Recommended Bike Painters in SF Bay Area?
11-26-18 | 11:03 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 219
Likes: 68
From: Northern CA
Bikes: 1971 Gitane TDF, 1974 Gitane Interclub, 2001 Serotta Rapid Tour CS3, 1986 Bruce Gordon touring bike, 1972 Gitane Super Corsa, 1978 Michal Johnson, 1972 Lambert Professional Grand Prix, 1983 Vitus (resto project), 1972 Raleigh Professional (resto)
Recommended Bike Painters in SF Bay Area?
Debating whether to remove some rust and spot paint or go deep and repaint at a good shop. Not thinking of powder coating as I have some chrome stays that look good and are worth keeping.
I’m not Into re-mortgaging the house to do this but hoping to find a reasonable shop.
Recommendations?
I’m not Into re-mortgaging the house to do this but hoping to find a reasonable shop.
Recommendations?
11-26-18 | 11:28 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,723
Likes: 4,174
From: Berkeley, CA
Bikes: 72 Cilo Pacer, 72 Gitane GT, 72 Peugeot PX10, 73 Speedwell Ti,l, 75 Peugeot PR-10L, 80 Colnago Super, 81 Zinn, 85 ALAN Cross, 85 De Rosa Pro, 86 Look 753, 86 Look KG86, 89 Parkpre Team, 90 Parkpre Team MTB, 90 Merlin
How patient are you? Ed Litton comes to mind, but he's notoriously slow...errr, meticulous.
11-26-18 | 11:37 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,056
Likes: 4,923
From: Point Reyes Station, California
Bikes: Indeed!
Ed Litton at Litton Cycles in Richmond as the dean of Bay Area painters. He also does frame repairs and frame building. His work is not cheap but it is first rate. He has a reputation for long turn-around times. Google Litton Cycles.
Allan Neymark, near Santa Cruz, is quite good and, last I knew, less expensive. He doesn't have a big internet presence but you can get his contact information from Rock Lobster Cycles for whom he does a lot of work.
Brent
Allan Neymark, near Santa Cruz, is quite good and, last I knew, less expensive. He doesn't have a big internet presence but you can get his contact information from Rock Lobster Cycles for whom he does a lot of work.
Brent
11-26-18 | 11:40 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,495
Likes: 4,910
From: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, 86 De Rosa Pro, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque
Silva Cycles in san jose/campbell https://www.silvacycles.com/ does new frames and a lot of complete restores/revision Not sure who they use, but worth talking top
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can.
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can.
11-27-18 | 02:50 AM
#5
verktyg
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 1,271
From: SF Bay Area
Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro
SF Bay Area Painters
Ed Litton has painted 3 frames for me. His work is excellent but delivery can take some time. In defense of Ed, I've seen frames that people have dropped off or sent him that he's had questions about and it's taken months for them to get pack to him. Also hidden damage that wasn't part of the original agreement.
Some East Bay folks like D & D Cycles in San Lorenzo. The place is HARD to find or at least it was the few I times I tried. No signs or anything. Supposed to be fast and reasonable but I don't know because no one was ever there. That was a few years ago so things may have changed.
D & D Cycles
2574 Grant Ave
San Lorenzo, CA 94580
(510) 278-2976
I realize that refinishing bikes is an enjoyable pastime for some folks, like refinishing furniture. I enjoy going over the mechanical aspects of a bike but paint isn't one of them.
I've lived by my own set of rules when it comes to repainting a bike:
1. Never buy a frame or bike that needs frame repairs or repainting.
2. Never buy a bike or frame with more than a few minor rust spots that can't be touched up.
3. Never repaint a bike without putting a lot of miles on it first.
# 3 is a good one to consider. I've seen a lot of bikes that new and not so new C&V folks purchased, spent a lot of time and money on and then discovered when finished, they didn't like it. That's one reason why you'ill find a lot of "recently overhauled, new paint" bikes on eBay. Very few sellers will ever recoup their investment.
I can't think of any bike that I own that I'd want to spend money on getting repainted. I tend to pay top dollar for bikes and frames in nice condition. (also I've found some great deals on low mileage bikes)
While I have an all original 1971 Hetchins and a few other collectors, I've generally avoided hyper fancy bikes because they become wall hangers that I don't ride because I don't want to get them scratched or dirty. That's why I don't mind a little patina.. After you get the shiny components on, the scratches seem to disappear.
Back in February I bought my first rust bucket - mainly the top tube. I got this 1971 lilac Raleigh Competition because I liked the color. Bought it for gravel grinding, especially for the dirt sections of Eroica CA. It was supposed to have been "totally overhauled". After I fixed all of the "overhauled" problems and realigned the frame, it became a great riding bike.
