I happen to LOVE good heavy chrome plating on vintage bikes. ~ Check out these alluring photos of a Paramount on the Classic Rendezvous website: http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA...frame_full.htm

However, Chrome plating is not just a thin electroplating like you'd find on a gold plated watch or ring. For a good chrome job on a bike there is usually a triple strate (3 layers) "stack" consisting of copper, brass or nickle and finally chromium. Polishing between layers can help fill in any heavy pitting and give you a true Show Bike finish. BUT... this all comes at the price of added weight to your frameset. So, consider whether you want a couple more ounces or a hundred grams or more added to your frame.


For this reason, high-end vintage racing bikes were often built entirely without the beautiful chrome highlights we love so much. The plating on the bottoms of the chain and seat stays and fork blades and fork crowns were to protect real-world bikes from chipped paint and the effects of corrosion from road salts - especially important with the inferior enamel paint we now find faded on bikes from decades ago... Remember: there were no nice hard clear-coats back then.

Because the Chrome plating process is now regarded an OSHA health hazard, many plating companies will no longer do it at all - so, it is expensive... in any case.

And, as others have mentioned, you really need a qualified plater who is competent to work with BICYCLE frames. In addition to the issue of suitable steel, and the risk of embrittlement: Your frame is not simply a bumper from a '58 Chevy, or the valve cover on a motorcycle; it is built with closed tubing which usually had small holes drilled into them to vent heat and pressure during the brazing process. These vent holes will literally fill with acid during the required cleaning process for re-plating. So, later this "acid-pickle" solution needs to be properly neutralized where it has seeped into the tubing. Your local bumper shop will certainly not bother with little considerations like this - even if they are accustomed to plating Harley handlebars.

Nevertheless, in spite of everyone's warnings, if your bike originally had chrome on it, and you want to restore it to it's former beauty (and you have plenty of CA$$$H to have it re-plated properly)... Definitely, Go for it!