Chroming a frame....
 

Hi, I have an old Ciocc from the early '80s and plan to restore it as best I can. I am very intrigued by the idea of chroming the frame and then painting it but I thought I better ask you guys how to go about doing this. Some questions come to mind:

Are there different types of chrome?
If so, what type do I use for a bicycle?
I'd like to keep the details as nice as possible, particularly the "Ciocc" embossed on the top of the rear stays; is chrome going to ruin these details due to it's thickness?

That is all I can think of for now, thanks for any help any one can provide ;)

Chrome plating a bicycle frame requires special skills, and not all steel tubing is suitable for chrome plating because of hydrogen embrittlement. Reynolds 531 can be successfully chrome plated.

Check out the CyclArt Q&A on chrome plating at http://www.cyclart.com/questions.html#chrome1.

Cyclart can have the frame chromed perfectly............................................................for a price.



Be seated when you get the quote.

so can vintage cycle studios (Brian Baylis)
or any other number of good painters, it's all in the prep work.
marty

An interesting side note is that the lifetime warranty that comes with most high quality tubesets is voided when any or all of a frame gets chromed for reasons already cited. Only have an experienced bike builder and/or restorer do the job and be willing to pay the money. Best to just paint the bike.

... particularly if you live immediately downwind of the world's largest body of salt water, as I do.

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!

They do look nice... Almost too nice.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...mountsmall.jpg

??????
 

Wait, you want to chrome plate the frame and THEN paint it?? Is that right? Why would anyone paint over chrome?? I am confused.....:twitchy:

The chrome provides an extra layer of protection. Some production bicycles were chromed and then painted, like my 1986 Schwinn Voyageur. Not a single spec of rust, although in a couple of places the paint has been scraped off to expose the chrome.

My Somec is the lightest frame I have, it is full chrome with transparent red over it at the moment and Columbus SL. It is shortly going to get a full chrome full polish renovation. I am not worried about a few grams at 200lbs + :D

That's the Coolest part about Paint-over-Chrome. When you (inevitably) scratch it you see chrome, rather than grow rust.

Holy resurrected thread, Batman! It's five years old!

Scooper, I like! And with all respect, I'm going to out-chrome it with my PX10... :-)

Buying the paint for my all polished chrome plated Torpado on payday. Plan on powder blue with chrome head tube lugs, for crown, fork socks and stays socks...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...8&d=1463925433

See here: http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...arts-home.html

However, electroplating an entire frame would be a lot of work and (as others have mentioned) you have to take care of hydrogen embrittlement.

I intent to electroplate the stays, lugs and forks of a 1950's Hetchins frame later this year, but I will put down a copper strike layer first. This will ensure good adhesion.

it's been more than ten years since I started this thread but I still have the Ciocc, although I never did end up getting it chromed, I chose to powder coat it as it was much cheaper.

I gave the Ciocc to my nephew a few years ago and he rides it to university and his job.

He really likes it and is quick as hell on it, I like to think I was once that fast but I cannot be sure, 18 years old was a long time ago ;)

. . . and in that time it is has become damned near impossible to get a frame chromed in California. Not a complaint or endorsement or judgment, just an observation.

Look guys, I just had my fork plated. The shop owner said he couldn't do the whole frame; too big he said. So the frame is getting powder coated minus the chrome parts.

Never like factory chrome, but it should look good, plus is triple plated which should last a while.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=523538

Next to my other factory chromed fork.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=523539

My Chrome platter does a fantastic job, always Triple plate always perfect.

Before.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/...psec15290d.jpg

After
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6091eec1.jpg

He chromes lots of items from small bits and pieces to gigantic Car bumpers from the 50's

Who is he?

yes, who is he, I need to get the fork of my Zunow redone.

Remember...... chrome plating makes for the best "quick release" paint primer.
As a lot of Italian bike makers proved to us in the 80's......:rolleyes:

I just had an Tommasini Air Fork done by Quality Plating, Sterling, IL, and am happy as it was a mess having been re-chromed directly over the original chrome, had flaking on both layers! For me shipping was $15 each way and $85 for the work. They do just lugs (which I recommend for exactly Chombi1's reasoning) or the whole frame. I learned the hard way local shops are not to be trusted.

Sounds intriguing. I have an extra MAX fork cruising around and getting it plated for $120+/- might be a cool way to make my Proto really stand out from the crowd.