Originally Posted by
tarwheel
Very nice, but I'm surprised you didn't change the color since you were going to all the trouble of painting it anyway.
Speaking of wives, I bought a used cyclocross frame on ebay recently and was hoping the seller would let me pick it up since he lives close by. However, he refused to allow that and shipped it instead. My wife saw the package on the front porch and the interrogations began. I was totally planning to sell another frame and parts to fund the purchase, but my wife demanded proof. By the time I ended up selling the frame and other parts, I actually came out ahead on the deal, so my wife is OK for now -- but she still thinks I pulled something over on her.
My original plan wasn't to repaint the entire frame. I was just planning to repaint the downtube and a few other rusted areas (like under the cable guides). I bought the paint with this intention. However, after I treated the frame with an oxalic acid bath, it became clear that the rust spots were more pervasive than I at first realized, so I ended up stripping the entire frame. I actually like the original color a lot. It had a nice pearl which I hope comes through in the repaint. Still undecided on the lug-lining color, though.
It's funny the dance we bike hoarders do with our wives. I'm glad I finished painting the frame before she realized I wasn't painting the garage. Whenever I sell a bike, I like buy my wife something with the profit, even if it's just a bouquet of flowers or a $20 itunes gift card. Really helps to diffuse animosity about all the time I've spent working on said bike.