kyledr

Hey,

I just scored a couple sets of NOS decals for my Rossin, so I'll be restoring it soon. Anyone have any info on Rossin's painting methods? This is on one of their earlier ones, which has Cinelli BB and striped decals which you can see here. I one of Rossin's later catalogs, and they mentioned baking an acrylic paint on, which sounds similar to powder coating. If I remember correctly, these Rossins were often chromed, so the baked paint could be due to the difficulty of painting over chrome. Mine is not chomed, however. I'd like to restore it as accurately as possible.

I have two options as of now. The first is to powder coat it for a price ranging from about $56 to something over $100 if it's a complicated color. That includes mediablasting (aka sandblasting). The other option is to have it painted with a small, professional sprayer using automotive paint. This option would require me to strip the paint myself. I might be able to get it done for next to nothing because my dad is in the automotive business, or I also talked to a guy who needs a website who said if I make him one he'd do it for free. Making a website isn't too much work, but obviously the automotive option requires more work on my end. Time vs. cost wise, powdercoating makes sense and will be more durable, but I think it'll look a little less good.

So basically I can't decide, and therefore want to decide based on whatever closest replicates its original method. I'm open to options I'm not aware of, so long as the price is reasonable.

Thanks in anticipation,

Kyle

P.S. can anyone date this? I don't have much to go on, and I don't know what's original and not. The headset and seatpost are both stamped patent, the BB is stamped Cinelli S.C. Made in Italy, and the saddle (Selle San Marco) has an 85 in a circle, so I guess the saddle's from 85. The cranks are road cranks stamped Strada 170, and the bars have the Cinelli badge engraved in them. Tubing is Columbus. That's about all I can say. The wheels were not original to this bike.

vjp

I have just picked up a Rossin Ghibli frameset and have been looking into re-finishing it. I am not sure about your bike but by the time 10 Speed Drive Imports was involved in bringing them into the country (late 80's) the bikes were painted with Dupont Imron which is a catalysed base/clear system. I believe that it is quite a toxic paint (aren't they all?) but you can still have it done.

Where did you find the decals?

vjp

TheOtherGuy

If you can find Dupont Centari, a 2 part acrylic enamel, it's nearly as tough as Imron, but a bit less nasty.

kyledr

I got them from a seller in the Netherlands on the Bay. You can search for old auctions of rossin and it'll be on there. He has one more like mine in white in his store, and he has some more modern styles (which are less rare, reproductions I think... like the ones banana_brain used to sell. Could be wrong).

There's a ghibli frameset also on eBay that could be like yours. It looks a little more modern than mine. Any chance you could post a detail shot of one of the lugs so I can see what the paint quality and thickness is like?

Good tips on paint! Glad someone on Earth knows about these things.

vjp

Here is a link https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/tsd88/7.jpg to a page of the 1988 TSD catalog that describes their painting. TSD marketed their bikes around the premise that the american market wanted Italian designed and built bikes but wanted American paint and polish. Most of the bike lines they imported came into the US as unpainted frames and then were aligned, painted, chased , faced and delivered to US dealers. Italian paint and chrome was pretty suspect in those days and this gave the consumer a better product and also TSD would benefit on import taxes and duties because they become a "secondary manufacturer".

All that aside, the Rossins' they imported did come painted, but to the same spec. My frame has a decal that says " Rossin, Hand Built in Italy, The DuPont System".

vjp

Dr.Deltron

Centari is NOT Imron though. If you want factory spec paint, use the Imron. It is mo' betta!
Niether is "nasty" if you use a supplied air respirator. (highly recommended!!)

Citoyen du Monde

I have a 48 cm Rossin that I will be putting up for sale shortly: https://tinyurl.com/yhlku7

It has a really neat paint job. It clearly states that it has Dupont paint. In my case the frame was painted a kaleidoscope scheme and then peel off decals were put on halfhazardly over the frame and then painted white over top and then had the decals removed.

BTW, I picked this bike up in Italy and it was therefore painted in Italy.

kyledr

That's a wicked paint job. Would an autobody shop have access to Imron? I have access to a gas mask if I need.

Thanks again. You guys rock!

[edited to note that I don't read well and it seems quite likely my bike is Imron as well]

Dr.Deltron

That's a neat trick with the paint!
I usually do it the other way though. I spray the white and use spraymask letters that I airbrush in different colors. But I have done some in the manner you describe, just depends on which way is easier or more effective.

Colnago does some pretty intricate airbrush art that a few people have requested that I try to copy. It's not hard, just time consuming to make all the art, get the friskets cut, airbrush all the different colors and they want to know why it would cost them more than buying a NEW COLNAGO!
It's called MASS PRODUCTION!

onetwentyeight 

I have a rossin track bike I use as my beater/commuter. I've found the paintjob a much for my tastes but my friends think its great. Deffinately makes me laugh. I THINK the paint is done by silkscreening on the back of clear plastic vinyl and then a clear coat over that. You can see a halftone pattern. Here are a few closups, perhaps they will help you.

https://static.flickr.com/119/267080991_ef32aea081.jpg
https://static.flickr.com/90/267080953_6688ea4518.jpg
https://static.flickr.com/84/267080883_d8b62e2907.jpg