I considered having it repainted because it's a great ride but... I'd spend $300-$500 on a $300 Raleigh so why bother.
My 2€ worth.
verktyg
Some East Bay folks like D & D Cycles in San Lorenzo. The place is HARD to find or at least it was the few I times I tried. No signs or anything. Supposed to be fast and reasonable but I don't know because no one was ever there. That was a few years ago so things may have changed.
D & D Cycles
2574 Grant Ave
San Lorenzo, CA 94580
(510) 278-2976
I realize that refinishing bikes is an enjoyable pastime for some folks, like refinishing furniture. I enjoy going over the mechanical aspects of a bike but paint isn't one of them.
I've lived by my own set of rules when it comes to repainting a bike:
1. Never buy a frame or bike that needs frame repairs or repainting.
2. Never buy a bike or frame with more than a few minor rust spots that can't be touched up.
3. Never repaint a bike without putting a lot of miles on it first.
# 3 is a good one to consider. I've seen a lot of bikes that new and not so new C&V folks purchased, spent a lot of time and money on and then discovered when finished, they didn't like it. That's one reason why you'ill find a lot of "recently overhauled, new paint" bikes on eBay. Very few sellers will ever recoup their investment.
I can't think of any bike that I own that I'd want to spend money on getting repainted. I tend to pay top dollar for bikes and frames in nice condition. (also I've found some great deals on low mileage bikes)
While I have an all original 1971 Hetchins and a few other collectors, I've generally avoided hyper fancy bikes because they become wall hangers that I don't ride because I don't want to get them scratched or dirty. That's why I don't mind a little patina.. After you get the shiny components on, the scratches seem to disappear.
Back in February I bought my first rust bucket - mainly the top tube. I got this 1971 lilac Raleigh Competition because I liked the color. Bought it for gravel grinding, especially for the dirt sections of Eroica CA. It was supposed to have been "totally overhauled". After I fixed all of the "overhauled" problems and realigned the frame, it became a great riding bike.
I considered having it repainted because it's a great ride but... I'd spend $300-$500 on a $300 Raleigh so why bother.
My 2€ worth.
verktyg
__________________
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Last edited by verktyg; 11-27-18 at 02:54 AM.
11-28-18 | 12:04 AM
#6
Bike Butcher of Portland
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 12,486
Likes: 8,054
From: Portland, OR
Bikes: It's complicated.
What, someone else I missed meeting up with at Eroica Cali? Are you planning on attending the 2019 version?
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
11-28-18 | 02:56 AM
#7
verktyg
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 1,271
From: SF Bay Area
Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro
Eroica CA 2018
Maybe 2019?
verktyg
__________________
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
11-28-18 | 01:38 PM
#8
Bike Butcher of Portland
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 12,486
Likes: 8,054
From: Portland, OR
Bikes: It's complicated.
Would be great to meet you if you can. Stories to be swapped under the influence of beer...
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
11-30-18 | 06:13 PM
#9
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 219
Likes: 68
From: Northern CA
Bikes: 1971 Gitane TDF, 1974 Gitane Interclub, 2001 Serotta Rapid Tour CS3, 1986 Bruce Gordon touring bike, 1972 Gitane Super Corsa, 1978 Michal Johnson, 1972 Lambert Professional Grand Prix, 1983 Vitus (resto project), 1972 Raleigh Professional (resto)
Beer and bikes - one of the immortal pairings! One, without the other, is a life unfulfilled. There is a 6 gallon batch of Munich Dunkel fermenting right now in our house and it should be ready for the upcoming holidays. I digress . . .
Thanks to all for the recommendations on painters in the Bay area and even Chas' advice on whether or not to repaint a new resto project. Ideally, with everything stripped from the frame, now would be the perfect time to get it done but I'll hold off and just work on de-rusting and touch-ups. Polishing the blingy parts and laying on decals will probably be enough. My goal is to have wheels down in January for building up to the Eroica in Cambria in April.
Do BF Eroica types typically band together and ride as one fearless peloton or do they usually blend into the Eroica masses?
Thanks to all for the recommendations on painters in the Bay area and even Chas' advice on whether or not to repaint a new resto project. Ideally, with everything stripped from the frame, now would be the perfect time to get it done but I'll hold off and just work on de-rusting and touch-ups. Polishing the blingy parts and laying on decals will probably be enough. My goal is to have wheels down in January for building up to the Eroica in Cambria in April.
Do BF Eroica types typically band together and ride as one fearless peloton or do they usually blend into the Eroica masses?
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