would be solved if OP would just take his own advice?

291306
Black reflective 3M tape. It's held up well over the past 8 months. I don't mind how it looks, but that is my only/everyday/lockup bike, so the bike in general doesn't look great.

291306
Black reflective 3M tape. It's held up well over the past 8 months. I don't mind how it looks, but that is my only/everyday/lockup bike, so the bike in general doesn't look great.

that doesn't look too bad actually :thumb:

How about chalkboard paint? Then you can draw your own branding at your fancy pants tastes change.

Anyone else find it ironic that OP is telling Scrod to go ride his bike in a thread about a problem which would be solved if OP would just take his own advice?

Is there a point to your post or are you just trying to be a dick?

Is there a point to your post or are you just trying to be a dick?

You throw that word around a lot, chief.

What they're saying is that the irony of you busting the balls of a long-time helpful poster because he pointed out the obvious with a retort that would have been less strange had you read it - and applied it yourself.

If you wanted people to respond to you in a manner that was only flowery, sweet and polite - you're probably new to SSFG.

Ha, SSFG always a good time.
I browse alot, but never really post, thought I could be of a little help so here goes...
I have a black Kilo TT (back when they still sold with quill stems), and as suggested by another forum member, there's this automotive cover tape that matched the black paint job of the frame. It comes in large rolls, so you just cut to size and apply. It's almost perfect except for the edge of the cover tape which is barely noticeable on close inspection. I'm willing to bet that there's a white cover tape that matches your bike. Oh, and it was pretty cheap, something like $3 for pretty big roll that could prob cover the whole bike.

worry about the paint on your lladro figurines.

fkn lol

What they're saying is that the irony of you busting the balls of a long-time helpful poster because he pointed out the obvious with a retort that would have been less strange had you read it - and applied it yourself.

Since apparently two of you morons are a bit slow on the take up, I was telling Scrot to go ride his bike because that's the dumbass advice he gave in his first post.


If you wanted people to respond to you in a manner that was only flowery, sweet and polite - you're probably new to SSFG.

Ah, that's where I went wrong, expecting people to be polite and actually offer constructive advice. Totally my bad on that one. :thumb:

Let's lay off the drama. This thread is full of actual advice and some commentary that is related to the topic. There's no need for anyone to get personal and to use derogatory language.

Cover the decals
Sand the decals
Live with the decals
Repaint

Choose one.

Edit: I'm not cleaning this up.

Closed.