Originally Posted by
Kommisar89
I'm not sure what the exchange rate is for $AUD vs $US but $AUD500 doesn't sound horribly bad. $320 US maybe? This topic has come up a few times recently on the forum. I've seen a variety of prices quoted, some very reasonable but the best I've seen by a place that specializes in bicycles is about $600 US for a frame and fork. How much would a nice paint job cost down under (and I mean a decent wet paint job not a cheapy powder coat)?
I was quoted $AUD200 for a single colour basic enamel job by Star Enamellers.The price goes up with extra colors and decals. They have an excellent reputation and they know how to do bikes, by all accounts. Never heard a bad word about them...quite the opposite.
Your exchange rate would be pretty close, but as I found out (too late) that didn't include a copper coat, and there is a difference in the richness of the colour IMO. I'm not blaming the platers.. I had a phone conversation with them before I took the frame to them...just forgot to specify a copper coat. They did tell me that it wouldn't have added that much to the total price, since most of the work takes place before the actual chrome goes on. As they said, putting the chrome on is the easiest part of the job.
Now that I've polished the frame (almost) I'll probably go for a single clear powder coat...$AUD 50 or around thirty bucks US, but I'm doing all the prep.
But after seeing some of the chrome bikes on C&V, I'm still tempted...
