Assenmachers did a good job on my Gitane, but it took them forever to get it back to me--something like 8 months, I think. I mentioned that to someone once who told me they kept his frame for almost a year (or maybe just over a year, I forget) before he finally just had them send it back unpainted.

That was in about 2004, I think. They may be very prompt now for all I know. But before I'd send them another frame I'd ask for some kind of guarantee that they'd do the work within a reasonable time.

Baking won't improve your paint job or make it more durable. It just speeds solvent evaporation. Manufacturers and paint shops do it to get the stuff out the door faster.

Put your frame in a hot summer attic for a few days. It will accomplish the same thing. You shouldn't be painting in the cold months anyway.